beget
/bɪˈɡɛt
/verb (begets, begetting; past begot /bɪˈɡɒt/ or archaic begat; past participle begotten /bɪˈɡɒt(ə)n/) [with object] literary
1(Especially of a man) bring (a child) into existence by the process of reproduction: they hoped that the King might beget an heir by his new queen...
- All children are from the same mother, as our stepmother did not beget any children by my father.
- Apart from other things, she too begets children by someone other than her husband.
- A man marries in order to establish a household and beget children.
Synonyms
father, sire, engender, generate, spawn, create, give life to, bring into being, bring into the world, have;
procreate, reproduce, breed
2Cause; bring about: killings beget more killings...
- Words shape thought, stir feeling, and beget action; they kill and revive, corrupt and cure.
- Every action should produce results: good action produces good results and evil begets nothing but evil.
- Such collaborative relationships will soon beget new inspirations.
Synonyms
cause, give rise to, lead to, result in, bring about, create, produce, generate, engender, spawn, occasion, effect, bring to pass, bring on, precipitate, prompt, provoke, kindle, trigger, spark off, touch off, stir up, whip up, induce, inspire, promote, foster
literary enkindle
rare effectuate
Derivatives
begetter
/ noun ...- But he was the real begetter of the Human Rights Act, and above all a defender of the judges.
- New Lanark, the most famous early mill village, was created and run by its begetter, Robert Owen, with a blend of benevolence and authoritarianism.
- Such conviction is the begetter of culture and history.
Origin
Old English begietan 'get, obtain by effort' (see be-, get).