Brethren (pl.)

brethren







Y

D



–plural noun 

1. fellow members.

2. Archaic. brothers. 

Synonyms:

1, 2. See brother. 



Brothers, brethren are plurals of brother. 



Brothers are kinsmen, sons of the same parents: My mother lives with my brothers. 



Brethren, now archaic in the foregoing sense, is used of male members of a congregation or of a fraternal organization: The brethren will meet at the [church]. 





C

 

brethren, brothers (nn.) 

   

Brethren is a relic, a variant plural of the noun brother, brothers being regularly formed. 



It is used mainly in religious and fraternal societies or in jocular contexts imitative of Oratorical or Formal religious use. 



Brothers is the plural for general use. 



relic

–noun 

1. a surviving memorial of something past.





　

Except, of course, for Dr. Manhattan. He's the only hero with actual superhero-type powers, but in a Catch-22 that illustrates the story's overall thesis, wielding nonhuman [abilities] means becoming nonhuman -- and therefore lacking a hero's necessary sense of protectiveness over his brethren. 



By the time the film reaches its highest-of-the-high-stakes climax, Dr. Manhattan has become so removed from the most fundamental experiences of carbon-based life -- let alone humanity -- that he no longer feels the pull to fight for its survival.





chum

But the action stems from the arrival of his [chum], Warren, who comes bearing $15,000 he has stolen from his self-made father

crony

I think he may be one of [us]," Harvey winks to one of his cronies.

Johnny Ross, who is scheduled to testify against his Mob [cronies] before a Senate subcommittee in San Francisco.



throng

presses together or forward, with common aim

and everyone throngs in the street to watch, [perched] on stoops like kids in an Andy Hardy picture. 

a throng of [memories].  

He thronged the picture [with] stars.

swarm   

contemptuous

A swarm of [dirty] children played in the street.

rabble

The [nobility] held the rabble in complete contempt. 

It was a bully pulpit from which to challenge rabble [rousers] like the gay-hating Anita Bryant.

ragtag

Milk rouses a [ragtag] army of street boys and Harvard graduates.

Deluge