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bear

noun, verb, adj — 48 senses

bear

noun

UK /bɛə/ · UK, WA /bɛː/

Etymology

From Middle English bere, from Old English bera, from Proto-West Germanic *berō, from Proto-Germanic *berô (“bear”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰerH- (“brown”). Cognates Cognate with North Frisian beer (“bear”), Saterland Frisian Boar, Boare (“bear”), West Frisian bear (“bear”), Cimbrian and Mòcheno per (“bear”), Dutch beer (“bear”), German Bär (“bear”), German Low German Boor (“bear”), Limburgish baer, Béër (“bear”), Luxembourgish Bier (“bear”), Vilamovian baor, bar (“bear”), West Flemish beir (“bear”), Yiddish בער (ber, “bear”), Danish, Faroese, and Norwegian Bokmål bjørn (“bear”), Icelandic and Swedish björn (“bear”), Norwegian Nynorsk bjøinn, bjønn, bjørn (“bear”), Gothic *𐌱𐌰𐌹𐍂𐌰 (*baira, “bear”); also Latin fiber (“beaver”), Greek φρύνος (frýnos, “toad”), Latvian bērs (“bay, brown”), Lithuanian bėras (“bay, reddish brown”), Belarusian бабёр (babjór, “beaver”), Bulgarian бобър (bobǎr, “beaver”), Czech bobr (“beaver”), Macedonian дабар (dabar, “beaver”), Polish bober, bóbr (“beaver”) Russian бобёр (bobjór), бобр (bobr, “beaver”), Serbo-Croatian да̀бар, dàbar (“beaver”), Slovak bobor (“beaver”), Slovene bober (“beaver”), Ukrainian бобе́р (bobér, “beaver”), Armenian բորենի (boreni, “hyena”), Avestan 𐬠𐬀𐬡𐬭𐬀 (baβra, “beaver”), Northern Kurdish bor (“grey”), Ossetian бур (bur, “yellow”), Persian بور (bur, “blonde, fair; bay, reddish brown; brown”), Yaghnobi вур (vur, “brown”), Sanskrit बभ्रु (babhru, “ichneumon, mongoose”). etymology notes This is generally taken to be from Proto-Indo-European *bʰerH- (“shining, brown”) (compare Tocharian A parno, Tocharian B perne (“radiant, luminous”), Lithuanian bė́ras (“brown”)), related to brown, bruin, and beaver. On this theory, the Germanic languages replaced the older name of the bear, *h₂ŕ̥tḱos, with the epithet "brown one", presumably due to taboo avoidance; compare Russian медве́дь (medvédʹ, “bear”, literally “honey-eater”). However, Ringe (2006:106) doubts the existence of a root *bʰer- meaning "brown" ("an actual PIE word of [the requisite] shape and meaning is not recoverable") and suggests that a derivation from Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰwer- (“wild animal”) "should therefore perhaps be preferred", implying a Germanic merger of *ǵʰw and *gʷʰ (*gʷʰ may sometimes result in Germanic *b, perhaps e.g. in *bidjaną, but it also seems to have given the g in gun and the w in warm).

11 senses
  1. 1A large, generally omnivorous mammal (a few species are…
  2. 2The meat of this animal.
  3. 3A rough, unmannerly, uncouth person.
  4. 4An investor who sells commodities, securities, or…
  5. 5A state policeman (short for Smokey Bear).
  6. 6A large, hairy man, especially one who is homosexual.
  7. 7A koala (bear).
  8. 8A portable punching machine.
  9. 9A block covered with coarse matting, used to scour the deck.
  10. 10The fifteenth Lenormand card.
  11. 11Something difficult or tiresome; a burden or chore.
1

A large, generally omnivorous mammal (a few species are purely carnivorous or herbivorous) of the family Ursidae; having shaggy fur, a very small tail, and flat feet.

2

Cooking, Food, Lifestyle The meat of this animal.

  • We had barbecued bear for dinner.
3

Figuratively A rough, unmannerly, uncouth person.

  • One evening about this time, when his Lordship did me the honour to sup at my lodgings with Dr. Robertson and several other men of literary distinction, he regretted that Johnson had not been educated with more refinement, and lived more in polished society. 'No, no, my Lord, (said Signor Baretti,) do with him what you would, he would always have been a bear.'1791, James Boswell, Life of Johnson:
4

Business, Finance An investor who sells commodities, securities, or futures in anticipation of a fall in prices.

