father
/'fɑ:ðə/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun:
- A male parent: A man in relation to his child or children.
- A man who provides care and protection like a parent: A man who acts as a father figure.
- A founder or originator: A man who starts or establishes something important, such as an institution, idea, or nation.
- A title for a priest: Used as a respectful form of address for a priest in some Christian churches.
- An important early leader or theologian: Specifically, an early Christian writer whose works helped establish church doctrine.
- A respectful term for an older man: Used informally, especially in titles like "city fathers" for leading citizens.
Verb:
- To beget a child: To become the biological father of a child.
- To act as a father: To take on the role, responsibilities, or care of a father.
Examples of Usage
Noun:
- His father taught him how to ride a bike.
- George Washington is often called the father of his country.
- May I speak with you, Father? (addressing a priest)
- The early Church Fathers wrote extensively on theology.
Verb:
- He fathered three children.
- He not only coached the team but fathered many of the young players, guiding them through life.
Advanced Usage
"The child is father of the man": A proverb meaning that a person's character is formed in childhood.
- The poet believed that "the child is father of the man," emphasizing the importance of early years.
"Like father, like son": An idiom stating that a son's character or behavior often resembles his father's.
- He's just as stubborn as his dad—like father, like son.
"Father figure": A man who is respected and looked up to like a father, often providing guidance.
- His coach was a father figure to him during his teenage years.
Variants and Related Words
- Fatherly (adj): Having the qualities of a kind, protective father.
- He gave me some fatherly advice.
- Fatherhood (n): The state of being a father.
- He embraced fatherhood with joy.
- Forefather (n): An ancestor, especially a male.
- Our forefathers fought for this land.
- Godfather (n): A male godparent; also, a leader in organized crime.
- He is the godfather to my daughter.
Synonyms
- Dad, daddy, papa (informal)
- Parent, sire (formal or biological)
- Founder, originator
- Priest, padre (as a title)
Related Phrasal Verbs
- Father on/upon: (Archaic) To attribute the origin of something to someone.
- The invention was fathered upon the ancient scholar.
Related Idioms
- "The wish is father to the thought": People tend to believe what they wish were true.
- He's convinced he'll win the lottery. Well, the wish is father to the thought.
- "Sleep with one's fathers": (Biblical/Archaic) To die and be buried with one's ancestors.
- The old king slept with his fathers.
Noun
- the head of an organized crime family
- a person who founds or establishes some institution
- George Washington is the father of his country
- God when considered as the first person in the Trinity
- hear our prayers, Heavenly Father
- a person who holds an important or distinguished position in some organization
- the tennis fathers ruled in her favor
- the city fathers endorsed the proposal
- (Christianity) any of about 70 theologians in the period from the 2nd to the 7th century whose writing established and confirmed official church doctrine; in the Roman Catholic Church some were later declared saints and became Doctor of the Church; the best known Latin Church Fathers are Ambrose, Augustine, Gregory the Great, and Jerome; those who wrote in Greek include Athanasius, Basil, Gregory Nazianzen, and John Chrysostom
- `Father' is a term of address for priests in some churches (especially the Roman Catholic Church or the Orthodox Catholic Church); `Padre' is frequently used in the military
- the founder of a family
- keep the faith of our forefathers
- a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)
- his father was born in Atlanta
Verb
- make children
- Abraham begot Isaac
- Men often father children but don't recognize them