par|ent

par|ent
par|ent «PAIR uhnt», noun, verb, adjective.
–n.
1. a) a father or mother: »

A positive means of prompt baby identification brings peace of mind to parents and hospital administrators alike (Newsweek).

 b) a person who has not produced the offspring but has the legal status of a father or mother, as by adoption.
2. any animal or plant that produces offspring: »

The mother fox was a parent for the first time and became very nervous when the father would come to inspect his new family.

3. Figurative. source; cause; origin: »

Too much leisure is often the parent of mischief.

4. = parent company: (Cf. ↑parent company) »

American Cable asserted it was prepared, “backed by the full resources of its parent,” [International Telephone and Telegraph Corp.] to establish and operate an overseas cable system (Wall Street Journal).

–v.
to be or act as a parent »

Our grandmothers would be very surprised to hear that people learn how to parent by taking classes.

–adj.
= parental. (Cf. ↑parental)
╂[< Old French parent < Latin parēns, -entis, earlier present participle of parere to bring forth]

Useful english dictionary. 2012.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать реферат

Look at other dictionaries:

  • par|ent-in-law — «PAIR uhnt ihn L», noun, plural par|ents in law. a father in law or mother in law: »All is well at the end for everybody but the interfering parents in law (Punch) …   Useful english dictionary

  • Par|ent-Teach|er Association — «PAIR uhnt TEE chuhr», See P.T.A. (Cf. ↑PTA) …   Useful english dictionary

  • par|ent|age — «PAIR uhn tihj», noun. 1. descent from parents; family line; ancestry: »His parentage was Italian ancestry, of a grandfather and grandmother who came from Italy many years ago. SYNONYM(S): birth. 2. the condition or fact of being a parent;… …   Useful english dictionary

  • par|ent|hood — «PAIR uhnt hud», noun. the condition of being a parent; fatherhood or motherhood: »Parenthood begins “officially” with the birth or adoption of an infant, but every girl or boy develops a certain background for motherhood or fatherhood during the …   Useful english dictionary

  • par|ent|ing — «PAIR uhn tihng», noun. the process of caring for and raising offspring: »[He] turns to research on the history of parenting from primates to man…and concludes,…Parenting is mostly learned from identification with models (New Republic) …   Useful english dictionary

  • par|ent|less — «PAIR uhnt lihs», adjective. 1. without parents: »He was my own uncle…he had taken me when a parentless infant to his house (Charlotte Brontë). 2. Figurative. without known parents, author, or source …   Useful english dictionary

  • trans|par´ent|ness — trans|par|ent «trans PAIR uhnt», adjective. 1. transmitting light so that bodies beyond or behind can be distinctly seen: »Window glass is transparent. SYNONYM(S): limpid, pellucid. 2. Figurative. a) easily seen through or detected; obvious: » a… …   Useful english dictionary

  • trans|par´ent|ly — trans|par|ent «trans PAIR uhnt», adjective. 1. transmitting light so that bodies beyond or behind can be distinctly seen: »Window glass is transparent. SYNONYM(S): limpid, pellucid. 2. Figurative. a) easily seen through or detected; obvious: » a… …   Useful english dictionary

  • Trans|par|ent — «trans PAIR uhnt», adjective. 1. transmitting light so that bodies beyond or behind can be distinctly seen: »Window glass is transparent. SYNONYM(S): limpid, pellucid. 2. Figurative. a) easily seen through or detected; obvious: » a transparent… …   Useful english dictionary

  • trans|par|ent — «trans PAIR uhnt», adjective. 1. transmitting light so that bodies beyond or behind can be distinctly seen: »Window glass is transparent. SYNONYM(S): limpid, pellucid. 2. Figurative. a) easily seen through or detected; obvious: » a transparent… …   Useful english dictionary

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”