Part 838

Brot"el*ness, n. Brittleness. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Broth (&?;), n. [AS. bro&?;; akin to OHG. brod, brot; cf. Ir. broth, Gael. brot. √93. Cf. Brewis, Brew.] Liquid in which flesh (and sometimes other substances, as barley or rice) has been boiled; thin or simple soup.

I am sure by your unprejudiced discourses that you love broth better than soup. Addison.

Broth"el (&?;), n. [OE. brothel, brodel, brethel, a prostitute, a worthless fellow, fr. AS. beró&?;an to ruin, destroy; cf. AS. breótan to break, and E. brittle. The term brothel house was confused with bordel brothel. CF. Bordel.] A house of lewdness or ill fame; a house frequented by prostitutes; a bawdyhouse.

Broth"el*er (&?;), n. One who frequents brothels.

Broth"el*ry (&?;), n. Lewdness; obscenity; a brothel. B. Jonson.

Broth"er (br"r), n.; pl. Brothers (br"rz) or Brethren (br"rn). See Brethren. [OE. brother, AS. brðor; akin to OS. brothar, D. broeder, OHG. pruodar, G. bruder, Icel. brðir, Sw. & Dan. broder, Goth. brþar, Ir. brathair, W. brawd, pl. brodyr, Lith. brolis, Lett. brahlis, Russ. brat', Pol. & Serv. brat, OSlav. bratr, L. frater, Skr. bhrt, 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. brðer, nom. pl. brðor, brðru. √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.

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.

Broth"er ger"man (&?;). (Law) A brother by both the father's and mother's side, in contradistinction to a uterine brother, one by the mother only. Bouvier.

Broth"er*hood (&?;), n. [Brother + -hood.] 1. The state of being brothers or a brother.

2. An association for any purpose, as a society of monks; a fraternity.

3. The whole body of persons engaged in the same business, -- especially those of the same profession; as, the legal or medical brotherhood.

4. Persons, and, poetically, things, of a like kind.

A brotherhood of venerable trees. Wordsworth.

Syn. -- Fraternity; association; fellowship; sodality.

Broth"er-in-law` (&?;), n.; pl. Brothers-in-law (&?;). The brother of one's husband or wife; also, the husband of one's sister; sometimes, the husband of one's wife's sister.

Broth"er*li*ness (&?;), n. The state or quality of being brotherly.

Broth"er*ly (&?;), a. Of or pertaining to brothers; such as is natural for brothers; becoming to brothers; kind; affectionate; as, brotherly love.

Syn. -- Fraternal; kind; affectionate; tender.