breed

Compared meaning: causing a feeling or situation (verb).

比较义项：引起，产生（某种感觉或情况）（动词）。

• breed 本词

  Breed suggests a situation or environment gradually produces an effect, almost like natural growth, usually something negative; common in set phrases like "breeds contempt" and rarely used with positive feelings.

  Breed 暗示某种情况或环境逐渐产生某种效果，就像自然滋生一样，通常是负面的结果；常见于“breeds contempt”（滋生轻蔑）这类固定搭配，很少用于正面的情感。

  Isolation and boredom can breed resentment among people stuck at home for weeks.

  隔离和无聊会在困在家中数周的人们中间滋生怨恨。

• engender

  Engender is more formal and literary; it directly names a feeling or situation as the result of a cause, and works equally well with positive feelings like trust, not only negative ones.

  Engender 更正式、更书面；它直接把某种情感或情况说成是某个原因造成的结果，既可以用于正面的情感（如信任），也可以用于负面的情感，不局限于负面用法。

  Kind words can engender trust between strangers meeting for the first time.

  友善的话语能在初次见面的陌生人之间产生信任。

Breed and engender both mean causing a feeling or situation. Breed suggests a situation gradually produces an effect, usually negative, as in 'breeds contempt'. Engender is formal, naming a feeling as a result, and works for positive feelings. Breed can mean 'animal type', not compared.

这两个词在表示“引起、导致某种感觉或情况产生”时意思相近，但语气和使用场合不同：breed 语气更随意，常暗示某种情况像自然滋生一样逐渐产生（通常是负面的）结果；engender 语气更正式、更书面，既可用于正面的情感（如信任），也可用于负面的情感。这里不比较 breed 作名词表示“（动物的）品种”或作动词表示“饲养、繁殖动物”的意思。