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.
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.
