n. 兄弟

Brother \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.


Brother \Broth"er\ (br[u^][th]"[~e]r), n.; pl. {Brothers}
(br[u^][th]"[~e]rz) or {Brethren} (br[e^][th]"r[e^]n). See
{Brethren}. [OE. brother, AS. br[=o][eth]or; akin to OS.
brothar, D. broeder, OHG. pruodar, G. bruder, Icel.
br[=o][eth]ir, Sw. & Dan. broder, Goth. br[=o][thorn]ar, Ir.
brathair, W. brawd, pl. brodyr, Lith. brolis, Lett. brahlis,
Russ. brat', Pol. & Serv. brat, OSlav. bratr[u^], L. frater,
Skr. bhr[=a]t[.r], 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. dative
sing. br[=e][eth]er, nom. pl. br[=o][eth]or, br[=o][eth]ru.
[root]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}.

Note: A brother having the same mother but different fathers
is called a {uterine brother}, and one having the same
father but a different mother is called an {agnate
brother}, or in (Law) a {consanguine brother}. A
brother having the same father and mother is called a
{brother-german} or {full brother}. The same modifying
terms are applied to {sister} or {sibling}.
[1913 Webster +PJC]

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.

Note: 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}.