  • This accompt has been made to appear a bull accompt, i.e. that the bulls cannot take their stock. The fact is the reverse; it is a bear accompt, but the bears, unable to deliver their stock, have conjointly banged the market, and pocketed the tickets, to defeat the rise and loss that would have ensued to them by their buying on a rising price on the accompt day […]1821, Bank of England, The Bank - The Stock Exchange - The Bankers ..., page 64:
5

US, Slang A state policeman (short for Smokey Bear).

  • By the time we got into Tulsa Town We had eighty-five trucks in all But there's a roadblock up on the cloverleaf And them bears was wall-to-wall. Yeah, them smokies is thick as bugs on a bumper They even had a bear in the air. I says, "Callin' all trucks, this here's the Duck. We about to go a-huntin' bear."1975, “Convoy”, in C.W. McCall, Chip Davis (lyrics), Black Bear Road, performed by C. W. McCall:
  • 'The bear's pulling somebody off there at 74,' reported someone else.1976 June, CB Magazine, Oklahoma City: Communications Publication Corporation, June 40/3:
1 more example
  • He was listening for reports of Kojaks with Kodaks, or bear sightings (cop alerts) at his front door (ahead of him), especially plain wrappers (unmarked police cars) parked at specific yardsticks (mile-markers) taking pictures […]2015, Matt Cashion, Last Words of the Holy Ghost, page 85:
6

LGBT Slang A large, hairy man, especially one who is homosexual.

  • Bears are usually hunky, chunky types reminiscent of railroad engineers and former football greats.[1979 July 26, George Mazzei, “Who's Who in the Zoo?: A Glossary of Gay Animals”, in Robert I. McQueen, editor, The Advocate, number 272, Liberation Publications, →ISSN, archived from the original on 18 Apr 2014, page 42:
  • Bear sought by masculine white male, 30, 5'8", 165 lbs, for weekly safe encounter. I'm in a long-term relationship and seek outside fun. You: tall, masculine, over 200 lbs, discreet, moustache.1990 December 9, “Personal advertisement”, in Gay Community News, volume 18, number 21, page 12:
2 more examples
  • I have everything it takes to be a bear: broad shoulders, full beard, semibald pate, and lots of body hair. But I don't want to be a fetish.2004 April 27, Richard Goldstein, “Why I'm Not a Bear”, in The Advocate, number 913, page 72:
  • There are numerous social organizations for bears in most parts of the United States. Lesbians don't have such prominent sexual subcultures as gay men, although, as just mentioned, some lesbians are into BDSM practices.2006, Simon LeVay, Sharon McBride Valente, Human sexuality:
7

Australia A koala (bear).

  • Bunyip Bluegum was a tidy bear, he objected to whisker soup[.]1918, Norman Lindsay, The Magic Pudding, page 8:
8

Engineering, Natural sciences, Physical sciences A portable punching machine.

9

Nautical, Transport A block covered with coarse matting, used to scour the deck.

10

Cartomancy, Human sciences, Mysticism, Philosophy, Sciences The fifteenth Lenormand card.

11

US, Colloquial Something difficult or tiresome; a burden or chore.

