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Brain

//bɹeɪn// name, noun, verb, slang

Definitions

Proper Noun

1
A surname.

Noun

1
The control center of the central nervous system of an animal located in the skull which is responsible for perception, cognition, attention, memory, emotion, and action. countable, uncountable
"The Ueynes are ſpred foorth throughout the whole bodie, howbeit from one welhead, that is to ſay from the Liuer: ſo be the Sinews, howbeit from the Brayne; So likewiſe are the Heartſtrings, howbeit from the Heart."
2
that part of the central nervous system that includes all the higher nervous centers; enclosed within the skull; continuous with the spinal cord wordnet
3
The control center of the central nervous system of an animal located in the skull which is responsible for perception, cognition, attention, memory, emotion, and action.; A part of the brain, especially associated with particular mental functions, abilities, etc. countable, uncountable
"The left brain, or that which supplies and animates the right side of the body, is the most active brain, as a general rule."
4
that which is responsible for one's thoughts, feelings, and conscious brain functions; the seat of the faculty of reason wordnet
5
Mind. countable, informal, uncountable
"I have too much on my brain today."

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6
mental ability wordnet
7
Intellect. countable, in-plural, uncountable
""We provided a lot of brains and a lot of heart to the response when it was needed," says Sandra Sanchez, director of AFSC's Immigrants' Voice Program in Des Moines."
8
the brain of certain animals used as meat wordnet
9
An intelligent person. countable, informal, uncountable
"She was a total brain."
10
someone who has exceptional intellectual ability and originality wordnet
11
An intelligent person.; A person who provides the intelligence required for something. countable, informal, plural, plural-only, uncountable
"He is the brains behind the scheme."
12
An intelligent person.; An intellectual or mental capacity. countable, informal, singular, uncountable
"Gerald always acts like he doesn't have a brain."
13
By analogy with a human brain, the part of a machine or computer that performs calculations. countable, uncountable
"The computer's brain is capable of millions of calculations a second."
14
Oral sex. slang, uncountable, vulgar
"Have you ever popped champagne on a plane, while gettin' some brain?"
15
A loose compartment of a backpack that straps on over the top opening. countable, uncountable

Verb

1
To dash out the brains of; to kill by smashing the skull. transitive
2
kill by smashing someone's skull wordnet
3
To strike (someone) on the head. transitive
"Lambdon would require medical attention for a fractured skull. It seemed that Fen had passed his wife a couple of telling pictures, whereupon the drab Mrs. Lambdon had brained her husband with a table lamp."
4
hit on the head wordnet
5
To destroy; to put an end to. figuratively, transitive
"There thou maiſt braine him,"

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6
To conceive in the mind; to understand. obsolete, transitive
"'Tis still a dream, or else such stuff as madmen / Tongue, and brain not."
7
To think effectively. humorous, intransitive, nonstandard
"My brain isn't braining right now."

Etymology

Etymology 1

From Middle English brayn, brain, from Old English bræġn (“brain”), from Proto-West Germanic *bragn, from Proto-Germanic *bragną (“brain”), from Proto-Indo-European *mregʰnom (“skull, brain”), from Proto-Indo-European *mregʰ- (“marrow, sinciput”) + *-mn̥ (“nominal suffix”). Cognate with Scots braine, brane (“brain”), North Frisian brayen, brein, Brain (“brain”), Saterland Frisian Brainge, Bräienge (“brain”), West Frisian brein (“brain”), Dutch brein (“brain”), Low German Brägen, Bregen (“brain”) (whence German Bregen (“animal brain”)), Ancient Greek βρεχμός (brekhmós, “front part of the skull, top of the head”).

Etymology 2

Etymology 3

From the Irish and Scottish Gaelic surname, from mac an Bhreitheamhan (“son of the judge”), from breitheamh (“judge”).

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