broodyadj.n.
/ˈbruːdi/, U.S. /ˈbrudi/ A. adj.† 1. Prolific; apt or inclined to breed. Now dialect.
ΘΚΠ
the world > existence and causation > creation > productiveness > [adjective]
bearinglOE
fruitfula1300
plenteousc1325
fructuousa1382
birthful?c1475
fertile1481
broodya1522
yielding1556
foisonous1570
procreant1588
generative1597
yieldy1598
childing1600
seedful1605
thankful1610
foisonable1613
prolifical1615
fecundous1630
feracious1637
prolific1653
fetiferous1654
floriferous1656
productive1672
fœtant1678
spawning1682
uberousa1706
populous?1789
productible1830
grateful1832
resultful1833
genetic1838
tumid1840
polyphorous1858
generant1875
proliferent1920
the world > life > biology > biological processes > procreation or reproduction > [adjective]
bearingOE
genderinga1398
multiplyinga1400
fecundc1420
broodya1522
fruitful1526
breeding1552
procreant1588
procreative1598
increasing1600
broodious1602
prolifical1608
conceptiousa1616
plenteousa1616
conceptive1630
feracious1637
propagatory1647
prolific1650
proliferous1654
propagative1654
progenial1664
teemful1755
progenitive1769
breedy1824
proligerous1836
progenital1837
philoprogenitive1857
eugenesic1864
a1522 G. Douglas tr. Virgil Æneid (1959) vi. xiii. 61 The quhilk cite..Happy and brudy of hir forcy ofspring.
c1540 J. Bellenden in tr. H. Boece Hyst. & Cron. Scotl. sig. Bvv This herbe is sa brudy, that quhair it is anis sawin..it can neuir be distroyit.
c1540 J. Bellenden tr. H. Boece Hyst. & Cron. Scotl. i. v. f. 5/2 The brudy spredyng of the Scottis.
1629 Z. Boyd Last Battell Soule (new ed.) 146 (Jam.) Strive to curbe your owne corruptions which are broodie within you.
a1639 W. Whately Prototypes (1640) xxx. 97 He is broody of quarrels.
a1688 J. Wallace Descr. Orkney (1693) 30 The Women are very Broodie and apt for Generation.
a1805 A. Carlyle Autobiogr. (1860) v. 225 His widow, being still handsome and broody, married.
2. Of fowls: Inclined to ‘sit’ or incubate.
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > birds > order Galliformes (fowls) > family Phasianidae (pheasants, etc.) > hen or cock > [adjective] > of or like a hen > broody
broody?1523
clucking1660
?1523 J. Fitzherbert Bk. Husbandry f. xlix Whan they [sc. hens] waxe broudy.
1701 J. Ray Wisdom of God (ed. 3) i. 178 The..Hen..while she is broody, sits, and leads her chichens.
1859 C. Darwin Origin of Species vii. 215 Fowls which very rarely or never become ‘broody’, that is, never wish to sit on their eggs.
1870 W. B. Tegetmeier in J. Lubbock Origin of Civilisation App. 354 A mongrel [fowl] that becomes broody, and sits with remarkable steadiness.
3. figurative. Of a person: contemplative, (sullenly) meditative; feeling depressed or moody. Of a woman: feeling a maternal desire to have a(nother) baby. Cf. brooding adj. 3.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > suffering > dejection > [adjective]
ungladc888
wearyc888
drearyc1000
dreary-moodOE
heavyc1000
unmerryOE
droopy?c1225
mournc1275
sada1300
languishinga1325
amayedc1330
matec1330
unlightc1330
unblissful1340
lowa1382
mishappyc1390
dullc1393
elengely1393
droopinga1400
heavy-hearteda1400
joylessa1400
sytefula1400
mornifc1400
tristy?c1400
lightless?1406
heartlessa1413
tristc1420
amatec1425
languoring?c1425
mirthlessc1430
heavisome1435
darkc1440
gloomingc1440
comfortlessc1460
amateda1470
chermatc1475
tristfula1492
lustless?1507
dolorous1513
ruthful1513
downcast1521
deject1528
heartsicka1529
lumpisha1535
coolc1540
dowlyc1540
glum1547
discouraged1548
uncheerfulc1555
dumpish1560
out of heart1565
sadded1566
amoped1573
tristive1578
desolated1580
dejected1581
à la mort1586
delightless1589
afflicted1590
gladless1590
groanful1590
gloomya1593
muddy1592
sitheful1592
cloudy1594
leaden-hearted1596
disconsolated1598
clum1599
life-weary1599
spiritless1600
dusky1602
chop-fallen1604
flat1604
disanimated1605
jaw-fallen1605
moped1606
chap-fallen1608
decheerful1608
uncheerful1612
lacklustrea1616
pulled1616
dumpya1618
depressed1621
head-hung1632
grum1640
downa1644
dispirited1647
down-at-mouth1649
down in (rarely of) the mouth1649
unhearted1650
sunlessa1658
sadful1658
unlightened1659
chagrin1665
saddened1665
damp1667
moping1674
desponding1688
tristitious1694
unenjoying1697
unraised1697
unheartya1699
unked1698
despondent1699
dismal1705
unjoyful1709
unrejoiced1714
dreara1717
disheartened1720
mumpish1721
unrejoicing1726
downhearted1742
out of spirits1745
chagrineda1754
low-spirited1753
sombrea1767
black-blooded1771
glumpy1780
oorie1787
sombrous1789
morose1791
Novemberish1793
glumpish1800
mopeful1800
die-away1802
blue-devilish1804
blue-devilled1807
malagrugrous1818
down in the hip1826
yonderly1828
sunshineless1831
downfaced1832
broody1851
in a (or the) trough1856
blue-devilly1871
drooped1873
glummy1884
pippy1886
humpy1889
pipped1914
lousy1933
pissed1943
crappy1956
doomy1961
bummed1970
the mind > will > wish or inclination > desire > desire for specific things > [adjective] > feeling a maternal desire to have a baby
broody1984
1851 Gloss. Provincial Words Dorset 3 Broody, sullen; cross.
1896 G. Chanter Witch of Withyford iii. 31 The Squire was so broody since his trouble.
1900 H. Lawson Over Sliprails 52 He..watched my brush for a while, as if he was thinking, in a broody sort of way, of..going in for house-painting.
1925 E. Fraser & J. Gibbons Soldier & Sailor Words 37 Broody, lethargic. Sleepy. Slack. A frequent expression on the drill-ground by drill-sergeants to liven men up, e.g., ‘You there, don't get broody, get a move on.’
1961 A. Vinton Doctor Di at Crossroads i. 10 I'm bad-tempered and broody and going out with brash blondes.
1984 D. Lessing Diaries of Jane Somers ii. 362 If I know nothing else it is that there are going to be weddings..through all the departments at Lilith. The whole place is broody.
1986 Times 21 Apr. 39/4 Kate becomes broody when a colleague of hers becomes pregnant.
B. n.
A broody hen.
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > birds > order Galliformes (fowls) > family Phasianidae (pheasants, etc.) > hen or cock > [noun] > hen > brooding
clock hen1535
cluck hen1598
clocking1721
broody1904
1904 Daily Chron. 30 July 4/7 He would..defer putting the ‘broody’ on them [sc. the eggs] till dusk.
1923 Daily Mail 20 Jan. 11 Broodies of these highly developed strains are..unreliable sitters.
1967 Guardian 17 May 2/5 We've no broodies left in the farmyard.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1888; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.n.a1522