BRING, verb transitive

1. To fetch; to bear, convey or lead from a distant to a nearer place, or to a person; as, bring me a book from the shelf; bring me a morsel of bread. In this sense, it is opposed to carry, and it is applied to the person bearing or leading, in opposition to sending or transmitting by another.

2. To produce; to procure as a cause; to draw to.

Nothing brings a man more honor than to be invariably just.

3. To attract or draw along.

In distillation the water brings over with it another substance.

4. To cause to come; to cause to proceed from a distant place, in company, or at the same time; as, to bring a boat over a river; to bring a horse or carriage; to bring a cargo of dry goods.

5. To cause to come to a point, by moral influence; used of the mind, and implying previous remoteness, aversion, alienation, or disagreement; as, to bring the mind to assent to a proposition; or to bring a man to terms, by persuasion or argument. In this sense, it is nearly equivalent to persuade, prevail upon, or induce. The same process is effected by custom, and other causes. Habit brings us to relish things at first disagreeable; reflection brings a man to his senses, and whether the process is slow or rapid, the sense of the verb is the same. To bring to the mind any thing before and forgotten, is to recall; but the sense of bring is the same.

The primary sense is to lead, draw or cause to come; the sense of conveying or bearing is secondary.

The use of this verb is so extensive, and incorporated into so many peculiar phrases, that it is not easy to reduce its significations within any precise limits. In general, the verb bring implies motion from a place remote, either in a literal or figurative sense. It is used with various modifying words.bring back is to recall, implying previous departure, either in a literal or figurative sense.

To bring about, to bring to pass; to effect; to accomplish; to bring to the desired issue.

To bring forth is to produce, as young or fruit; also, to bring to light; that is, to make manifest; to disclose.

To bring forward, to cause to advance; to produce to view.

To bring in, to import; to introduce; to bear from remote place within a certain precinct; to place in a particular condition; to collect things dispersed; to reduce within the limits of law and government; to produce, as income, rent or revenue; to induce to join; etc.

To bring off, to bear or convey from a distant place, as to bring off men from an isle; also, to procure to be acquitted; to clear form condemnation; to cause to escape.

To bring on, to cause to begin, as to bring on an action; also, to originate or cause to exist, as to bring on a disease; also, to bear or convey from a distance, as to bring on a quantity of goods; also, to attend, or to aid in advancing, as to bring one on his way.

To bring over, to bear across, as to bring over dispatches, to bring over passengers in a boat; also, to convert by persuasion or other means; to draw to a new party; to cause to change sides, or an opinion.

To bring out, to expose; to detect; to bring to light from concealment; as, to bring out an accomplice or his crimes.

To bring under, to subdue; to repress; to restrain; to reduce to obedience; also, to bring beneath any thing.

To bring up, to nurse; to educate; to instruct; to feed and clothe; to form the manners, and furnish the mind with knowledge. The phrase may comprehend all these particulars. Also, to introduce to practice, as to bring up a fashion or ceremony; also, to cause to advance near, as to bring up forces, or the body of reserve; also, to bear or convey upwards. In navigation, to cast anchor.

To bring down, to cause to come down; also, to humble or abase, as to bring down high looks.

To bring to, in navigation, to check the course of a ship, by arranging the sails in such a manner, that they shall counteract each other, and keep her nearly stationary. She is then said to lie to. The phrase is used also in applying a rope to the capstan.

To bring by the lee, to incline so rapidly to leeward of the course, when a ship sails large, as to bring the lee side suddenly to the windward, and by laying the sails aback, expose her to the danger of oversetting.