brɪŋ v.tr. (past
and past part. brought) 1 a
come conveying
esp. by carrying or leading. b come
with. 2
cause to come or be present (what brings
you here?). 3 cause or
result in (war brings misery). 4 be
sold for;
produce as
income. 5 a
prefer (a charge). b
initiate (legal action). 6 cause to
become or to
reach a
particular state (brings me
alive;
brought them to
their senses;
cannot bring
myself to agree). 7
adduce (evidence, an
argument, etc.). øbring
about 1 cause to
happen. 2
turn (a ship)
around. bring-and-buy
sale Brit. a kind of
charity sale at
which participants bring items for sale and
buy what is brought by others. bring
back call to
mind. bring down 1 cause to
fall. 2 lower (a price). 3 sl.
make unhappy or
less happy. 4 colloq.
damage the reputation of; demean. bring
forth 1
give birth to. 2 produce,
emit, cause. bring
forward 1
move to an earlier date or
time. 2
transfer from the
previous page or
account. 3
draw attention to; adduce. bring
home to cause to
realize fully (brought home to me
that I
was wrong). bring the
house down
receive rapturous
applause. bring in 1
introduce (legislation, a
custom,
fashion,
topic, etc.). 2
yield as income or
profit. bring
into play cause to
operate;
activate. bring low
overcome. bring
off achieve successfully. bring on 1 cause to happen or
appear. 2
accelerate the
progress of. bring
out 1
emphasize; make
evident. 2
publish. bring
over convert to one's
own side. bring
round 1
restore to
consciousness. 2
persuade. bring
through aid (a person) through
adversity, esp.
illness. bring to 1 restore to consciousness (brought
him to). 2 check the
motion of. bring to bear (usu. foll. by on)
direct and
concentrate (forces). bring to mind
recall; cause
one to
remember. bring to pass cause to happen. bring
under subdue. bring up 1 rear (a child). 2
vomit,
regurgitate. 3 call attention to. 4 (absol.)
stop suddenly. bring
upon oneself be
responsible for (something one suffers). øøbringer n. [OE bringan f. Gmc]