Adjacent Words

Baby definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

BA'BY, a. Like a young child; pertaining to an infant.
BA'BY, n. [See Babe.] An infant or young child of either sex; a babe; [used in familiar language.]
2. A small image in form of an infant, for girls to play with; a doll.
BA'BY, v.t. To treat like a young child.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: a very young child (birth to 1 year) who has not yet begun to walk or talk; "the baby began to cry again"; "she held the baby in her arms"; "it sounds simple, but when you have your own baby it is all so different" [syn: baby, babe, infant]
2: the youngest member of a group (not necessarily young); "the baby of the family"; "the baby of the Supreme Court"
3: an immature childish person; "he remained a child in practical matters as long as he lived"; "stop being a baby!" [syn: child, baby]
4: an unborn child; a human fetus; "I felt healthy and very feminine carrying the baby"; "it was great to feel my baby moving about inside"
5: (slang) sometimes used as a term of address for attractive young women [syn: baby, babe, sister]
6: a very young mammal; "baby rabbits"
7: a project of personal concern to someone; "this project is his baby" v
1: treat with excessive indulgence; "grandparents often pamper the children"; "Let's not mollycoddle our students!" [syn: pamper, featherbed, cosset, cocker, baby, coddle, mollycoddle, spoil, indulge]

Merriam Webster's

I. noun (plural babies) Etymology: Middle English, from babe Date: 14th century 1. a. (1) an extremely young child; especially infant (2) an extremely young animal b. the youngest of a group 2. a. one that is like a baby (as in behavior) b. something that is one's special responsibility, achievement, or interest 3. slang a. girl, woman — often used in address b. boy, man — often used in address 4. person, thing <is one tough baby> • babyhood noun • babyish adjective II. adjective Date: 1591 1. of, relating to, or being a baby 2. much smaller than the usual <baby carrots> <a baby flattop> <take two baby steps> III. transitive verb (babied; babying) Date: 1742 1. to tend to indulge with often excessive or inappropriate care and solicitude <babying their only child> 2. to use or treat with care <babying a sore knee> Synonyms: see indulge

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. & v. --n. (pl. -ies) 1 a very young child or infant, esp. one not yet able to walk. 2 an unduly childish person (is a baby about injections). 3 the youngest member of a family, team, etc. 4 (often attrib.) a a young or newly born animal. b a thing that is small of its kind (baby car; baby rose). 5 sl. a young woman; a sweetheart (often as a form of address). 6 sl. a person or thing regarded with affection or familiarity. 7 one's own responsibility, invention, concern, achievement, etc., regarded in a personal way. --v.tr. (-ies, -ied) 1 treat like a baby. 2 pamper. Phrases and idioms: baby boom colloq. a temporary marked increase in the birthrate. baby boomer a person born during a baby boom, esp. after the war of 1939-45. baby-bouncer Brit. a frame supported by elastic or springs, into which a child is harnessed to exercise its limbs. Baby Buggy (pl. -ies) Brit. propr. a kind of child's collapsible pushchair. baby carriage US a pram. baby grand the smallest size of grand piano. baby-snatcher colloq. 1 a person who kidnaps babies. 2 = cradle-snatcher. baby-talk childish talk used by or to young children. baby-walker a wheeled frame in which a baby learns to walk. carry (or hold) the baby bear unwelcome responsibility. throw away the baby with the bath-water reject the essential with the inessential. Derivatives: babyhood n. Etymology: ME, formed as BABE, -Y(2)

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Baby Ba"by (b[=a]"b[y^]), n.; pl. Babies (-b[i^]z). [Dim. of babe] An infant or young child of either sex; a babe. 2. A small image of an infant; a doll. Babies in the eyes, the minute reflection which one sees of one's self in the eyes of another. She clung about his neck, gave him ten kisses, Toyed with his locks, looked babies in his eyes. --Heywood.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Baby Ba"by, a. Pertaining to, or resembling, an infant; young or little; as, baby swans. ``Baby figure'' --Shak.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Baby Ba"by, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Babied (?); p. pr. & vb. n.Babying.] To treat like a young child; to keep dependent; to humor; to fondle. --Young.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(babies) Frequency: The word is one of the 1500 most common words in English. 1. A baby is a very young child, especially one that cannot yet walk or talk. My wife has just had a baby... Claire had to dress her baby sister. N-COUNT 2. A baby animal is a very young animal. ...a baby elephant. ...baby birds. N-COUNT: usu N n 3. Baby vegetables are vegetables picked when they are very small. Serve with baby new potatoes. ADJ: ADJ n 4. Some people use baby as an affectionate way of addressing someone, especially a young woman, or referring to them. (INFORMAL) You have to wake up now, baby... = love N-VOC; N-COUNT: usu sing

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

n. Infant. See babe.

Foolish Dictionary

From Grk. babai, wonderful. Parents are yet to be heard from who don't think theirs is a "wonder." A nocturnal animal to which everyone in a sleeping-car is eager to give a wide berth.

Moby Thesaurus

Elzevir, Milquetoast, adolescent, angel, apprentice, babe, babish, baby bunting, baby-doll, baby-sized, babyish, bambino, bantam, bantling, banty, beginner, big baby, broad, buttercup, catechumen, cater to, cherub, chick, chickabiddy, chicken, chicken liver, child, cocker, coddle, colleen, compact, cosset, cotton, coward, crybaby, cutie, dame, damoiselle, damsel, darling, dear, deary, deb, debutant, demoiselle, diminutive, doll, doll-like, dollish, doormat, dote, dry-nurse, duck, duckling, dull tool, duodecimo, entrant, favor, filly, flame, fledgling, fraid-cat, fraidy-cat, frail, freshman, funk, funker, gal, girl, girlie, gratify, greenhorn, greeny, gutless wonder, handy, heifer, hon, honey, honey bunch, honey child, hopeful, hoyden, humor, in arms, in diapers, in nappies, in swaddling clothes, in the cradle, inamorata, incubator baby, indulge, infant, infantile, infantine, invertebrate, jellyfish, jeune fille, jill, junior, junior miss, juvenal, juvenile, kittenish, ladylove, lamb, lambkin, lass, lassie, learner, lightweight, lily liver, little angel, little darling, little missy, little one, love, lover, mademoiselle, maid, maiden, meek soul, mewling infant, microcosm, milksop, mini, miniature, miniaturized, minikin, minimal, minny, minor, minuscule, miss, missy, mollycoddle, mouse, namby-pamby, nebbish, neonatal, neonate, neophyte, nestling, newborn, newcomer, nonentity, novice, novitiate, nursling, nymphet, pamper, pansy, pantywaist, papoose, pet, petkins, piece, please, pocket, pocket-sized, pony, precious, precious heart, preemie, premature baby, preschooler, probationer, pubescent, puling infant, puppet, pushover, raw recruit, recruit, romp, rookie, sad sack, sapling, satisfy, scaredy-cat, schoolgirl, schoolmaid, schoolmiss, sissy, skirt, slip, small-scale, snookums, softling, softy, sop, spoil, sprig, steady, stripling, subdeb, subdebutante, subminiature, subteen, subteener, suckling, sugar, sweet, sweetheart, sweetie, sweetkins, sweets, teenager, teener, teenybopper, tenderfoot, toddler, tomato, tomboy, tot, toy, trainee, truelove, twelvemo, tyro, vest-pocket, virgin, weak sister, weakling, weanling, wench, wet-nurse, white feather, white liver, yearling, young creature, young hopeful, young person, young thing, younger, youngest, youngling, youngster, youth