verb

bring

BRIHNG

verb

To carry or take someone or something to a place.

"Can you bring your laptop to the meeting?"

"She brought her sister along to the party."

To cause a particular result or situation.

"The new policy brought chaos to the office."

"Practice brings improvement over time."

To file or start (a legal case) against someone.

"The company brought a lawsuit against its former partner."

How to Use Bring

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishTo carry, take, or cause something — moving an object, person, or result toward a place or situation.

Common mistake

Bring is for movement toward the speaker or a shared location; take is for movement away. "Bring it here" but "take it there."

Easily confused with

take →

Common pairings

bring something to someone bring about change bring a lawsuit

Word Forms

brought past tense, broughten past tense, brang past tense, brung past tense, bringed past tense, bring plural, brought plural, brang plural, brung plural, bringed plural, brings singular, bring singular, brought singular, brang singular, brung singular, bringed singular, broughtest singular, bringest singular, bringeth singular

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Fill the Gap

Can you complete this real example?

Can you _____ your laptop to the meeting?

Etymology

From Old English bringan, an ancient Germanic verb that has meant "to carry something to a place" for well over a thousand years.

Rhymes for bring

ing king wing sing ring ping bing ming zing ding Jing ting

See all rhymes for bring →