tribe
    n 1: a social division of (usually preliterate) people [syn:
         tribe, folk]
    2: a federation (as of American Indians) [syn: tribe,
       federation of tribes]
    3: (biology) a taxonomic category between a genus and a
       subfamily
    4: group of people related by blood or marriage [syn: kin,
       kin group, kinship group, kindred, clan, tribe]

Tribe \Tribe\, v. t.
   To distribute into tribes or classes. [R.]
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         Our fowl, fish, and quadruped are well tribed. --Abp.
                                                  Nicolson.
   [1913 Webster] Triblet

Tribe \Tribe\, n. [L. tribus, originally, a third part of the
   Roman people, afterwards, a division of the people, a tribe;
   of uncertain origin: cf. F. tribu.]
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   1. A family, race, or series of generations, descending from
      the same progenitor, and kept distinct, as in the case of
      the twelve tribes of Israel, descended from the twelve
      sons of Jacob. "The Lion of the tribe of Juda." --Rev. v.
      5.
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            A wealthy Hebrew of my tribe.         --Shak.
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   2. (Bot.) A number of species or genera having certain
      structural characteristics in common; as, a tribe of
      plants; a tribe of animals.
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   Note: By many recent naturalists, tribe has been used for a
         group of animals or plants intermediate between order
         and genus.
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   3. A nation of savages or uncivilized people; a body of rude
      people united under one leader or government; as, the
      tribes of the Six Nations; the Seneca tribe.
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   4. A division, class, or distinct portion of a people, from
      whatever cause that distinction may have originated; as,
      the city of Athens was divided into ten tribes.
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   5. (Stock Breeding) A family of animals descended from some
      particular female progenitor, through the female line; as,
      the Duchess tribe of shorthorns.
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Tribe
   a collection of families descending from one ancestor. The
   "twelve tribes" of the Hebrews were the twelve collections of
   families which sprang from the sons of Jacob. In Matt. 24:30 the
   word has a wider significance. The tribes of Israel are referred
   to as types of the spiritual family of God (Rev. 7). (See
   ISRAEL, KINGDOM OF; JUDAH, KINGDOM OF.)