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.
Broth"er (brŭ&thlig;"&etilde;r),
n.; pl.
Brothers (brŭ&thlig;"&etilde;rz) or Brethren
(br&ebreve;&thlig;"r&ebreve;n). See Brethren. [OE. brother, AS.
brōðor; akin to OS. brothar, D. broeder, OHG. pruodar, G. bruder, Icel. brōðir, Sw. & Dan. broder, Goth. brōþar, Ir. brathair, W. brawd, pl. brodyr, Lith. brolis, Lett. brahlis, Russ. brat', Pol. & Serv.
brat, OSlav. bratrŭ, L. frater, Skr.
bhrāt&rsdot;, 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.
brēðer, nom. pl.
brōðor, brōðru.
√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.
&fist; 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.
Hear it pronounced