breed (breeds plural & 3rd person present) (breeding present participle) (bred past tense & past participle )
1 n-count A breed of a pet animal or farm animal is a particular type of it. For example, terriers are a breed of dog.
...rare breeds of cattle..., Certain breeds are more dangerous than others.
2 verb If you breed animals or plants, you keep them for the purpose of producing more animals or plants with particular qualities, in a controlled way.
He lived alone, breeding horses and dogs... V n
These dogs are bred to fight. be V-ed to-inf
→
cross-breed
♦
breeding n-uncount
There is potential for selective breeding for better yields.
3 verb When animals breed, they have babies.
Frogs will usually breed in any convenient pond... V
The area now attracts over 60 species of breeding birds. V-ing
♦
breeding n-uncount oft N n
During the breeding season the birds come ashore.
4 verb If you say that something breeds bad feeling or bad behaviour, you mean that it causes bad feeling or bad behaviour to develop.
(=create)
If they are unemployed it's bound to breed resentment... V n
Violence breeds violence. V n
5 n-count You can refer to someone or something as one of a particular breed of person or thing when you want to talk about what they are like.
usu sing, with supp
(=strain)
Sue is one of the new breed of British women squash players who are making a real impact..., The new breed of walking holidays puts the emphasis on enjoyment, not endurance...
6
→
breeding
→
ill-bred
→
pure-bred
→
well-bred
7 Someone who was born and bred in a place was born there and grew up there.
♦
born and bred phrase
I was born and bred in the highlands...
8
→
familiarity breeds contempt
→
familiarity