Brood
noun
A group of young animals or children who all come from the same parent or parents.
The lady duck takes care of her brood.
Often appears as...
- mother's brood
- brood of chicks
verb
To think a lot about something in an unhappy way.
He was brooding over how someone could have betrayed him.
Often appears as...
- brood over something
- brood about the past
Usage tips
Disapproving
verb
When a bird sits on eggs to make them warm so that young birds can be born.
The hen is brooding eight eggs.
Often appears as...
- hen brooding eggs
- bird brooding chicks
adjective
Showing deep unhappiness of thought.
She has a brooding presence that can be quite intimidating.
Often appears as...
- brooding look
- brooding presence
Usage tips
Disapproving
noun
A group of young animals or children who all come from the same parent or parents.
The lady duck takes care of her brood.
Often appears as...
- mother's brood
- brood of chicks
verb
To think a lot about something in an unhappy way.
He was brooding over how someone could have betrayed him.
Often appears as...
- brood over something
- brood about the past
Usage tips
Disapproving
verb
When a bird sits on eggs to make them warm so that young birds can be born.
The hen is brooding eight eggs.
Often appears as...
- hen brooding eggs
- bird brooding chicks
adjective
Showing deep unhappiness of thought.
She has a brooding presence that can be quite intimidating.
Often appears as...
- brooding look
- brooding presence
Usage tips
Disapproving
Definition 1 of 4
Pro Tip 1/3Family Focus
Use 'brood' when referring to a whole family of young ones together, especially with animals or birds.
The swan led her brood across the pond.
Pro Tip 2/3Numbers Implied
'Brood' suggests several offspring, rather than just one or two.
The farmer's proud of his large brood of piglets.
Pro Tip 3/3Not for Humans
While 'brood' can refer to human families, it might feel impersonal or humorous.
They arrived at the picnic with their whole brood in tow.
Pro Tip 1/3Family Focus
Use 'brood' when referring to a whole family of young ones together, especially with animals or birds.
The swan led her brood across the pond.
Pro Tip 2/3Numbers Implied
'Brood' suggests several offspring, rather than just one or two.
The farmer's proud of his large brood of piglets.
Pro Tip 3/3Not for Humans
While 'brood' can refer to human families, it might feel impersonal or humorous.
They arrived at the picnic with their whole brood in tow.
Pro Tip 1/3Family Focus
Use 'brood' when referring to a whole family of young ones together, especially with animals or birds.
The swan led her brood across the pond.
Pro Tip 2/3Numbers Implied
'Brood' suggests several offspring, rather than just one or two.
The farmer's proud of his large brood of piglets.
Pro Tip 3/3Not for Humans
While 'brood' can refer to human families, it might feel impersonal or humorous.
They arrived at the picnic with their whole brood in tow.
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Video examples
The science and...
traveled hundreds or even thousands of miles to return to the same Beach from when she herself was hatched octopi to lay eggs though not on a beach rather the female generally deposit her eggs within a protected alcove now once laid the mother octopus meticulously for her brood keeping the eggs free from
Video examples
Mating frenzies, sperm...
Workers from nests up to several meters away begin to steal offspring from our queen. Our colony retaliates, but new waves of raiders from even further away overwhelm the workers. Within hours, the raiders have taken our queen’s entire brood supply
Video examples
Killer Cuckoo Catfish PIPE...
the hole the cichlid babies are in Mom's mouth that's why the cichlid are called mouth brooding fish mom's mouth is both nest and nursery like all good moms this one lets her babies out to play and then provides protection when it's time to
Video examples
Why I'm done trying to...
A brooding, reformed playboy who falls for, of all things, a virgin, and who is only occasionally shirtless. Now, these roles don't represent the kind of man I am in my real life,
Video examples
Best Of Ants PIPE BBC Earth
tending to the queens and to the remaining brood others head for the surface for a first look at their strange new world in the royal chamber the queen has yet
Video examples
Best Of Frogs PIPE Top 5 PIPE...
these leaf folding frogs can find to protect their precious brood at the first floral beacons of spring triggering a rampage of wildflowers an increasingly
Video examples
Unbelievable Bird...
never father a brood instead of producing their own young they find their reproductive reward in helping to raise their younger brothers and sisters
Video examples
BBC Earth 50 Top Natural...
as news of the attack reaches the corral Queen she withdraws to the deepest chambers her entourage of nurses in tow carrying the valuable brood
Video examples
Best Of Animal Teamwork...
some stay underground tending to the queens and to the remaining brood others head for the surface for a first look at their strange new world
Video examples
5 Reasons Ants Are...
queens and to the remaining brood others head for the surface for a first look at their strange new world the entire army is mobilizing
Video examples
The science and...
traveled hundreds or even thousands of miles to return to the same Beach from when she herself was hatched octopi to lay eggs though not on a beach rather the female generally deposit her eggs within a protected alcove now once laid the mother octopus meticulously for her brood keeping the eggs free from
Video examples
Mating frenzies, sperm...
