born
15 ENTRIES FOUND:
Britannica Dictionary definition of BORN
2
:
having certain qualities or characteristics from the time of birth
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born blind/deaf
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Both twins were born healthy.
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The author Mark Twain was born Samuel Clemens. [=was named Samuel Clemens at birth]
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She's a born teacher/leader. [=she was born with the qualities that make someone a teacher/leader]
◊ If you were born to do something or born to be something, you have natural qualities or talents that make you perfectly suited to do or be something.
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She was born to teach. = She was born to be a teacher.
3
not used before a noun
— used to describe the place where someone was born
— often used in combination
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He's American born. [=he was born in America]
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He's Mexican born and bred. = He was born and bred in Mexico. [=his birth and childhood took place in Mexico]
4
not used before a noun
— used to describe the social conditions or situations that exist when people are born
—
see also highborn
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Some are born in slavery, others born merely poor.
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She was born to riches/wealth. = She was born into a rich/wealthy family.
5
not used before a noun
:
brought into existence
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Her dream of owning farm was born when she visited the countryside as a child.
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The wine is born [=created] from the union of two very different grapes.
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a mentality born in the age of computers
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Their relationship was born of necessity [=established because it was necessary in some way], but it has developed into a true and lasting friendship.
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Church leaders assert that the recent unrest in the city is born out of [=has occurred because of] years of neglect of the city's poor neighborhoods.
born too late
◊ Someone who is said to be born too late seems to be better suited for life in an earlier time period.
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John prefers early jazz music over the modern stuff. I guess he was born too late.
born with a silver spoon in your mouth
◊ If you were born with a silver spoon in your mouth, you were born into a very wealthy family.
in all your born days
informal + somewhat old-fashioned
:
in your entire life
— used to express how unexpected or unusual something is
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I never saw anything like it in all my born days.
there's one born every minute
informal or there's a sucker born every minute
— used to say that there are many people in the world who are foolish and can be easily deceived
to the manner born
to the manor born
wasn't born yesterday
◊ Someone who wasn't born yesterday is unlikely to believe something that is not true or to trust someone who is not trustworthy.
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He said he'd pay me back, but I'll believe it when I see it. I wasn't born yesterday.
