verb (used with object), brought, bring·ing.
- to carry, convey, conduct, or cause (someone or something) to come with, to, or toward the speaker: Bring the suitcase to my house. He brought his brother to my office.
- to cause to come to or toward oneself; attract: Her scream brought the police. He brought honor to his family by his heroism.
- to cause to occur or exist: The medication brought instant relief.
- to cause to come into a particular position, state, or effect: to bring the car to a stop.
- to cause to appear or occur in the mind; evoke or recall: The letter brought her memories of youth.
- to persuade, convince, compel, or induce: She couldn’t bring herself to sell the painting.
- to sell for; fetch: These lamps will bring a good price.
- Law. to commence: to bring an action for damages.
Verb Phrases
- bring about, to accomplish; cause: Land reform brought about a great change in the lives of the common people.
- bring around/round,
- to convince of a belief or opinion; persuade: I think we can bring him around to agreeing with the plan.
- to restore to consciousness, as after a faint.
- to bring as a visitor: They brought around a new employee this morning.
- bring down,
- to injure, capture, or kill: He brought down several ducks on his last hunting trip.
- to lessen; reduce: I won’t buy that lamp unless they bring down the price.
- Slang.to cause to be in low spirits; depress: The bad news brought him down.
- bring forth,
- to give birth to; deliver; bear: to bring forth a son.
- to give rise to; introduce: to bring forth a proposal for reducing costs.
- bring forward,
- to bring to view; show.
- to present for consideration; adduce: to bring forward an opinion.
- bring in,
- to yield, as profits or income: My part-time job doesn’t bring in much, but I enjoy it.
- to present officially; submit: The jury brought in its verdict.
- to cause to operate or yield: They brought in a gusher on his property.
- to present for consideration, approval, etc.; introduce: She brought in six new members last month.
- bring off, to accomplish, carry out, or achieve (something): He brought off his speech with ease.
- bring on,
- to cause to happen or exist; bring about: This incident will surely bring on a crisis.
- to introduce; cause to appear: Bring on the clowns.
- bring out,
- to expose; reveal.
- to make noticeable or conspicuous in a contrast.
- to publish, as a book or play.
- to introduce officially into society: to bring out a debutante.
- bring to,
- to bring back to consciousness; revive.
- Nautical.to head (a vessel) close to or into the wind so as to halt.
- bring up,
- to care for during childhood; rear.
- to introduce or mention for attention, discussion, action, or consideration.
- to vomit.
- to stop or cause to stop quickly: to bring up a car at the curb.
- Nautical.(of a vessel) to cause to halt, as by lowering an anchor or running aground; fetch up.
verb brings, bringing or brought (tr)
- to carry, convey, or take (something or someone) to a designated place or personbring that book to me; will you bring Jessica to Tom’s party?
- to cause to happen or occur to (oneself or another)to bring disrespect on oneself
- to cause to happen as a consequenceresponsibility brings maturity
- to cause to come to mindit brought back memories
- to cause to be in a certain state, position, etcthe punch brought him to his knees
- to force, persuade, or make (oneself)I couldn’t bring myself to do it
- to sell for; fetchthe painting brought 20 pounds
- law
- to institute (proceedings, charges, etc)
- to put (evidence, etc) before a tribunal
- bring forth to give birth to
- bring home to
- to convince ofhis account brought home to us the gravity of the situation
- to place the blame on
- bring to bear See bear 1 (def. 17)
Old English bringan “to bring, bring forth, produce, present, offer” (past tense brohte, past participle broht), from Proto-Germanic *brenganan (cf. Old Frisian brenga, Middle Dutch brenghen, Old High German bringan, Gothic briggan); no exact cognates outside Germanic, but it appears to be from PIE root *bhrengk-, compound based on root *bher- (1) “to carry” (cf. Latin ferre; see infer).
The tendency to conjugate this as a strong verb on the model of sing, drink, etc., is ancient: Old English also had a rare strong past participle form, brungen, corresponding to modern colloquial brung. To bring down the house figuratively (1754) is to elicit applause so thunderous it collapses the roof.