  • That window can be a bear to open.
  • "This was a real bear to refinish. You can't believe how hard it was right here to get a thousand years of crud out of this carving."2014, Joe Buda, Pilgrims' Passage: Into a New Millennium; Rebuilding the Past:
Synonyms
bruin, ursid, troublemaker, police officer, bear
Derived terms
209 termsAmerican black bear, ant bear, ant-bear, antibear, Arctic bear, arctic bear, Asian black bear, Atlas bear, Australian bear, Auvergne bear, average bear, bear bag, bearbait, bear bait, bear-bait, bearbaiter, bear-baiting, bear baiting, bearbaiting, bear banger, bearberry, bear board, bear cage, bear cat, bearcat, bear claw, bear crawl, Bear Creek, bear cub, bear dance, bear date, beardog, beardom, bearess, bear garden, bear garlic, beargrass, bear grass, Bearhead, bearheaded, bearherd, bearhound, bear hug, bearie, bear in the air, bearish, Bear Island, Bear Lake, bearleader, bear leader, bear-leader, bearless, bearlet, bearlike, bearling, bearly, bear market, bear meat, bearmode, bearness, bear otter, bear paw, bear-paw poppy, bear pit, bear poppy, bearproof, bear raid, Bear River, bear's breech, bearship, bearshit, bear sign, bearskin, bear's-paw, Bearspaw, bear spear, bear spider, bear spray, bear spread, bear tamer, bear the bell, beartrap, bear trap, bear-trap dam, bear walker, bear-ward, bearward, bear-whelp, beary, Big Bear City, Big Bear Lake, Big Bear Valley, black bear, brown bear, bug-bear, carebear, care bear, cat bear, cave bear, cinnamon bear, dancing bear, Deninger's bear, does a bear crap in the woods, does a bear poop in the woods, does a bear shit in the woods, does the bear shit in the woods, dog-bear, don't sell the skin till you have caught the bear, drop-bear, drop bear, Etruscan bear, Gobi bear, Great Bear, Great Bear Lake, grizzly bear, grolar bear, gummi bear, gummy bear, he-bear, Himalayan brown bear, Himalayan red bear, honey bear, ice bear, is a bear Catholic, is the bear Catholic, isabelline bear, Japanese bear, Japanese black bear, Jer-bear, jungle bear, Kermode bear, Kiwi bear, koala bear, kodiak bear, Kodiak bear, labiated bear, lava bear, like a bear with a sore head, lip bear, Little Bear, loaded for bear, Louisiana black bear, mad as a bear with a sore head, Malayan bear, Malay bear, mama bear, mama-bear, mamma bear, micro-bear, microbear, mini-bear, minibear, momma bear, moon bear, mottled bear, mumma bear, native bear, off-bear, owlbear, panda bear, papa bear, papa-bear, particoloured bear, pedobear, permabear, pizzly bear, poke the bear, polar bear, polar bear dip, polar bear plunge, polar bear swim, pookie bear, problem bear, Russian bear, Russian Bear, sand bear, sea bear, she-bear, short-faced bear, sloth bear, smokey bear, snow bear, snowbear, sometimes you eat the bear and sometimes the bear eats you, space bear, spectacled bear, spirit bear, spokesbear, sugar bear, sun bear, superbear, Syrian bear, Syrian brown bear, teddie bear, teddy bear, tree bear, Walking Bear, water bear, weight-bear, weight bear, werebear, White Bear, white bear, white bear problem, woolly-bear, woolly bear caterpillar, wooly bear, woolly bear, yellow bear
Hypernyms
carnivore, mammal, vertebrate, animal, creature
Hyponyms
black bear, brown bear, grizzly bear, kermode, kermode bear, Kodiak bear, lip bear, panda, panda bear, polar bear, sloth bear, sun bear
Coordinate terms
otter, twink, twunk

bear

verb
Etymology

From Middle English bere, from Old English bera, from Proto-West Germanic *berō, from Proto-Germanic *berô (“bear”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰerH- (“brown”). Cognates Cognate with North Frisian beer (“bear”), Saterland Frisian Boar, Boare (“bear”), West Frisian bear (“bear”), Cimbrian and Mòcheno per (“bear”), Dutch beer (“bear”), German Bär (“bear”), German Low German Boor (“bear”), Limburgish baer, Béër (“bear”), Luxembourgish Bier (“bear”), Vilamovian baor, bar (“bear”), West Flemish beir (“bear”), Yiddish בער (ber, “bear”), Danish, Faroese, and Norwegian Bokmål bjørn (“bear”), Icelandic and Swedish björn (“bear”), Norwegian Nynorsk bjøinn, bjønn, bjørn (“bear”), Gothic *𐌱𐌰𐌹𐍂𐌰 (*baira, “bear”); also Latin fiber (“beaver”), Greek φρύνος (frýnos, “toad”), Latvian bērs (“bay, brown”), Lithuanian bėras (“bay, reddish brown”), Belarusian бабёр (babjór, “beaver”), Bulgarian бобър (bobǎr, “beaver”), Czech bobr (“beaver”), Macedonian дабар (dabar, “beaver”), Polish bober, bóbr (“beaver”) Russian бобёр (bobjór), бобр (bobr, “beaver”), Serbo-Croatian да̀бар, dàbar (“beaver”), Slovak bobor (“beaver”), Slovene bober (“beaver”), Ukrainian бобе́р (bobér, “beaver”), Armenian բորենի (boreni, “hyena”), Avestan 𐬠𐬀𐬡𐬭𐬀 (baβra, “beaver”), Northern Kurdish bor (“grey”), Ossetian бур (bur, “yellow”), Persian بور (bur, “blonde, fair; bay, reddish brown; brown”), Yaghnobi вур (vur, “brown”), Sanskrit बभ्रु (babhru, “ichneumon, mongoose”). etymology notes This is generally taken to be from Proto-Indo-European *bʰerH- (“shining, brown”) (compare Tocharian A parno, Tocharian B perne (“radiant, luminous”), Lithuanian bė́ras (“brown”)), related to brown, bruin, and beaver. On this theory, the Germanic languages replaced the older name of the bear, *h₂ŕ̥tḱos, with the epithet "brown one", presumably due to taboo avoidance; compare Russian медве́дь (medvédʹ, “bear”, literally “honey-eater”). However, Ringe (2006:106) doubts the existence of a root *bʰer- meaning "brown" ("an actual PIE word of [the requisite] shape and meaning is not recoverable") and suggests that a derivation from Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰwer- (“wild animal”) "should therefore perhaps be preferred", implying a Germanic merger of *ǵʰw and *gʷʰ (*gʷʰ may sometimes result in Germanic *b, perhaps e.g. in *bidjaną, but it also seems to have given the g in gun and the w in warm).

