brood
UK[bruːd]US[bruːd]
v
to think a lot about something that makes you sad, worried, or angry
n
all the young birds or other animals that are born or hatched to one mother at the same time
Etymology
the word 'brood' originates from the old english 'brōd', which referred to the act of a bird incubating eggs or the resulting offspring. this term is rooted in the proto-germanic 'brōd-', carrying the same sense of warmth and hatching. from this concrete meaning of nurturing young, the verb evolved metaphorically to describe the human act of dwelling persistently on thoughts, much like a bird sits on its eggs. the semantic connection lies in the concepts of warmth, nurturing, and prolonged, focused attention.
Analysis
the word is a simplex unit derived from old english 'brōd'.
Examples
she sat in the corner, brooding over the unfair criticism.
the hen protected her brood of chicks from the rain.
he has a tendency to brood about past mistakes for weeks.