Talk:brood

Top Priority: Parts of Speech

Is there a noun, adjective, adverb, synonym, and antonym for brooding? The discussion page for brooding did not exist, so I came here to ask, Please post if possible.

Verb

The following sentence is in w:decapod anatomy: "Pleopods (also called swimmerets) are primarily swimming legs, and are also used for brooding the eggs (except in prawns), catching food (then swept to the mouth), and can sometimes bear their own gills." (emphasis mine).

I'm not convinced that the lobster in question si trying to keep the eggs warm when tending them by brooding, which is the only egg related sense in sense 1 of the verb. We may need to expand it or add an additional sense for arthropods like lobsters and other decapods. RJFJR 03:45, 22 September 2007 (UTC)

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brood

Sense #1: "What comes out of an egg". I did not find support for this sense in other dictionaries, and it appears too general anyway. Anything that comes out of any egg? Is it actually the same as sense #2 ? --Hekaheka 11:29, 29 December 2008 (UTC)

It was the only definition at the very beginning [1] and I guess the others just got added on; and it seems that it may refer to reptiles as well, as I got over a thousand hits when googling "brood of snakes" [2] (which would still make it possible to merge it with sense 2 of course). --Duncan 16:45, 29 December 2008 (UTC)

I'm not sure this generalises to the young of all egg-layers. My personal preference is that the word is particularly appropriate for birds, confirmed by some dictionaries. To me it seems likely to generalise in two directions: 1., to other animals that intensively rear their young (mammals, marsupials) [synonym: litter?] and, 2., to other animals that lay eggs: amphibians, reptiles, fish, arthropods, etc., whether or not they "care" much for them, but so far I only get confirmation for applicability in insects. The application to humans is at least sometimes mildly pejorative, IMO, but seems to include all children that need a high degree of care, not just those in the same "litter"! DCDuring Holiday Greetings! 17:42, 29 December 2008 (UTC)

A quick review of books searches for "brood" + "frog", + "snake", + "fish", and + "spider" confirms that biologists, at least, seem to use the term for all egg-layers. DCDuring Holiday Greetings! 17:52, 29 December 2008 (UTC)

For the time being I made the def more specific and put it one sense down, but I still think it should probably be merged with the "bird" sense. --Duncan 00:59, 22 January 2009 (UTC)

Kept, I believe. Striking. --Duncan 14:44, 28 February 2009 (UTC)

• Note: target page brood is still tagged. --07:00, 8 March 2009 (UTC)

  Thanks for reminding me, Connel. I untagged it now. --Duncan 11:24, 8 March 2009 (UTC)

This definition

"(intransitive) To dwell upon moodily and at length."

is very unclear. I have no ability to make another one, but someone should.

breed

HI, shouldn't the term 'breed' be mentioned in this entry? Thanks in advance. --Backinstadiums (talk) 19:43, 14 February 2017 (UTC)

(Intransitive) be heavy or ominous

(Intransitive)  to loom or hang heavily and ominously (literary) 
Dark clouds brooding overhead

--Backinstadiums (talk) 12:06, 9 October 2020 (UTC)

intransitive: 1. worry 2. think unpleasant thoughts

1. to be preoccupied with a troublesome or unwelcome thought 
2. to think resentful, dark, or miserable thoughts 

--Backinstadiums (talk) 12:07, 9 October 2020 (UTC)