brook
A body of running water smaller than a river; a small stream.
Noun
- A body of running water smaller than a river; a small stream.
- empties itself, as doth an inland brook / into the main of waters - c. 1596–1598 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merchant of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First...
- The Lord thy God bringeth thee into a good land, a land of brooks of water. - 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Deuteronomy 8:7:
- But then I had the [massive] flintlock by me for protection. ¶[…]The linen-press and a chest on the top of it formed, however, a very good gun-carriage; and, thus mounted, aim could be taken out of the window at the old...
- A water meadow, or (in the plural) low, marshy ground.
Origin
From Middle English brook, from Old English brōc (“brook; stream; torrent”), from Proto-West Germanic *brōk (“stream”).
Forms
Derived
Common nouns American brook char American brook charr babbling brook broker brook alder brookie brook lamprey brookless brooklet brooklike brooklime brook mint brookside brook springfly brook trout brook wakerobin brookweed Proper nouns Allynbrook Anniebrook Ashbrook Bellbrook Bessbrook
Verb
- To bear; endure; support; put up with; tolerate.
- brook no refusal
- I will not brook any disobedience.
- I will brook no impertinence.
Synonyms: abear abide aby accept allow bear bide brook dree endure forbear go along with live with pass pocket pouch put up with stand stick stomach suffer swallow take take sitting down
- To enjoy the use of; make use of; profit by; to use, enjoy, possess, or hold.
- Yea, my Lord: how brooks your Grace the ayre, / After your late toſſing on the breaking Seas? - 1595 December 9 (first known performance), William Shakespeare, “The Life and Death of King Richard the Second”, in Mr....
- The girl’s spirit would brook a husband under no such conditions: she was not minded to run forward because Pen chose to hold out the handkerchief, and her tone, in reply to Arthur, showed her determination to be...
- To earn; deserve.
Synonyms: brook deserve earn garner merit reap win be worthy of
Origin
From Middle English brouken (“to use, enjoy”), from Old English brūcan (“to enjoy, brook, use, possess, partake of, spend”), from Proto-West Germanic *brūkan, from Proto-Germanic *brūkaną (“to enjoy, use”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰruHg- (“to enjoy”). Cognate with Saterland Frisian bruke (“to need”), Dutch bruiken (“to use”), German Low German bruken (“to need”), German brauchen (“to need”), Swedish bruka (“to use”), Icelandic brúka (“to use”).