Brain vs. Brains — What's the Difference?

A brain is an organ that serves as the center of the nervous system in all vertebrate and most invertebrate animals. It is located in the head, usually close to the sensory organs for senses such as vision.

The portion of the vertebrate central nervous system that is enclosed within the cranium, continuous with the spinal cord, and composed of gray matter and white matter. It is the primary center for the regulation and control of bodily activities, receiving and interpreting sensory impulses, and transmitting information to the muscles and body organs. It is also the seat of consciousness, thought, memory, and emotion.

The portion of the vertebrate central nervous system that is enclosed within the cranium, continuous with the spinal cord, and composed of gray matter and white matter. It is the primary center for the regulation and control of bodily activities, receiving and interpreting sensory impulses, and transmitting information to the muscles and body organs. It is also the seat of consciousness, thought, memory, and emotion.

A functionally similar portion of the invertebrate nervous system.

A functionally similar portion of the invertebrate nervous system.

The mind

The mind

Intellectual ability; intellect

Intellectual ability; intellect

Often brains Exceptional intellectual ability; intelligence

Often brains Exceptional intellectual ability; intelligence

(Informal) A highly intelligent person

(Informal) A highly intelligent person

Often brains The primary director or planner, as of an organization or movement.

Often brains The primary director or planner, as of an organization or movement.

The control center, as of a ship, aircraft, or spacecraft.

The control center, as of a ship, aircraft, or spacecraft.

To hit on the head or kill by hitting on the head.

To hit on the head or kill by hitting on the head.

Plural of brain

The control center of the central nervous system of an animal located in the skull which is responsible for perception, cognition, attention, memory, emotion, and action.

The substance of a brain, as a material or foodstuff.

A part of the brain, especially associated with particular mental functions, abilities, etc.

(informal) The figurative substance of a brain: mental ability, intelligence.

(informal) An intelligent person.

The intelligent person or people in a group: the director, planner, administrator, etc.

(plurale tantum) A person who provides the intelligence required for something.

(in the plural) Intellect.

(in the singular) An intellectual or mental capacity.

By analogy with a human brain, the part of a machine or computer that performs calculations.

Oral sex.

Mind.

A loose compartment of a backpack that straps on over the top opening.

(transitive) To dash out the brains of; to kill by smashing the skull.

To strike (someone) on the head.

To destroy; to put an end to.

To conceive in the mind; to understand.

The whitish mass of soft matter (the center of the nervous system, and the seat of consciousness and volition) which is inclosed in the cartilaginous or bony cranium of vertebrate animals. It is simply the anterior termination of the spinal cord, and is developed from three embryonic vesicles, whose cavities are connected with the central canal of the cord; the cavities of the vesicles become the central cavities, or ventricles, and the walls thicken unequally and become the three segments, the fore-, mid-, and hind-brain.

The anterior or cephalic ganglion in insects and other invertebrates.

The organ or seat of intellect; hence, the understanding; as, use your brains.

The affections; fancy; imagination.

A very intelligent person.

The controlling electronic mechanism for a robot, guided missile, computer, or other device exhibiting some degree of self-regulation.

To dash out the brains of; to kill by beating out the brains.

To conceive; to understand.

That part of the central nervous system that includes all the higher nervous centers; enclosed within the skull; continuous with the spinal cord

Mental ability;

That which is responsible for one's thoughts and feelings; the seat of the faculty of reason;

Someone who has exceptional intellectual ability and originality;

The brain of certain animals used as meat

Hit on the head

Kill by smashing someone's skull