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   brood

   /bruːd/

   noun

   • 1. a family of birds or other young animals produced at one hatching or birth: "a brood of chicks" Similar offspringyoungprogenyspawnfamilyhatchclutchnestlitterrare:progeniture
   • ▪ a large family of children: informal "she was brought up as part of a brood of eight" Similar familyhouseholdménageclantribechildrenoffspringyoungsterslittle onesprogenydescendantsissueinformal:kidssprogs
   • 2. bee or wasp larvae.

   verb

   • 1. think deeply about something that makes one unhappy, angry, or worried: "she had brooded over the subject a thousand times" Similar worry aboutfret aboutagonize overmope overmoon overlanguish overfeel despondent aboutgrieve oversulk abouteat one's heart out overthink aboutpondercontemplatepore overmeditate onmuse onmull overdwell onruminate on/overchew overpuzzle overweigh upturn over in one's mind
   • 2. (of a bird) sit on (eggs) to hatch them: "the male pheasant-tailed jacana takes over once the eggs are laid and broods them" Similar incubatecoverhatchsit on
   • ▪ (of a fish, frog, or invertebrate) hold (developing eggs) within the body.

   adjective

   • 1. (of an animal) kept to be used for breeding: "a brood mare"

   Word Origin Old Englishbrōd, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch broed and German Brut, also to breed. The verb was originally used with an object, i.e. ‘to nurse (feelings) in the mind’ (late 16th century), a figurative use of the idea of a hen nursing chicks under her wings.

   Scrabble Points: 8

   • B

     3

   • R

     1

   • O

     1

   • O

     1

   • D

     2

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