Definitions for: Brain


[n] that part of the central nervous system that includes all the higher nervous centers; enclosed within the skull; continuous with the spinal cord
[n] that which is responsible for one's thoughts and feelings; the seat of the faculty of reason; "his mind wandered"; "I couldn't get his words out of my head"
[n] mental ability; "he's got plenty of brains but no common sense"
[n] the brain of certain animals used as meat
[n] someone who has exceptional intellectual ability and originality
[v] kill by smashing someone's skull
[v] hit on the head



Webster (1913) Definition: Brain, n. [OE. brain, brein, AS. bragen, br[ae]gen; akin
to LG. br["a]gen, bregen, D. brein, and perh. to Gr. ?, the
upper part of head, if ? =?. [root]95.]
1. (Anat.) The whitish mass of soft matter (the center of the
nervous system, and the seat of consciousness and
volition) which is inclosed in the cartilaginous or bony
cranium of vertebrate animals. It is simply the anterior
termination of the spinal cord, and is developed from
three embryonic vesicles, whose cavities are connected
with the central canal of the cord; the cavities of the
vesicles become the central cavities, or ventricles, and
the walls thicken unequally and become the three segments,
the fore-, mid-, and hind-brain.

Note: In the brain of man the cerebral lobes, or largest part
of the forebrain, are enormously developed so as to
overhang the cerebellum, the great lobe of the
hindbrain, and completely cover the lobes of the
midbrain. The surface of the cerebrum is divided into
irregular ridges, or convolutions, separated by grooves
(the so-called fissures and sulci), and the two
hemispheres are connected at the bottom of the
longitudinal fissure by a great transverse band of
nervous matter, the corpus callosum, while the two
halves of the cerebellum are connected on the under
side of the brain by the bridge, or pons Varolii.

2. (Zo["o]l.) The anterior or cephalic ganglion in insects
and other invertebrates.

3. The organ or seat of intellect; hence, the understanding.
`` My brain is too dull.'' --Sir W. Scott.

Note: In this sense, often used in the plural.

4. The affections; fancy; imagination. [R.] --Shak.

To have on the brain, to have constantly in one's thoughts,
as a sort of monomania. [Low]

Brain box or case, the bony on cartilaginous case
inclosing the brain.

Brain coral, Brain stone coral (Zo["o]l), a massive
reef-building coral having the surface covered by ridges
separated by furrows so as to resemble somewhat the
surface of the brain, esp. such corals of the genera
M[ae]andrina and Diploria.

Brain fag (Med.), brain weariness. See Cerebropathy.

Brain fever (Med.), fever in which the brain is specially
affected; any acute cerebral affection attended by fever.


Brain sand, calcareous matter found in the pineal gland.


Brain, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Brained; p. pr. & vb. n.
Braining.]
1. To dash out the brains of; to kill by beating out the
brains. Hence, Fig.: To destroy; to put an end to; to
defeat.

There thou mayst brain him. --Shak.

It was the swift celerity of the death . . . That
brained my purpose. --Shak.

2. To conceive; to understand. [Obs.]

?T is still a dream, or else such stuff as madmen
Tongue, and brain not. --Shak.

Synonyms: brainpower, encephalon, genius, head, learning ability, mastermind, mental capacity, mentality, mind, nous, psyche, wit

See Also: arteria communicans, brain cell, brain stem, brainstem, calf's brain, caput, central nervous system, circle of Willis, CNS, cognition, communicating artery, ego, forebrain, fornix, head, hindbrain, hit, infant prodigy, intellect, intellectual, intelligence, kill, knowledge, mesencephalon, midbrain, neencephalon, neoencephalon, neural structure, noddle, noesis, organs, prodigy, prosencephalon, rhombencephalon, subconscious, subconscious mind, systema nervosum centrale, tabula rasa, unconscious, unconscious mind, variety meat, ventricle, wonder child

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