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The young birds hatched at one time; a hatch; as, a brood of chicken. As a hen doth gather her brood under her wings. Luke xiii. 34. A hen followed by a brood of ducks. Spectator.

Inclined to brood. Ray.

In the act of brooding. [Obs.] Abp. Sancroft.

The nest of a bird of prey, as of an eagle or hawk; also a brood of such birds; eyrie. Shak. Also fig.: A human residence or resting place perched like an eagle's nest.

" Shak. "A beggar's brat." Swift. O Israel! O household of the Lord! O Abraham's brats! O brood of blessed seed! Gascoigne.

A number produced at once; a brood. [Obs.]

onions, and capable, when separated, of propagating the plant; -- called also bulblet and brood bud.

To ruminate in thought; to consider; to keep the mind working upon; to brood over. Dryden.

To make the noise, or utter the call, of a brooding hen. Ray.

The noise or call of a brooding hen.

To brood, cover, over, or sit over, as birds their eggs. [Obs.] Not being able to cove or sit upon them [eggs], she [the female tortoise] bestoweth them in the gravel. Holland.

. Specifically, belonging to the Scotch Covenanters. Be they covenanting traitors, Or the brood of false Argyle Aytoun.

To brood or sit on; to incubate. While the hen is covering her eggs, the male . . . diverts her with his songs. Addison.

A brood or hatch of birds; an old bird with her brood of young; hence, a small flock or number of birds together; -- said of game; as, a covey of partridges. Darwin.

A brood of eels. [Prov. Eng.]

A brood; as, an eye of pheasants.

t me; and what I will is fate. Milton. Beyond and above the Olympian gods lay the silent, brooding, everlasting fate of which victim and tyrant were alike the instruments. Froude.

ngfisher (Halcyon sancta) of Australia. Amidst our arms as quiet you shall be As halcyons brooding on a winter sea. Dryden.

The chickens produced at once or by one incubation; a brood.

To sit, as on eggs for hatching; to brood; to brood upon, or keep warm, as eggs, for the purpose of hatching.