ENGLISH
REFERENCE

bred

v.
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈbɹɛd// UK //bɹˈɛd// bred Dialect

v. the past tense of 'breed'. It means to have kept animals so they could produce babies, or to have been raised in a specific way.

v. the past tense and past participle of 'breed'. Refers to the controlled reproduction of animals or the upbringing of a person in a specific social environment.


SIMPLE

The farmer bred sheep for their high-quality wool.

CONTEXTUAL

She was born and bred in a small village, so she found the city quite overwhelming.

COMPLEX

The researchers bred several generations of fruit flies to observe how specific genetic traits were passed down in a controlled environment.

Synonyms
Usage

Often used in the passive voice ('was bred') to describe a person's upbringing or an animal's lineage.

Pitfall

He was breed in London.He was bred in London.Learners often use the base form 'breed' instead of the irregular past participle 'bred' in passive constructions.

Idioms1 entry

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