Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English - bring

~ v past tense and past participle brought 1 to take someone or something to the place you are now, to the place you are going to, or to the place that you have been talking about  (Did you bring anything to drink? | Sheila was at the party and she brought that awful Ronnie with her! | bring sb sth)  (Could you bring me that chair?) 2 to cause something such as a problem or reaction  (The minister's speech brought an angry reaction from the Teachers' Association. | This whole venture has brought nothing but trouble!) 3 bring with it if a change, action etc brings with it something such as a problem or advantage, the two things are connected and come together  (Every scientific advance brings with it its own risks.) 4 if something such as an event or fact brings people to a place, it makes them go there  (The discovery of gold brought thousands of prospectors flocking to the Transvaal.) 5 bring charges if the police bring charges against someone, they decide to charge them with a crime  (There was a six-month investigation, but eventually no charges were brought.) 6 not bring yourself to do sth if you cannot bring yourself to do something, you cannot make yourself do it  (She couldn't bring herself to touch it.) 7 bring sth into being formal to make something start to exist  (The bureau was brought into being during the Second World War.) 8 bring sth to the boil to heat liquid until it starts to boil 9 bring tears to your eyes/bring a lump to your throat to make you start to feel strong emotions such as pity, sadness, or happiness  (To see them meet after all this time, it really brings a lump to your throat!) 10 bring sth to an end/a close/a conclusion etc to make something finish or stop  (It's time we brought this whole sordid affair to a close.) 11 bring sth to bear formal to use pressure, influence etc to change a situation  (Unfair pressure has been brought to bear upon the strikers to make them return.) 12 bring sth to sb's attention/notice formal to tell someone about something  (Thank you for bringing this mistake to our attention.) 13 what brings you here? spoken used to show that you are surprised to see someone 14 bring home the bacon informal to earn the money that your family needs to live  (- see also bring sth to a head head1 (45), bring sb to heel heel1 (9), bring sb to their senses sense1 (6), bring sth home to sb home2 (4), bring sb/sth to their knees knee1 (6))  ( USAGE NOTE: BRING WORD CHOICE bring, take, fetch, carry Bring means to take someone or something with you to the place where you are now, to your home, or to the place you have been talking about They came to my party and brought me a present. | When I'm next in San Francisco, bring your new boyfriend to see me. | Have you brought your camera? Bring is also used in the same way for taking something towards the person being spoken to or talked about Hold on, I'll bring you a towel. | They brought her everything she needed. Take involves moving in the opposite direction to bring We went to her party and took her a present. | When I'm in San Francisco I'll take you to Alcatraz. | Take your camera when you go out (=NOT usually carry here). | Can you take me home now? Fetch in British English means to go and get something or someone and bring them back Can you fetch Janice from the station? Carry does not give any idea as to the direction of movement, but suggests that you are holding something in your arms or with your hands Will you carry the baby/the groceries for me? ) @~ about bring sth about ~ phr v to make something happen  (Computers have brought about many changes in the workplace.) @~ around bring sb/sth around/round phr v 1 bring the conversation around/round to to deliberately and gradually introduce a new subject into a conversation  (I'll try to bring the conversation around to the subject of money.) 2 to make someone become conscious again  (We managed to bring her round with some smelling salts.) 3 to manage to persuade someone to do something or to agree with you  (Give me a day or two and I'll see if I can bring her around.) 4 to bring someone or something to someone's house  (If I bring it round tomorrow you can check it out.) @~ back bring back phr v 1 (bring something back) to start to use something such as a law, method, or process that was used in the past  (They should bring back the death penalty, that's what I think! | bringing back the old electric trams) 2 bring back sth to make you remember something  (The smell of new paper always brings back memories of school.) 3 bring sth back to take something or someone with you when you come back from somewhere  (bring sb back sth)  (Hey, Freddie! Bring me back a few beers would ya! | bring sth back (for sb))  (I brought these back from Kenya for the children.) 