1

Business, Finance To endeavour to depress the price of, or prices in.

  • to bear a railroad stock
  • to bear the market

bear

adj
Etymology

From Middle English bere, from Old English bera, from Proto-West Germanic *berō, from Proto-Germanic *berô (“bear”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰerH- (“brown”). Cognates Cognate with North Frisian beer (“bear”), Saterland Frisian Boar, Boare (“bear”), West Frisian bear (“bear”), Cimbrian and Mòcheno per (“bear”), Dutch beer (“bear”), German Bär (“bear”), German Low German Boor (“bear”), Limburgish baer, Béër (“bear”), Luxembourgish Bier (“bear”), Vilamovian baor, bar (“bear”), West Flemish beir (“bear”), Yiddish בער (ber, “bear”), Danish, Faroese, and Norwegian Bokmål bjørn (“bear”), Icelandic and Swedish björn (“bear”), Norwegian Nynorsk bjøinn, bjønn, bjørn (“bear”), Gothic *𐌱𐌰𐌹𐍂𐌰 (*baira, “bear”); also Latin fiber (“beaver”), Greek φρύνος (frýnos, “toad”), Latvian bērs (“bay, brown”), Lithuanian bėras (“bay, reddish brown”), Belarusian бабёр (babjór, “beaver”), Bulgarian бобър (bobǎr, “beaver”), Czech bobr (“beaver”), Macedonian дабар (dabar, “beaver”), Polish bober, bóbr (“beaver”) Russian бобёр (bobjór), бобр (bobr, “beaver”), Serbo-Croatian да̀бар, dàbar (“beaver”), Slovak bobor (“beaver”), Slovene bober (“beaver”), Ukrainian бобе́р (bobér, “beaver”), Armenian բորենի (boreni, “hyena”), Avestan 𐬠𐬀𐬡𐬭𐬀 (baβra, “beaver”), Northern Kurdish bor (“grey”), Ossetian бур (bur, “yellow”), Persian بور (bur, “blonde, fair; bay, reddish brown; brown”), Yaghnobi вур (vur, “brown”), Sanskrit बभ्रु (babhru, “ichneumon, mongoose”). etymology notes This is generally taken to be from Proto-Indo-European *bʰerH- (“shining, brown”) (compare Tocharian A parno, Tocharian B perne (“radiant, luminous”), Lithuanian bė́ras (“brown”)), related to brown, bruin, and beaver. On this theory, the Germanic languages replaced the older name of the bear, *h₂ŕ̥tḱos, with the epithet "brown one", presumably due to taboo avoidance; compare Russian медве́дь (medvédʹ, “bear”, literally “honey-eater”). However, Ringe (2006:106) doubts the existence of a root *bʰer- meaning "brown" ("an actual PIE word of [the requisite] shape and meaning is not recoverable") and suggests that a derivation from Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰwer- (“wild animal”) "should therefore perhaps be preferred", implying a Germanic merger of *ǵʰw and *gʷʰ (*gʷʰ may sometimes result in Germanic *b, perhaps e.g. in *bidjaną, but it also seems to have given the g in gun and the w in warm).

1

Business, Finance Characterized by declining prices in securities markets or by belief that the prices will fall.

