Definition of father
- n. - One who has begotten a child, whether son or daughter; a
generator; a male parent.
- n. - A male ancestor more remote than a parent; a progenitor;
especially, a first ancestor; a founder of a race or family; -- in the
plural, fathers, ancestors.
- n. - One who performs the offices of a parent by maintenance,
affetionate care, counsel, or protection.
- n. - A respectful mode of address to an old man.
- n. - A senator of ancient Rome.
- n. - A dignitary of the church, a superior of a convent, a
confessor (called also father confessor), or a priest; also, the eldest
member of a profession, or of a legislative assembly, etc.
- n. - One of the chief esslesiastical authorities of the first
centuries after Christ; -- often spoken of collectively as the Fathers;
as, the Latin, Greek, or apostolic Fathers.
- n. - One who, or that which, gives origin; an originator; a
producer, author, or contriver; the first to practice any art,
profession, or occupation; a distinguished example or teacher.
- n. - The Supreme Being and Creator; God; in theology, the first
person in the Trinity.
- v. t. - To make one's self the father of; to beget.
- v. t. - To take as one's own child; to adopt; hence, to assume
as one's own work; to acknowledge one's self author of or responsible
for (a statement, policy, etc.).
- v. t. - To provide with a father.