1. [n]  a male with the same parents as someone else; "my brother still lives with our parents"
2. [n]  (Roman Catholic) a title given to a monk and used as form of address; "a Benedictine Brother"
3. [n]  a male person who is a fellow member (of a fraternity or religion of other group); "none of his brothers would betray him"
4. [n]  used as a term of address for those male persons engaged in the same movement; "Greetings, comrade!"
5. [n]  a close friend who accompanies his buddies in their activities

1. \Broth"er\ (br[u^][th]"[~e]r), n.; pl. {Brothers}
   (br[u^][th]"[~e]rz) or {Brethren} (br[e^][th]"r[e^]n). See
   {Brethren}. [OE. brother, AS. br[=o][eth]or; akin to OS.
   brothar, D. broeder, OHG. pruodar, G. bruder, Icel.
   br[=o][eth]ir, Sw. & Dan. broder, Goth. br[=o][thorn]ar, Ir.
   brathair, W. brawd, pl. brodyr, Lith. brolis, Lett. brahlis,
   Russ. brat', Pol. & Serv. brat, OSlav. bratr[u^], L. frater,
   Skr. bhr[=a]t[.r], Zend bratar brother, Gr. fra`thr, fra`twr,
   a clansman. The common plural is {Brothers}; in the solemn
   style, {Brethren}, OE. pl. brether, bretheren, AS. dat. sing.
   br[=e][eth]er, nom. pl. br[=o][eth]or, br[=o][eth]ru.
   [root]258. Cf. {Friar}, {Fraternal}.]
   1. A male person who has the same father and mother with
      another person, or who has one of them only. In the latter
      case he is more definitely called a half brother, or
      brother of the half blood.
   
            Two of us in the churchyard lie, My sister and my
            brother.                              --Wordsworth.
   
   2. One related or closely united to another by some common
      tie or interest, as of rank, profession, membership in a
      society, toil, suffering, etc.; -- used among judges,
      clergymen, monks, physicians, lawyers, professors of
      religion, etc. ``A brother of your order.'' --Shak.
   
            We few, we happy few, we band of brothers, For he
            to-day that sheds his blood with me Shall be my
            brother.                              --Shak.
   
   3. One who, or that which, resembles another in distinctive
      qualities or traits of character.
   
            He also that is slothful in his work is brother to
            him that is a great waster.           --Prov. xviii.
                                                  9.
   
            That April morn Of this the very brother.
                                                  --Wordsworth.
   
   Note: In Scripture, the term brother is applied to a kinsman
         by blood more remote than a son of the same parents, as
         in the case of Abraham and Lot, Jacob and Laban. In a
         more general sense, brother or brethren is used for
         fellow-man or fellow-men.
   
               For of whom such massacre Make they but of their
               brethren, men of men?              --Milton.
   
   {Brother Jonathan}, a humorous designation for the people of
      the United States collectively. The phrase is said to have
      originated from Washington's referring to the patriotic
      Jonathan Trumbull, governor of Connecticut, as ``Brother
      Jonathan.''
   
   {Blood brother}. See under {Blood}.
   
   

2. \Broth"er\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Brothered}.]
   To make a brother of; to call or treat as a brother; to admit
   to a brotherhood. --Sir W. Scott.
   
   

(1.) In the natural and common sense (Matt. 1:2; Luke 3:1, 19).

(2.) A near relation, a cousin (Gen. 13:8; 14:16; Matt. 12:46; John 7:3; Acts 1:14; Gal. 1:19).

(3.) Simply a fellow-countryman (Matt. 5:47; Acts 3:22; Heb. 7:5).

(4.) A disciple or follower (Matt. 25:40; Heb. 2:11, 12).

(5.) One of the same faith (Amos 1:9; Acts 9:30; 11:29; 1 Cor. 5:11); whence the early disciples of our Lord were known to each other as brethren.

(6.) A colleague in office (Ezra 3:2; 1 Cor. 1:1; 2 Cor. 1:1).

(7.) A fellow-man (Gen. 9:5; 19:7; Matt. 5:22, 23, 24; 7:5; Heb. 2:17).

(8.) One beloved or closely united with another in affection (2 Sam. 1:26; Acts 6:3; 1 Thess. 5:1). Brethren of Jesus (Matt. 1:25; 12:46, 50: Mark 3:31, 32; Gal. 1:19; 1 Cor. 9:5, etc.) were probably the younger children of Joseph and Mary. Some have supposed that they may have been the children of Joseph by a former marriage, and others that they were the children of Mary, the Virgin's sister, and wife of Cleophas. The first interpretation, however, is the most natural.