▪ I. born, pple. and a.
(bɔːn)
Forms under bear v.
[In modern use the connexion with bear is no longer felt; the phrase to be born has become virtually an intr. verb. See bear v. 43, 44.]
A. Senses of to be born.
1. To be brought forth as offspring, to come into the world. (See bear v. 44.)
2. fig. a. Of things: To come into existence (chiefly poet. and rhetorical). b. in Theol. of persons, to be born of God: to become a child of God; to be born again: to undergo the new birth, become or be regenerate.
| 1382 Wyclif John iii. 3 But a man schal be born aȝen [1388 borun aȝen, Tindale boren a newe, 1611 borne againe]. ― 1 John iv. 7 Each man that loueth his brother, is born [1388 borun, Tindale and 1611 borne] of God. 1593 Hooker Eccl. Pol. Pref. i. §1 All that would but seem to be born of Him. 1857 Heavysege Saul (1869) 127 Lo, the breaking light is born! 1859 Tennyson Vivien 381 Some sudden turn of anger born Of your misfaith. |
3. With ns. or adjs., or complementary phrases, as to be born a poet, an Englishman; to be born blind, lucky, rich, etc., i.e. to be so by the conditions of one's birth, by capacities implanted at birth, or the like; to be born under a lucky star, born with a silver spoon in one's mouth, proverbial phrases denoting a fortunate destiny, or inherited wealth. to be born to (an inheritance, certain relationships, etc.): to inherit by right of birth; to be destined to from birth. Similarly with infin., as to be born to suffer, to be hanged, etc. Also born and bred: see breed v. 11; born in the purple: see purple n. 2 d; born yesterday: see yesterday adv. 2.
| a 1000 Boeth. Metres xxvi. 46 Gif he to þæm rice wæs on rihte boren. 1382 Wyclif Matt. ii. 1 Wher is he, that is borun kyng of Jewis. 1610 Shakes. Temp. i. i. 35 If he be not born to be hanged our case is miserable. 1697 Dryden Virg. Georg. iv. 463 Born to bitter Fate. 1750 Johnson Rambl. No. 148 ¶9 Those who were born to his protection. |
4. Of qualities, tastes, aptitudes, to be born in, born with (a person): to be implanted at birth.
| 1710 Nicholls Comm. Common Prayer Rrr b, There is a sort of Original Corruption in our Nature..born with us into the World. |
B. Attrib. uses of the pa. pple.
1. Said of persons: a. generally = that (ever) was born, as ‘Can any born man deny it?’ born man (obs.), a native.
| c 1550 Virgilius in Thoms Prose Rom. 22 She was the greatest borne woman that was than there aboute. 1582–8 Hist. James VI (1804) 147 This Bell was a borne man in Stirline. 1667 Milton P.L. iv. 324 Goodliest man of men since born. |
b. That has been born of such a quality or condition, as a born orator, a born Englishman; very common in born fool, and the like. Often following the n., as a poet born.
| c 1330 Arth. & Merl. 7790 Ywain bastard y-bore. c 1386 Chaucer Merch. T. 1790 Thyn owene squier and thy born man. 1551–6 Robinson tr. More's Utop. 131 Borne aduersaries and enemies one to an other. 1582 N. T. (Rhem.) Mark vii. 26 The woman was a Gentile, a Syrophœnician borne. 1742 Richardson Pamela III. 89, I, a poor helpless Girl..shall put on Lady-airs to a Gentlewoman born. 1861 Sat. Rev. XII. 38/1 Lord John and Mr. Walpole both have their weaknesses; but neither of them is a born fool. 1863 Kingsley Water Bab. vi, She was a lady born. 1878 Morley Diderot I. 286 The resource of the born journalist. |
c. Qualifying another adj., as in born free (obs. in attrib. use, cf. freeborn), born-blind.
| 1393 Gower Conf. I. 68 Of thilke bore free kinde. 1517 R. Torkington Pilgr. (1884) 52 Our savyor gaff sight to the born blynde man. 1878 Morley Diderot I. 85 The born-blind are at first without physical delicacy. |
d. Preceded by adv., adj., or n., forming combs., indicating (a) time or order of birth, as eldest-, youngest-born, poet. or rhetorical synonyms for ‘eldest’, ‘youngest’ (often used as quasi-ns.), last-, latest-, newly-born; (b) place of birth or origin, as cloud-, country-, Danish-, sea-born; (c) the quality or rank of a person's parentage, as gently-, lowly-, nobly-born = of gentle, lowly, noble birth; (d) condition at or by birth, as blind-, free-, poor-born. Cf. base-, first-, high-, low-, new-, true-, well-born, etc.
| 1382 Wyclif Luke ii. 7 And sche childide her firste born sone. 1642 Fuller Holy & Prof. St. ii. xxiv. 149 Gentilely born on both sides. 1684 Dryden in Roscom. Ess. Transl. Verse Pref. (1709) 4 Authors nobly born will bear their part. 1697 Dryden Virg. Georg. iv. 142 Better born, and of a nobler Kind. 1783 Ainsworth Lat. Dict. (Morell) 1, Blind born, cæcigenus. 1837 Carlyle Fr. Rev. II. v. i. 247 Pet son (her last-born?) of the Scarlet Woman. a 1861 Mrs. Browning Lady Geraldine's Courtship, Men call him lowly born. 1867 Freeman Norm. Conq. I. iv. 189 The Danish-born Bernard. |
2. Of qualities, aptitudes, etc.: That was born in or with a person; innate, inherited.
| 1742 Richardson Pamela III. 243 This..must be born Dignity—born Discretion. 1833 Gen. P. Thompson Exerc. (1842) III. 465 It is part of our born-thralldom. |
3. Phr. (one's) born days: one's lifetime. colloq.
| 1742 Richardson Pamela III. 383 He never was so delighted in his born Days. 1826 Disraeli Viv. Grey vi. i. 286 You shall rue it all your born days. |
▪ II. born, v. U.S.
(bɔːn)
[Irreg. f. born pple.]
1. trans. To cause to be born, to deliver (a child), to bring into existence. rare.
| 1932 W. Faulkner Light in August xvii. 371 Byron Bunch borning a baby. Ibid. xviii. 403, I took care of his woman for him and I borned his child for him. 1982 Washington Post 19 Jan. d1 Stress has a way of borning art and gifted people. |
2. intr. To come to birth, to be born. Chiefly as pres. pple., ppl. a., and vbl. n. Also fig. Cf. aborning adv. and pred. a.
| 1932 W. Faulkner Light in August xv. 330 The talk. It went here and there about the town, dying and borning again like a wind or a fire. 1960 S. Plath Colossus (1967) 9 The small birds converge, converge With their gifts to a difficult borning. 1966 W. Styron Confessions of Nat Turner iii. 340 While yanking a borning calf from its mother's womb Moore suffered a bizarre and fatal accident. 1980 Christian Science Monitor 11 Feb. b11 ‘Astronomy of the Ancients’ is a collection of eight articles from the borning interdisciplinary field known as archaeoastronomy. 1983 Ibid. 29 Mar. 20 We soon discovered that rehabilitating wildlife..was a highly expensive hobby. As the ‘borning season’ influx rose.., we suffered a shortage of shelter space. |