Definify.com

Webster 1913 Edition


Brook

Brook

,
Noun.
[OE.
brok
,
broke
,
brook
, AS.
brōc
; akin to D.
broek
, LG.
brōk
, marshy ground, OHG.
pruoh
, G.
bruch
marsh; prob. fr. the root of E.
break
, so as that it signifies water breaking through the earth, a spring or brook, as well as a marsh. See
Break
,
Verb.
T.
]
A natural stream of water smaller than a river or creek.
The Lord thy God bringeth thee into a good land, a land of
brooks
of water.
Deut. viii. 7.
Empires itself, as doth an inland
brook

Into the main of waters.
Shakespeare

Brook

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Brooked
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Brooking
.]
[OE.
broken
,
bruken
, to use, enjoy, digest, AS.
br[GREEK]can
; akin to D.
gebruiken
to use, OHG.
pr[GREEK]hhan
, G.
brauchen
,
gebrauchen
, Icel.
br[GREEK]ka
, Goth.
br[GREEK]kjan
, and L.
frui
, to enjoy. Cf.
Fruit
,
Broker
.]
1.
To use; to enjoy.
[Obs.]
Chaucer.
2.
To bear; to endure; to put up with; to tolerate;
as, young men can not
brook
restraint
.
Spenser.
Shall we, who could not
brook
one lord,
Crouch to the wicked ten?
Macaulay.
3.
To deserve; to earn.
[Obs.]
Sir J. Hawkins.

Webster 1828 Edition


Brook

BROOK

,
Noun.
[Gr. to rain, to pour, to flow.] A small natural stream of water, or a current flowing from a spring or fountain less than a river. In some parts of America, run is used in a like sense; but run is also applied to larger streams than brook.

BROOK

,
Verb.
T.
[Gr. to eat, to grind the teeth.] Literally, to chew or digest, as the Fr. digerir. Hence,
To bear; to endure; to support; as,young men cannot brook restraint.