Workers from nests up to several meters away begin to steal offspring from our queen. Our colony retaliates, but new waves of raiders from even further away overwhelm the workers. Within hours, the raiders have taken our queen’s entire brood supply
Video examples
Killer Cuckoo Catfish PIPE...
the hole the cichlid babies are in Mom's mouth that's why the cichlid are called mouth brooding fish mom's mouth is both nest and nursery like all good moms this one lets her babies out to play and then provides protection when it's time to
Video examples
Why I'm done trying to...
A brooding, reformed playboy who falls for, of all things, a virgin, and who is only occasionally shirtless. Now, these roles don't represent the kind of man I am in my real life,
Video examples
Best Of Ants PIPE BBC Earth
tending to the queens and to the remaining brood others head for the surface for a first look at their strange new world in the royal chamber the queen has yet
Video examples
Best Of Frogs PIPE Top 5 PIPE...
these leaf folding frogs can find to protect their precious brood at the first floral beacons of spring triggering a rampage of wildflowers an increasingly
Video examples
Unbelievable Bird...
never father a brood instead of producing their own young they find their reproductive reward in helping to raise their younger brothers and sisters
Video examples
BBC Earth 50 Top Natural...
as news of the attack reaches the corral Queen she withdraws to the deepest chambers her entourage of nurses in tow carrying the valuable brood
Video examples
Best Of Animal Teamwork...
some stay underground tending to the queens and to the remaining brood others head for the surface for a first look at their strange new world
Video examples
5 Reasons Ants Are...
queens and to the remaining brood others head for the surface for a first look at their strange new world the entire army is mobilizing
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
Garry Trudeau
American Cartoonist
I think it's very dangerous for people who do anything that's public to venture on the Web and check out what people are saying about them. Yes, you're bound to find things that will delight you - but you also find things that will make you brood and feel bad about yourself. Why would you intentionally invite that into your life?
Quote examples
Washington Irving
American Writer
The sorrow for the dead is the only sorrow from which we refuse to be divorced. Every other wound we seek to heal - every other affliction to forget: but this wound we consider it a duty to keep open - this affliction we cherish and brood over in solitude.
Quote examples
Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu
Mexican Director
Sad music, I always thought, is more beautiful than other music. But at the same time, I am in my personal life a very happy guy. I have a sense of humor. I am not the kind of depressed guy all the time brooding. No. I am very enthusiastic about things.
Quote examples
Maeve Binchy
Irish Novelist
The biggest influence on my books was the fact that I had worked in a newspaper for so long. In a daily paper, you learn to write very quickly; there is no time to sit and brood about what you are going to say.
Quote examples
Abraham Lincoln
American President
There may sometimes be ungenerous attempts to keep a young man down; and they will succeed, too, if he allows his mind to be diverted from its true channel to brood over the attempted injury.
Quote examples
Will Ferrell
American Comedian
The funny guy doesn't get the girl until later in life. High school, college, everyone still wants the brooding, dangerous guy you shouldn't have.
Quote examples
Bryan Callen
American Actor
I've always wanted to be a brooding, deep, dark artist, but I can never keep that facade going for more than 15 minutes.
Quote examples
Georgina Campbell
English Actress
So many fantastic male characters are brooding, angry, and not nice; that doesn't happen as much with women.
Quote examples
Gutzon Borglum
American Sculptor
No man can ever repay the brooding mother love to which he his life.
Quote examples
Leo Buscaglia
American Author
Don't brood. Get on with living and loving. You don't have forever.
Quote examples
Garry Trudeau
American Cartoonist
I think it's very dangerous for people who do anything that's public to venture on the Web and check out what people are saying about them. Yes, you're bound to find things that will delight you - but you also find things that will make you brood and feel bad about yourself. Why would you intentionally invite that into your life?
Quote examples
Washington Irving
American Writer
The sorrow for the dead is the only sorrow from which we refuse to be divorced. Every other wound we seek to heal - every other affliction to forget: but this wound we consider it a duty to keep open - this affliction we cherish and brood over in solitude.
Quote examples
Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu
Mexican Director
Sad music, I always thought, is more beautiful than other music. But at the same time, I am in my personal life a very happy guy. I have a sense of humor. I am not the kind of depressed guy all the time brooding. No. I am very enthusiastic about things.
Quote examples
Maeve Binchy
Irish Novelist
The biggest influence on my books was the fact that I had worked in a newspaper for so long. In a daily paper, you learn to write very quickly; there is no time to sit and brood about what you are going to say.
Quote examples
Abraham Lincoln
American President
There may sometimes be ungenerous attempts to keep a young man down; and they will succeed, too, if he allows his mind to be diverted from its true channel to brood over the attempted injury.
Quote examples
Will Ferrell
American Comedian
The funny guy doesn't get the girl until later in life. High school, college, everyone still wants the brooding, dangerous guy you shouldn't have.
Quote examples
Bryan Callen
American Actor
I've always wanted to be a brooding, deep, dark artist, but I can never keep that facade going for more than 15 minutes.
Quote examples
Georgina Campbell
English Actress
So many fantastic male characters are brooding, angry, and not nice; that doesn't happen as much with women.
Quote examples
Gutzon Borglum
American Sculptor
No man can ever repay the brooding mother love to which he his life.
Quote examples
Leo Buscaglia
American Author
Don't brood. Get on with living and loving. You don't have forever.
Example 1 of 10
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