phrasal verb

• 1bring something on, bring on somethingCause something, typically something unpleasant, to occur.

  ‘ulcers are not brought on by a rich diet’

  More example sentences

  • ‘Occasionally the blockage is brought on by spasm of the muscle walls of the coronary arteries.’
  • ‘Is there a precipitating event that brings it on?’
  • ‘The next step is to visualize this image whenever a situation brings on negative emotions.’
  • ‘Stress also brings on illness.’
  • ‘It's this invasion of pollen that brings on serious allergies.’

  Synonyms

  cause, be the cause of, make happen, bring about, give rise to, begin, create, produce, originate, occasion, effect, engender, spawn, lead to, result in, precipitate, provoke, trigger, trigger off, spark, spark off, touch off, stir up, whip up, induce, foster

  1. 1.1bring something on someoneBe responsible for something unpleasant that happens to oneself or someone else.
     ‘he's brought it on himself—he's not a victim’
     More example sentences

     • ‘The country has brought its own fate upon itself.’
     • ‘Some have said we have brought the current troubles upon ourselves.’
     • ‘There's not much indication here that they brought their own doom upon them.’
     • ‘Sometimes, he really brought these things upon himself.’
     • ‘Are you glad that you brought this terror upon us all?’
• 2bring someone on, bring on someoneBritish Encourage someone who is learning something to develop or improve.

  ‘Mr Eden thought well of him, and was bringing him on’

  More example sentences

  • ‘It can dramatically reduce the cost associated with bringing somebody on to a system.’
  • ‘There is no doubt in my mind that he will be a key part of the team that brings her on to greater heights.’
  • ‘When they feel it's appropriate, they'll bring her on.’
  • ‘But this is where the publishers have brought us on.’
• 3bring someone on, bring on someoneUS Engage someone to perform a task or assume a role.

  More example sentences

  • ‘Kevin's track record and experience make him a great fit, and I'm thrilled the board has brought him on to lead their efforts’
• 4bring something on, bring on something(of the weather) promote the growth of crops.

  ‘I would speculate that the cool weather we experienced the last three weeks brought them on.’

  More example sentences

  • ‘Chocolate bloom develops naturally with time, but it can be brought on prematurely.’
  • ‘The combination of an early spring and warm sunny weather brought on ripening, and harvesting at the end of February.’
  • ‘Early spring has brought on crops of wheat and oilseed rape about a month in advance of normal.’
  • ‘Warm weather has brought on a lot of home-grown crops.’