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birth

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accident of birth

Any and all particulars surrounding one's birth (physical characteristics, social background, and even nationality) that are considered a result of parentage and the specific circumstances of birth, and are therefore entirely out of one's control. My poverty when I was young was merely an accident of birth; through hard work and determination, I was able to overcome it and lead a successful life.

See also: accident, birth, of

birth tourism

Travel to another country for the specific purpose of giving birth to one's child there, so as to avail of that country's economic advantages, such as superior healthcare, or to gain citizenship for the child and/or parent(s). Due to its universal healthcare, even for foreign nationals, the country is a popular destination for birth tourism.

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give birth to someone or something

 

1. Lit. to have a child; [for an animal] to bring forth young. She gave birth to a baby girl. The cat gave birth to a large number of adorable kittens.

2. Fig. to bring forth a new idea, an invention, a nation, etc. The company gave birth to a new technology. The basic idea of participatory democracy gave birth to a new nation.

See also: birth, give

give birth to something

to cause or be the origin of something The popularity of the car eventually gave birth to the interstate highways.

Related vocabulary: give rise to something

Etymology: based on the literal meaning of give birth (to have a baby)

See also: birth, give

strangle something at birth

to stop something at an early stage of its development Plans to provide better nursery care are being strangled at birth by lack of funding.

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give birth to

1. Bear a child, as in She gave birth to her first child exactly at midnight. [Early 1800s]

2. Also, give rise to. Be the cause or origin of. For example, His hobby gave birth to a very successful business, or The economic situation gave rise to widespread dissatisfaction. The first term dates from the early 1700s, the second from the late 1700s.

See also: birth, give

give birth to

1. To bear as offspring.

2. To be the origin of: a hobby that gave birth to a successful business.

See also: birth, give