  • The great bear market starting in 1929 scared a whole generation of investors.
Related terms
ursine

bear

verb

Etymology From Middle English beren (“carry, bring forth”), from Old English beran (“to carry, bear, bring”), from Proto-West Germanic *beran, from Proto-Germanic *beraną, from Proto-Indo-European *bʰéreti, from *bʰer- (“to bear, carry”). Akin to Old High German beran (“carry”), Dutch baren, Danish bære, Norwegian Bokmål bære, Norwegian Nynorsk bera, German gebären, Gothic 𐌱𐌰𐌹𐍂𐌰𐌽 (bairan), Sanskrit भरति (bharati), Latin ferō, and Ancient Greek φέρω (phérō), Albanian bie (“to bring, to bear”), Russian брать (bratʹ, “to take”), Persian بردن (bordan, “to take, to carry”).

35 senses
  1. 1To carry or convey, literally or figuratively.
  2. 2To carry (weapons, flags or symbols of rank, office…
  3. 3To wear (garments, pieces of jewellery, etc.).
  4. 4To carry (offspring in the womb), to be pregnant (with).
  5. 5To have or display (a mark or other feature).
  6. 6To display (a particular heraldic device) on a shield or…
  7. 7To present or exhibit (a particular outward appearance)…
  8. 8To have (a name, title, or designation).
  9. 9To possess or enjoy (recognition, renown, a reputation…
  10. 10To have (interest or a specified rate of interest)…
  11. 11To have (an appendage, organ, etc.) as part of the body…
  12. 12To carry or hold in the mind; to experience, entertain…
  13. 13To feel and show (respect, reverence, loyalty, etc.) to…
  14. 14To possess inherently (a quality, attribute, power, or…
  15. 15To have (a relation, correspondence, etc.) to something else.
  16. 16To give (written or oral testimony or evidence)…
  17. 17To have (a certain meaning, intent, or effect).
  18. 18To behave or conduct (oneself).
  19. 19To possess and use, to exercise (power or influence); to…
  20. 20To carry a burden or burdens.
  21. 21To take or bring (a person) with oneself; to conduct.
  22. 22To support or sustain; to hold up.
  23. 23To endure or withstand (hardship, scrutiny, etc.); to…
  24. 24To sustain, or be answerable for (blame, expense…
  25. 25To admit or be capable of (a meaning); to suffer or…
  26. 26To warrant, justify the need for.
  27. 27To afford, to be something to someone, to supply with something.
  28. 28To carry on, or maintain; to have.
  29. 29To push, thrust, press.
  30. 30To take effect; to have influence or force; to be relevant.
  31. 31Of a weapon, to be aimed at an enemy or other target.
  32. 32To give birth to (someone or something) (may take the…
  33. 33To produce or yield something, such as fruit or crops.
  34. 34To be, or head, in a specific direction or azimuth (from…
  35. 35To gain or win.
1

To carry or convey, literally or figuratively.

  • They came bearing gifts.
  • Judging from the look on his face, he wasn't bearing good news.
4 more examples
  • The little boat bore us to our destination.
  • This plant's light and fluffy seeds may be borne by the wind to remote islands.
  • what the market will bear
  • I'll bear your logs the while.1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene i]:
2

To carry (weapons, flags or symbols of rank, office, etc.) upon one's person, especially visibly; to be equipped with (weapons, etc.).

  • the right to bear arms
3

To wear (garments, pieces of jewellery, etc.).

  • The queen bore the royal scepter and crown as she processed into the hall.
4

Rare To carry (offspring in the womb), to be pregnant (with).

Of a woman or female animal

  • The scan showed that the ewe was bearing twins.
5

To have or display (a mark or other feature).

  • She still bears the scars from a cycling accident.
  • The stone bears a short inscription.
2 more examples
  • This bears all the hallmarks of a terrorist attack.
  • […] male stag-beetles often bear wounds from the huge mandibles of other males.1859 November 24, Charles Darwin, “Natural Selection”, in On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, […], London: John Murray, […], →OCLC, page 88:
6

To display (a particular heraldic device) on a shield or coat of arms; to be entitled to wear or use (a heraldic device) as a coat of arms.

  • The shield bore a red cross.
7

To present or exhibit (a particular outward appearance); to have (a certain look).

  • He bore the look of a defeated man.
  • The body was unclothed, and bore the appearance of being washed up by the sea.1930, Essex Chronicle, 18 April 9/5:
8

To have (a name, title, or designation).

