ENGLISH
REFERENCE

brook

n. countable
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈbɹʊk// UK //bɹˈʊk// brook Archaic Formal

n. a small, natural stream of water. It is usually smaller than a river and flows through woods or fields.

n. a small, natural stream of fresh water. Often used in literary or descriptive contexts to distinguish a minor watercourse from a larger river.


SIMPLE

A cold brook flows through the forest behind our house.

CONTEXTUAL

The children spent the afternoon building small stone dams across the shallow brook in the meadow.

COMPLEX

Melting snow from the high peaks feeds the mountain brook, causing it to swell and rush over the mossy rocks during the early spring months.

Synonyms
Origin

* As an English surname, from the noun brook. * As a north German surname, from Low German Brook (“swamp, marsh”), related to the above. * As a Dutch surname, Americanized from Broek, from broek, also related to the above. * As a Jewish and German surname, Americanized from Bruck, Bruch (from Bruch (“wetland, marsh”)).

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