- born
- 1
a past participle of bear 1
2
adjective
1 be born when a person or animal is born it comes out of its mother's body, or out of an egg: Forty lambs were born this spring.(+ in): Swift was born in 1667. | I was born in a small southern town in the USA. (+ at): In those days most babies were born at home. (+ on): I was born on December 15th 1973. | newly-born: recently born: a newly-born baby | be born into/to/of (=be born in a particular situation, type of family etc): Frank was born into a wealthy family. | be born with (=have a particular disease, type of character etc since birth): Jenny was born with a cleft palate. | be born blind/deaf/etc (=be blind, deaf etc when born) | be born lucky/unlucky etc (=always be lucky, unlucky etc) | Australian/French etc born (=born in or as a citizen of Australia etc): Australian born rock icon Nick Cave2 be born to do/be sth to be very suitable for a particular job, activity etc3 born leader/teacher/musician etc someone who has a strong natural ability to lead, teach etc4 START EXISTING (not before noun) something that is born starts to exist: And so the concept of the jet engine was born.5 born of/out of existing as a result of something: Bill spoke with a cynicism born of bitter experience.6 born and bred born and having grown up in a particular place and having the typical qualities of someone from that place: born and bred in Liverpool7 I wasn't born yesterday spoken used to tell someone you think is deceiving you that you are not stupid enough to believe them8 in all my born days spoken old-fashioned used to express surprise at something that you have never heard about or experienced before: Well, I've never heard of such a thing in all my born days!9 there's one born every minute spoken used to say that someone has been very stupid or easily deceived10 be born under a lucky/unlucky star to always have good or bad luck in your life-see also: natural-born11 be born with a silver spoon in your mouth to be born into a rich family12 be born on the wrong side of the blanket humorous to have parents who were not married when you were born
Longman dictionary of contemporary English. 2004.