Words / C2

BRUK/brʊk/

To brook is to tolerate (formal), almost always in negatives: brook no dissent, brook no delay. The noun brook is a small stream — same spelling. Tolerate and allow are everyday. Do not brook a biscuit; it is not “eat”.

Meaning

To tolerate or allow (formal; usually negative: brook no…).

Examples

• “The protocol brooks no shared logins, however friendly the lab.”
• “The protocol brooks no shared logins, however friendly the night lab.”
• “Tolerate is everyday. Brook no + noun is the set pattern. A brook (noun) is a stream. Break is smash. In exams, expect the “not tolerate” sense unless water is in the sentence.”

Good to know

Tolerate (usually brook no…). Everyday: tolerate. Noun homonym: a stream. Mix-up: break. Not “eat” or “carry”.

Near in meaning

tolerate

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