- Children
- Child Child (ch[imac]ld), n.; pl. {Children}
(ch[i^]l"dr[e^]n). [AS. cild, pl. cildru; cf. Goth.
kil[thorn]ei womb, in-kil[thorn][=o] with child.]
1. A son or a daughter; a male or female descendant, in the
first degree; the immediate progeny of human parents; --
in law, legitimate offspring. Used also of animals and
plants.
[1913 Webster]
2. A descendant, however remote; -- used esp. in the plural; as, the children of Israel; the children of Edom. [1913 Webster]
3. One who, by character of practice, shows signs of relationship to, or of the influence of, another; one closely connected with a place, occupation, character, etc.; as, a child of God; a child of the devil; a child of disobedience; a child of toil; a child of the people. [1913 Webster]
4. A noble youth. See {Childe}. [Obs.] --Chaucer. [1913 Webster]
5. A young person of either sex. esp. one between infancy and youth; hence, one who exhibits the characteristics of a very young person, as innocence, obedience, trustfulness, limited understanding, etc. [1913 Webster]
When I was child. I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. --1. Cor. xii. 11. [1913 Webster]
6. A female infant. [Obs.] [1913 Webster]
A boy or a child, I wonder? --Shak. [1913 Webster]
{To be with child}, to be pregnant.
{Child's play}, light work; a trifling contest. [1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.
