brain

Meanings

Noun

• The control center of the central nervous system of an animal located in the skull which is responsible for perception, cognition, attention, memory, emotion, and action.
• An intelligent person.
• Intellect.
• By analogy with a human brain, the part of a machine or computer that performs calculations.
• Oral sex.
• Mind.
• A loose compartment of a backpack that straps on over the top opening.

Verb

• To dash out the brains of; to kill by smashing the skull.
• To strike (someone) on the head.
• To destroy; to put an end to.
• To conceive in the mind; to understand.

Origin

• From Middle English brayn, brain, from Old English bræġn ("brain"), from Proto-Germanic *bragną ("brain"), from Proto-Indo-European *mregʰnom ("skull, brain"), from Proto-Indo-European *mregʰ- ("marrow, sinciput") + *men-. Cognate with Scots braine, brane, North Frisian brayen, brein, Saterland Frisian Brainge ("brain"), West Frisian brein ("brain"), Dutch brein ("brain"), Low German Brägen, Bregen (whence German Bregen ("animal brain")), Ancient Greek βρεχμός ("front part of the skull, top of the head").