  • The school still bears the name of its founder.
  • […] imitations that bear the same name as the things […]2005, Plato, translated by Lesley Brown, Sophist, page 234b:
1 more example
  • Heinrich Olbers described the paradox that bears his name in 1823.2013, D. Goldberg, Universe in Rearview Mirror, iii. 99:
9

To possess or enjoy (recognition, renown, a reputation, etc.); to have (a particular price, value, or worth).

  • The dictator bears a terrible reputation for cruelty.
10

Usually, Of an investment To have (interest or a specified rate of interest) stipulated in its terms.

  • The bond bears a fixed interest rate of 3.5%.
11

Of a person or animal To have (an appendage, organ, etc.) as part of the body; (of a part of the body) to have (an appendage).

  • Only the male Indian elephant bears tusks.
12

To carry or hold in the mind; to experience, entertain, harbour (an idea, feeling, or emotion).

  • to bear a grudge, to bear ill will
  • the ancient grudge I bear himc. 1596–1598 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merchant of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene iii]:
13

Rare To feel and show (respect, reverence, loyalty, etc.) to, towards, or unto a person or thing.

  • The brothers had always borne one another respect.
14

To possess inherently (a quality, attribute, power, or capacity); to have and display as an essential characteristic.

  • to bear life
15

Of a thing To have (a relation, correspondence, etc.) to something else.

  • The punishment bears no relation to the crime.
16

To give (written or oral testimony or evidence); (figurative) to provide or constitute (evidence or proof), give witness.

  • His achievements bear testimony to his ability.
  • The jury could see he was bearing false witness.
17

To have (a certain meaning, intent, or effect).

  • This word no longer bears its original meaning.
  • Her sentence bore that she should stand a certain time upon the platform.1850, Nathaniel Hawthorne, The Scarlet Letter, a Romance, Boston, Mass.: Ticknor, Reed, and Fields, →OCLC:
18

To behave or conduct (oneself).

  • She bore herself well throughout the ordeal.
  • Thus must thou thy body bear.c. 1595–1596 (date written), William Shakespeare, “Loues Labour’s Lost”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene ii]:
1 more example
  • Hath he borne himself penitently in prison?c. 1603–1604 (date written), William Shakespeare, “Measure for Measure”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene ii]:
19

Rare To possess and use, to exercise (power or influence); to hold (an office, rank, or position).

  • Every man should bear rule in his own house.1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Esther 1:22:
20

Obsolete To carry a burden or burdens.

21

Obsolete, Rare To take or bring (a person) with oneself; to conduct.

  • Bear them to my house.c. 1594 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Comedie of Errors”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene i]:

› To support, sustain, or endure.

22

To support or sustain; to hold up.

  • This stone bears most of the weight.
23

To endure or withstand (hardship, scrutiny, etc.); to tolerate; to be patient (with).

Now transitive outside certain set patterns such as 'bear with'; formerly also intransitive; now transitive outside certain set patterns such as 'bear with'; formerly also intransitive

  • The pain is too much for me to bear.
  • It doesn’t bear thinking about.
4 more examples
  • I would never move to Texas — I can't bear heat.
  • This reasoning will not bear much analysis.
  • Please bear with me as I try to find the book you need.
  • I cannot, cannot bear; ’tis past , ’tis done; / Perish this impious , this detested son; […]1700, John Dryden, “Meleager and Atalanta”, in The poetical works, volume 4, William Pickering, published 1852, page 169:
24

To sustain, or be answerable for (blame, expense, responsibility, etc.).

  • The hirer must bear the cost of any repairs.
  • He shall bear their iniquities.1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Isaiah 53:11:
1 more example
  • What have you gotten there under your arm, Daughter? somewhat, I hope, that will bear your Charges in your Pilgrimage.1753, John Dryden, The Spanish Friar: or, the Double Discovery, Tonson and Draper, p. 64:
25

To admit or be capable of (a meaning); to suffer or sustain without violence, injury, or change.

  • In all criminal cases the most favourable interpretation should be put on words that they can possibly bear.1724, Drapier's Letters, Jonathan Swift:
26

To warrant, justify the need for.

