n. [ OE. burth, birth, AS. beorð, gebyrd, fr. beran to bear, bring forth; akin to D. geboorte, OHG. burt, giburt, G. geburt, Icel. burðr, Skr. bhrti bearing, supporting; cf. Ir. & Gael. beirthe born, brought forth. √92. See 1st Bear, and cf. Berth. ]
Elected without reference to birth, but solely for qualifications. Prescott. [ 1913 Webster ]
A foe by birth to Troy's unhappy name. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]
Poets are far rarer births than kings. B. Jonson. [ 1913 Webster ]
Others hatch their eggs and tend the birth till it is able to shift for itself. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]
New birth (Theol.),
n. See Berth. [ Obs. ] De Foe. [ 1913 Webster ]
n. the act or process of deliberately limiting the number of one's children born, especially by preventing conception. Conception may be prevented by ingesting medicines, using barriers such as condoms or spermicides during copulation, or by ligating or removing the reproductive organs.
n.
Those barbarous ages past, succeeded next
The birthday of invention. Cowper. [ 1913 Webster ]
This is my birthday; as this very day
Was Cassius born. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]
a. Of or pertaining to the day of birth, or its anniversary;
n. [ Birth + -dom. ] The land of one's birth; one's inheritance. [ R. ] Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]
v. to give birth to.
n.
a. Of mean extraction. [ R. ] Sir W. Scott. [ 1913 Webster ]
n. Some peculiar mark or blemish on the body at birth. [ 1913 Webster ]
Most part of this noble lineage carried upon their body for a natural birthmark, . . . a snake. Sir T. North. [ 1913 Webster ]