4 it brings us/me back to used when you want to talk about a particular problem again  (This brings us back to the important question of money.) @~ down bring sb/sth down phr v 1 to fly an aircraft down to the ground and stop  (He brought the Cessna down in a hay-meadow by the river.) 2 to move your arm or a weapon, tool etc quickly downwards  (He brought down the axe with a thud.) 3 to shoot at a plane, bird, or animal so that it falls to the ground  (A bomber had been brought down by anti-aircraft fire.) 4 bring down the government/president etc to force the government etc to stop ruling 5 to knock someone over in a game of football, rugby etc  (Klinsmann was brought down on the edge of the area.) bring sth down on/upon phr v formal to make something bad happen to someone, especially yourself  (His recklessness brought down disaster on the whole family.) @~ forth bring sth forth phr v formal to produce something or make it appear  (a tragic love affair that brought forth only pain) @~ forward bring sth forward phr v 1 to change an arrangement in the future so that something happens sooner  (The meeting's been brought forward to Thursday.) 2 bring forward legislation/plans/policies etc to officially introduce plans etc for people to discuss  (The government has brought forward a plan to tackle urban crime.) 3 technical to move the total from one set of calculations onto the next page, so that more calculations can be done  (The balance brought forward is $21,765,.) @~ in bring in phr v 1 (bring in something) to earn a particular amount or produce a particular amount of profit  (The sale of the house only brought in about $45,000,.) 2 (bring someone in) to allow or invite someone to become involved in a discussion, investigation etc  (It all became very serious and the police were brought in. | Could I just bring in some members of the audience to get their views.) 3 bring in a verdict when a court or jury brings in a verdict, it says whether someone is guilty or not @~ off bring sb/sth off phr v 1 to succeed in doing something very difficult  (Together they brought off a daring diamond robbery.) 2 technical to help people to leave a ship that is sinking @~ on bring sth on phr v 1 to make something bad or unpleasant happen  (a bad cold brought on by going out in the rain | Whatever has brought this on? Have I upset you somehow?) 2 to make plants or crops grow faster  (The hot weather has really brought on the roses.) bring sth on/upon sb phr v to make something bad happen to someone  (You have brought disaster on the whole village!) @~ out bring out phr v 1 (bring something/someone out) to make something easier to see, taste, notice etc  (The oregano really brings out the flavour of the meat. | Fatherhood seems to have brought out his sense of responsibility.) 2 bring out the best/worst in sb to make someone behave in the best or worst way that they can  (Alcohol just brings out the worst in her.) 3 (bring something out) to produce a book, record etc to be sold to the public  (The Food Association has brought out a handy guide.) 4 (bring someone out) to make someone feel more confident, happy, and friendly  (When he went to college it really brought him out.) 5 (bring someone out) BrE to make workers stop working and go on strike (strike2 (1))  (They are threatening to bring out the power workers next.) bring sb out in phr v BrE if something brings you out in spots, a rash2 (1) etc, it makes spots etc appear on your skin  (Chocolate always brings me out in spots.) @~ round bring sb round  (- see bring sb around/round) bring sb through (sth) phr v to help someone to successfully deal with a very difficult event or period of time  (It was Churchill, above all, who brought us through the war.) @~ together bring sb together phr v to introduce two people to each other or to be the thing that does this  (What brought them together was their mutual love of opera.) @~ up bring sb/sth up phr v 1 to mention a subject or start to talk about it  (Why did you have to bring up the subject of money? | I shall bring up this question at the next meeting.)  (- see raise1) 2 usually passive to educate and care for a child until it is grown up  (He left her to bring up three young children on her own. | be brought up (as) a Catholic/Muslim etc)  (I was brought up a Lutheran. | be brought up to do sth)  (In my day, children were brought up to respect the law.) 3 BrE to vomit1 something up from your stomach  (He can't eat anything without bringing it up.) 4 bring sb up short/with a start to make someone suddenly stop talking or doing something  (Her question brought me up short.) 5 bring sb up on a charge of theft/treason etc to charge someone with a particular crime @