*father*

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Fathered p. pr. & vb. n. Fathering. ] 1. To make one's self the father of; to beget. [ 1913 Webster ]

Cowards father cowards, and base things sire base. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To take as one's own child; to adopt; hence, to assume as one's own work; to acknowledge one's self author of or responsible for (a statement, policy, etc.). [ 1913 Webster ]

Men of wit
Often fathered what he writ. Swift. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To provide with a father. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Think you I am no stronger than my sex,
Being so fathered and so husbanded ? Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

To father on or
To father upon, to ascribe to, or charge upon, as one's offspring or work; to put or lay upon as being responsible. “Nothing can be so uncouth or extravagant, which may not be fathered on some fetch of wit, or some caprice of humor.” Barrow. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. God, when considered as the first person in the Trinity.
Syn. -- Father. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. The state of being a father; the character or authority of a father; paternity. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Fathers-in-law The father of one's husband or wife; -- correlative to son-in-law and daughter-in-law. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ A man who marries a woman having children already, is sometimes, though erroneously, called their father-in-law. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Imitated fr. D. vaderland. See Father, and Land. ] One's native land; the native land of one's fathers or ancestors. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Zool.) A European marine fish (Cottus bubalis), allied to the sculpin; -- called also lucky proach. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. 1. Destitute of a living father; as, a fatherless child. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Without a known author. Beau. & Fl. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The state of being without a father. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ From Fatherly. ] The qualities of a father; parantal kindness, care, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

(Zool.) See Daddy longlegs, 2. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. 1. Like a father in affection and care; paternal; tender; protecting; careful. [ 1913 Webster ]

You have showed a tender, fatherly regard. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Of or pertaining to a father. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The state of being a father; fatherhood; paternity. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who precedes another in the line of genealogy in any degree, but usually in a remote degree; an ancestor. [ 1913 Webster ]

Respecting your forefathers, you would have been taught to respect yourselves. Burke. [ 1913 Webster ]

Forefathers' Day, the anniversary of the day (December 21) on which the Pilgrim Fathers landed at Plymouth, Massachusetts (1620). On account of a mistake in reckoning the change from Old Style to New Style, it has generally been celebrated on the 22d. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ AS. godfæder. Cf. Gossip. ] A man who becomes sponsor for a child at baptism, and makes himself a surety for its Christian training and instruction. Correlative of godmother. [ 1913 Webster ]

There shall be for every Male-child to be baptized, when they can be had, two Godfathers and one Godmother; and for every Female, one Godfather and two Godmothers; and Parents shall be admitted as Sponsors, if it is desired. Book of Common Prayer (Prot. Episc. Ch., U. S. ). [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To act as godfather to; to take under one's fostering care. [ R. ] Burke. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A father's or mother's father; an ancestor immediately after the father or mother in lineal ascent. [ 1913 Webster ]

Grandfather longlegs. (Zool.) See Daddy longlegs. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Like a grandfather in age or manner; kind; benignant; indulgent. [ 1913 Webster ]

He was a grandfatherly sort of personage. Hawthorne. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ See Great, 10. ] The father of one's grandfather or grandmother. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. a man in charge of children in an institution. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ AS. steópfaeder. ] The husband of one's mother by a subsequent marriage. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. 1. Having no father; fatherless; hence, born contrary to nature. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Having no acknowledged father; hence, illegitimate; spurious; bastard. [ 1913 Webster ]