breed
/ˈbɹid/
verbnoun
Common
1.v.call forth
2.v.copulate with a female, used especially of horses
“The horse covers the mare”
3.v.cause to procreate (animals)
“She breeds dogs”
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breed and cover share a recorded sense, so the question is not what they mean but which one fits. breed means “call forth”. cover means “provide with a covering or cause to be covered”. cover is the more common of the two in everyday English.
/ˈbɹid/
1.v.call forth
2.v.copulate with a female, used especially of horses
“The horse covers the mare”
3.v.cause to procreate (animals)
“She breeds dogs”
/ˈkʌvɚ/
1.v.provide with a covering or cause to be covered
“cover her face with a handkerchief”
2.v.form a cover over
“The grass covered the grave”
3.v.span an interval of distance, space or time
“The war extended over five years”
| breed | cover | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ˈbɹid/ | /ˈkʌvɚ/ |
| Said | breed | KUHV-ur |
| Syllables | 1 | 2 |
| Letters | 5 | 5 |
| Parts of speech | verb, noun | verb, noun |
| Senses | 6 | 36 |
| How common | Common | Core |
| Synonyms | engender, spawn | none recorded |
Full entry for breed · Full entry for cover · More comparisons