father

Less common meanings

6. 6
   have a childverbtransitive

   To be the biological father of a baby or young animal.

   He fathered three children before he turned thirty.

   A male lion can father many cubs in one year.

   UsageWe say a man fathered a child.

   Similarsire, beget

7. 7
   stand-in parentnouncountable

   Someone who acts like a father to a person, even without being the real parent.

   Her grandfather was the only father she ever knew.

   The old actor became a father to the young people in the play.

   UsageWe say someone was a father to him.

   Similarmentor, guardian, protector

   Note
8. 8
   verbfigurativelytransitive

   To start or create something, like a new idea or movement.

   That one small protest fathered a movement that spread across the country.

   Small ideas can father big changes.

   Similarspawn, generate, breed, engender, beget

   Note
9. 9
   verbtransitive

   To care for someone the way a good father cares for a child.

   The coach fathered the boys on his team, checking on their grades and meals.

   After their dad died, Sam tried to father his little brothers, making their lunches and helping with homework.

   Similarmentor, nurture, parent, guide

   Note
10. 10
    old mannoundatedcountable

    A polite, old-fashioned way to speak to an old man.

    "Sit by the fire, father, and rest your legs," the innkeeper said to the old traveler.

    "Can you show us the way to the mill, father?" the children asked the old man.

    Similarsir, elder, grandpa

11. 11
    greatest of allnouncountable

    The biggest or most important one of its kind.

    That storm was the father of all storms.

    We sat in the father of all traffic jams on the way home.

    UsageWe say the father of all storms: the biggest one.

    Similarmother, granddaddy

    Note
12. 12
    church councilnouncountable

    A church leader who takes part in a big official meeting of the church.

    The fathers met for weeks to decide the church's teaching.

    Every father at the great church council had traveled for months to get there.

    Note
13. 13
    verbtransitive

    To take an idea, a plan, or a child and treat it as your own.

    Kept company with men of wit / Who often fathered what he writ.

    1713, Imitation of Horace, Jonathan Swift

    Similaradopt, champion, sponsor, embrace

    Oppositedisown, abandon, repudiate

    Note
14. 14
    verbtransitive

    To give someone a father.

    The relations of the sexes were so loose and vague that children could not be fathered on any particular man.

    1906, James George Frazer, AdonisHere, fathered means named as having a certain man as their father.

    Thinke you, I am no ſtronger then my Sex / Being ſo Father'd, and ſo Husbanded?

    1599, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Iulius Cæsar”Here, Father'd means given a father, having such a father.

    Note
15. 15
    early church writernouncountable

    One of the main early Christian writers and teachers whose works the Church trusts, usually written with a capital F.

    Our class read short passages from the early Church Fathers.

    The priest quoted a Father of the Church in his sermon.

    UsageWe say the Church Fathers.

    Note
16. 16
    noun

    In computers, the saved copy of a file that came just before the newest version.