child
from
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006)
child
n 1: a young person of either sex; "she writes books for
children"; "they're just kids"; "`tiddler' is a British
term for youngster" [syn: {child}, {kid}, {youngster},
{minor}, {shaver}, {nipper}, {small fry}, {tiddler},
{tike}, {tyke}, {fry}, {nestling}]
2: a human offspring (son or daughter) of any age; "they had
three children"; "they were able to send their kids to
college" [syn: {child}, {kid}] [ant: {parent}]
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: a member of a clan or tribe; "the children of Israel"
from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Child \Child\ (ch[imac]ld), n.; pl. {Children}
(ch[i^]l"dr[e^]n). [AS. cild, pl. cildru; cf. Goth.
kil[thorn]ei womb, in-kil[thorn][=o] with child.]
1. A son or a daughter; a male or female descendant, in the
first degree; the immediate progeny of human parents; --
in law, legitimate offspring. Used also of animals and
plants.
[1913 Webster]
2. A descendant, however remote; -- used esp. in the plural;
as, the children of Israel; the children of Edom.
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3. One who, by character of practice, shows signs of
relationship to, or of the influence of, another; one
closely connected with a place, occupation, character,
etc.; as, a child of God; a child of the devil; a child of
disobedience; a child of toil; a child of the people.
[1913 Webster]
4. A noble youth. See {Childe}. [Obs.] --Chaucer.
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5. A young person of either sex. esp. one between infancy and
youth; hence, one who exhibits the characteristics of a
very young person, as innocence, obedience, trustfulness,
limited understanding, etc.
[1913 Webster]
When I was child. I spake as a child, I understood
as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became
a man, I put away childish things. --1. Cor. xii.
11.
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6. A female infant. [Obs.]
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A boy or a child, I wonder? --Shak.
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{To be with child}, to be pregnant.
{Child's play}, light work; a trifling contest.
[1913 Webster]
from
Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary
Child
This word has considerable latitude of meaning in Scripture.
Thus Joseph is called a child at the time when he was probably
about sixteen years of age (Gen. 37:3); and Benjamin is so
called when he was above thirty years (44:20). Solomon called
himself a little child when he came to the kingdom (1 Kings
3:7).
The descendants of a man, however remote, are called his
children; as, "the children of Edom," "the children of Moab,"
"the children of Israel."
In the earliest times mothers did not wean their children till
they were from thirty months to three years old; and the day on
which they were weaned was kept as a festival day (Gen. 21:8;
Ex. 2:7, 9; 1 Sam. 1:22-24; Matt. 21:16). At the age of five,
children began to learn the arts and duties of life under the
care of their fathers (Deut. 6:20-25; 11:19).
To have a numerous family was regarded as a mark of divine
favour (Gen. 11:30; 30:1; 1 Sam. 2:5; 2 Sam. 6:23; Ps. 127:3;
128:3).
Figuratively the name is used for those who are ignorant or
narrow-minded (Matt. 11:16; Luke 7:32; 1 Cor. 13:11). "When I
was a child, I spake as a child." "Brethren, be not children in
understanding" (1 Cor. 14:20). "That we henceforth be no more
children, tossed to and fro" (Eph. 4:14).
Children are also spoken of as representing simplicity and
humility (Matt. 19:13-15; Mark 10:13-16; Luke 18:15-17).
Believers are "children of light" (Luke 16:8; 1 Thess. 5:5) and
"children of obedience" (1 Pet. 1:14).
from
Bouvier's Law Dictionary, Revised 6th Ed (1856)
CHILD, CHILDREN, domestic relations. A child is the son or daughter in
relation to the father or mother.
2. We will here consider the law, in general terms, as it relates to
the condition, duties, and rights of children; and, afterwards, the extent
which has been given to the word child or children by dispositions in wills
and testaments.
3.-1. Children born in lawful wedlock, or within a competent time
afterwards, are presumed to be the issue of the father, and follow his
condition; those born out of lawful wedlock, follow the condition of the
mother. The father is bound to maintain his children and to educate them,
and to protect them from injuries. Children are, on their part, bound to
maintain their fathers and mothers, when in need, and they are of ability so
to do. Poth. Du Marriage, n. 384, 389. The father in general is entitled to
the custody of minor children, but, under certain circumstances, the mother
will be entitled to them, when the father and mother have separated. 5 Binn.
520. Children are liable to the reasonable correction of their parents. Vide
Correction
4.-2. The term children does not ordinarily and properly speaking
comprehend grandchildren, or issue generally; yet sometimes that meaning is,
affixed to it, in cases of necessity; 6 Co. 16; and it has been held to
signify the same as issue, in cases where the testator, by using the terms
children and issue indiscriminately, showed his intention to use the former
term in the sense of issue, so as to entitle grandchildren, & c., to take
under it. 1 Ves. sen. 196; Ambl. 555; 3 Ves. 258; Ambl. 661; 3 Ves. & Bea.
69. When legally construed, the term children is confined to legitimate
children. 7 Ves. 458. The civil code of Louisiana, art. 2522, n. 14, enacts,
that "under the, name of children are comprehended, not only children of the
first degree, but the grandchildren, great-grand-children, and all other
descendants in the direct line."
5. Children are divided into legitimate children, or those born in
lawful wedlock; and natural or illegitimate children, who are born bastards.
(q.v.) Vide Natural Children. Illegitimate children are incestuous
bastards, or those which are not incestuous.
6. Posthumous children are those who are born after the death of their
fathers. Domat, Lois Civ. liv. prel. t. 2, s. 1, Sec. 7 L. 3, Sec. 1, ff de
inj. rupt.
7. In Pennsylvania, the will of their fathers, in, which no provision
is made for them, is revoked, as far as regards them, by operation of law. 3
Binn. R. 498. See, as to the law of Virginia on this subject, 3 Munf. 20,
and article In ventre sa mere. Vide, generally, 8 Vin. Ab. 318; 8 Com. Dig.
470; Bouv. Inst. Index, h.t.; 2 Kent, Com. 172; 4 Kent, Com. 408, 9; 1 Rop.
on Leg. 45 to 76; 1 Supp. to Ves. jr. 442 Id. 158; Natural children.
from
Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0
125 Moby Thesaurus words for "child":
adolescent, angel, artifact, babe, baby, bairn, boy, brainchild,
brat, brood, bud, cherub, chick, chickabiddy, child of nature,
chit, coinage, composition, concoction, creation, creature,
crowning achievement, darling, daughter, descendant, descendants,
dickens, distillation, dove, dupe, effect, end product, essence,
extract, foetus, foster child, fruit, girl, grandchild,
granddaughter, grandson, handiwork, heiress, hick, infant, ingenue,
innocent, invention, issue, juvenile, kid, kitten, lad, laddie,
lamb, lambkin, lass, lassie, little bugger, little fellow,
little guy, little innocent, little one, little tad, little tot,
lout, manufacture, masterpiece, masterwork, mere child, minor,
mintage, mite, moppet, neonate, new mintage, newborn, newborn babe,
nipper, noble savage, oaf, offspring, opera, opus, opuscule,
origination, outcome, outgrowth, peewee, posterity, product,
production, progeniture, progeny, puss, result, rube, runabout,
scion, seed, shaver, simple soul, small fry, son, son and heir,
sonny, stepchild, stepdaughter, stepson, stripling, tad, teenager,
teener, teenybopper, toddler, tot, unsophisticate, wee tot, work,
yokel, young hopeful, young man, youngling, youngster, youth
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