Brother - Dictionary Definition and Overview

Brother :  (noun)
1: a male with the same parents as someone else; "my brother still lives with our parents" [syn: blood brother] [ant: sister]
2: a male person who is a fellow member (of a fraternity or religion of other group); "none of his brothers would betray him"
3: a close friend who accompanies his buddies in their activities [syn: buddy, chum, crony, pal, sidekick]
4: used as a term of address for those male persons engaged in the same movement; "Greetings, comrade!" [syn: comrade]
5: (Roman Catholic Church) a title given to a monk and used as form of address; "a Benedictine Brother" [syn: Brother]

Based on WordNet 2.0

Brother : \Broth"er\ (br[u^][th]"[~e]r), n.; pl. Brothers (br[u^][th]"[~e]rz) or Brethren (br[e^][th]"r[e^]n). See Brethren. [OE. brother, AS. br[=o][eth]or; akin to OS. brothar, D. broeder, OHG. pruodar, G. bruder, Icel. br[=o][eth]ir, Sw. & Dan. broder, Goth. br[=o][thorn]ar, Ir. brathair, W. brawd, pl. brodyr, Lith. brolis, Lett. brahlis, Russ. brat', Pol. & Serv. brat, OSlav. bratr[u^], L. frater, Skr. bhr[=a]t[.r], Zend bratar brother, Gr. fra`thr, fra`twr, a clansman. The common plural is Brothers; in the solemn style, Brethren, OE. pl. brether, bretheren, AS. dat. sing. br[=e][eth]er, nom. pl. br[=o][eth]or, br[=o][eth]ru. [root]258. Cf. Friar, Fraternal.] 1. A male person who has the same father and mother with another person, or who has one of them only. In the latter case he is more definitely called a half brother, or brother of the half blood.

Two of us in the churchyard lie, My sister and my brother. --Wordsworth.

2. One related or closely united to another by some common tie or interest, as of rank, profession, membership in a society, toil, suffering, etc.; -- used among judges, clergymen, monks, physicians, lawyers, professors of religion, etc. ``A brother of your order.'' --Shak.

We few, we happy few, we band of brothers, For he to-day that sheds his blood with me Shall be my brother. --Shak.

3. One who, or that which, resembles another in distinctive qualities or traits of character.

He also that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great waster. --Prov. xviii. 9.

That April morn Of this the very brother. --Wordsworth.

Note: In Scripture, the term brother is applied to a kinsman by blood more remote than a son of the same parents, as in the case of Abraham and Lot, Jacob and Laban. In a more general sense, brother or brethren is used for fellow-man or fellow-men.

For of whom such massacre Make they but of their brethren, men of men? --Milton.

Brother Jonathan, a humorous designation for the people of the United States collectively. The phrase is said to have originated from Washington's referring to the patriotic Jonathan Trumbull, governor of Connecticut, as ``Brother Jonathan.''

Blood brother. See under Blood.

Based on Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary

Brother : \Broth"er\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Brothered.] To make a brother of; to call or treat as a brother; to admit to a brotherhood. --Sir W. Scott.

Based on Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary

BROTHER, domest. relat. He who is born from the same father and mother with another, or from one of them only. 2. Brothers are of the whole blood, when they are born of the same father and mother, and of the half blood, when they are the issue of one of them only. 3. In the civil law, when they are the children of the same father and mother, they are called brothers germain; when they descend from the same father, but not the same mother, they are consanguine brothers; when they are the issue of the same mother, but not the same father, they are uterine brothers. A half brother, is one who is born of the same father or mother, but not of both. One born of the same parents before they were married, a left-sided brother; and a bastard born of the same father or mother, is called a natural brother. Vide Blood; Half-blood; Line; and Merl. Repert. mot Frere; Dict. de Jurisp. mot Frere; Code, 3, 28, 27 Nov. 84, praef; Dane's Ab. Index, h. t.

Based on Bouvier's Law Dictionary, Revised 6th Ed (1856) [Bouvier_Law_Dictionary]:

Brother :  (1.) In the natural and common sense (Matt. 1:2; Luke 3:1, 19).

(2.) A near relation, a cousin (Gen. 13:8; 14:16; Matt. 12:46; John 7:3; Acts 1:14; Gal. 1:19).

(3.) Simply a fellow-countryman (Matt. 5:47; Acts 3:22; Heb. 7:5).

(4.) A disciple or follower (Matt. 25:40; Heb. 2:11, 12).

(5.) One of the same faith (Amos 1:9; Acts 9:30; 11:29; 1 Cor. 5:11); whence the early disciples of our Lord were known to each other as brethren.

(6.) A colleague in office (Ezra 3:2; 1 Cor. 1:1; 2 Cor. 1:1).

(7.) A fellow-man (Gen. 9:5; 19:7; Matt. 5:22, 23, 24; 7:5; Heb. 2:17).

(8.) One beloved or closely united with another in affection (2 Sam. 1:26; Acts 6:3; 1 Thess. 5:1). Brethren of Jesus (Matt. 1:25; 12:46,
50: Mark 3:31, 32; Gal. 1:19; 1 Cor. 9:5, etc.) were probably the younger children of Joseph and Mary. Some have supposed that they may have been the children of Joseph by a former marriage, and others that they were the children of Mary, the Virgin's sister, and wife of Cleophas. The first interpretation, however, is the most natural.



Based on Bouvier's Law Dictionary, Revised 6th Ed (1856) [Bouvier_Law_Dictionary]:

Example Usage of Brother

socialsmack: @bwoj well then here's some positive mojo flowin' your way Brother. Best wishes to you and your's for a prosperous new year!
wyndimarie: my Brother called this morning to tell me he is getting married.Go C go!
To_Be_A_Star: Posted 'My Brother Wants to Talk' to blip.tv: http://blip.tv/file/2935379
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