  • This storm definitely bears monitoring.
  • An unusually high percentage of the hundreds of gay men who participated in the experimental trials for this vaccine (1978-1980) developed AIDS. Since these trials occurred at about the same time as the first AIDS cases in the same cities […] a possible connection at least bears careful study.1989 August 19, Bob Lederer, “Hiding Behind HIV”, in Gay Community News, volume 17, number 6, page 10:

› To support, keep up, or maintain.

27

To afford, to be something to someone, to supply with something.

  • […] admitted to that equal sky, / His faithful dog shall bear him company.1732–4, Alexander Pope, An Essay on Man, Longmans, Green & Co, 1879, p. 10
28

To carry on, or maintain; to have.

  • […] and he finds the Pleasure, and Credit of bearing a Part in the Conversation, and of having his Reasons sometimes approved and hearken'd to.1693, John Locke, Some Thoughts Concerning Education, § 98:

› To press or impinge upon.

29

Usually, With on To push, thrust, press.

Upon; or against; upon; or against

  • The rope has frayed where it bears on the rim of the wheel.
  • These men therefore bear hard upon the suspected party.1711 September 24 (Gregorian calendar), [Joseph Addison; Richard Steele et al.], “THURSDAY, September 14, 1711”, in The Spectator, number 170; republished in Alexander Chalmers, editor, The Spectator; a New Edition, […], volume II, New York, N.Y.: D[aniel] Appleton & Company, 1853, →OCLC:
30

Figuratively To take effect; to have influence or force; to be relevant.

  • to bring arguments to bear
  • How does this bear on the question?
31

Government, Military, Politics, War Of a weapon, to be aimed at an enemy or other target.

Usually with on or upon

  • The cannons were wheeled around to bear upon the advancing troops.
  • 2012, Ronald D. Utt, Ships of Oak, Guns of Iron Constitution's gun crews crossed the deck to the already loaded larboard guns as Bainbridge wore the ship around on a larboard tack and recrossed his path in a rare double raking action to bring her guns to bear again on Java's damaged stern.

› To produce, yield, give birth to.

32

To give birth to (someone or something) (may take the father of the direct object as an indirect object).

  • In Troy she becomes Paris’ wife, bearing him several children, all of whom die in infancy.
  • The twins were borne by an Italian mother.
1 more example
  • The powerful Bene Gesserit sisterhood for ninety generations has been manipulating bloodlines to produce the Kwisatz Haderach, a superbeing. On Caladan, Jessica, a member of the sisterhood and the bound concubine of Duke Leto Atreides, had been ordered to bear only daughters. Because of her love for the duke, she disobeyed and gave birth to a son: Paul, Paul Atreides.1984, 10:44 from the start, in Dune (Science Fiction), spoken by Princess Irulan, →OCLC:
33

Uncommon To produce or yield something, such as fruit or crops.

  • This year our apple trees bore a good crop of fruit.
  • Betwixt two seasons comes th' auspicious air, / This age to blossom, and the next to bear.1688, John Dryden, Britannia Rediviva:
34

To be, or head, in a specific direction or azimuth (from somewhere).

  • Carry on past the church and then bear left at the junction.
  • By my readings, we're bearing due south, so we should turn about ten degrees east.
1 more example
  • Great Falls bears north of Bozeman.
35

Obsolete To gain or win.

  • Some think to bear it by speaking a great word.1625, Francis [Bacon], “Of Seeming Wise”, in The Essayes […], 3rd edition, London: […] Iohn Haviland for Hanna Barret, →OCLC:
  • She was […] found not guilty, through bearing of friends and bribing of the judge.April 5, 1549, Hugh Latimer, The Fifth Sermon Preached Before King Edward (probably not in original spelling)
Derived terms
53 termsbearability, bearable, bear against, bear a grudge, bear a hand, bear away, bear away the bell, bear down, bear down on, bearer, bearess, bear false witness, bear fruit, bear hang, bear in, bearing sword, bear in mind, bear in on, bear in with, bearleap, bear off, bear off from, bear on, bear oneself, bear out, bear the brunt, bear the scars, bear up, bear upon, bear with, bear witness, Bernard, beware of Greeks bearing gifts, bring to bear, cross to bear, double-bearing, downbear, forbear, forthbear, grin and bear it, inbear, misbear, not bear thinking about, offbear, outbear, overbear, rebear, right to keep and bear arms, unbear, unbearability, underbear, upbear, withbear
Related terms
barrel, berth, birth

Entry derived from the Wiktionary, under licence CC BY-SA 4.0 — list of authors.

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