bearer meaning: definition, etymology and quotations

bearer

noun

UK /ˈbɛəɹə/ · US /ˈbeɹɚ/

Etymology From Middle English berer, berere, from Old English berere (attested in Old English wæterberere (“waterbearer”)), equivalent to bear + -er.

11 senses

One who, or that which, bears, sustains, or carries.

And he [Solomon] set threescore and ten thousand of them [the foreigners living in Israel] to be bearers of burdens,1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, 2 Chronicles 2:18:
Forgive the Bearer of unhappy news: Your alter’d Father openly pursues Your ruine;1675, John Dryden, Aureng-zebe: A Tragedy. […], London: […] T[homas] N[ewcomb] for Henry Herringman, […], published 1676, →OCLC, Act II, page 29:

1 more example

The slightest manifestation of sympathy or justice toward a person of color, was denounced as abolitionism; and the name of abolitionist, subjected its bearer to frightful liabilities.1855, Frederick Douglass, My Bondage and My Freedom. […], New York; Auburn, N.Y.: Miller, Orton & Mulligan […], →OCLC:

Someone who helps carry the coffin or a dead body during a funeral procession.

Nay, quoth he, on his swooning bed outstretch’d, If I may not carry, sure Ile ne’re be fetch’d, But vow though the cross Doctors all stood hearers, For one Carrier put down to make six bearers.1645, John Milton, “Another on the same”, in Poems of Mr. John Milton, both English and Latin, London: Humphrey Moseley, page 29:
[…] the bare coffin having been screwed down, was hoisted on the shoulders of the bearers, and carried into the street.1838, Boz [pseudonym; Charles Dickens], Oliver Twist; […], volume (please specify |volume=I, II, or III), London: Richard Bentley, […], →OCLC:

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The deep shadows of the porch swallowed up priest, corpse and bearers […]1934, Dorothy L. Sayers, “A Full Peal of Grandsire Triples”, in The Nine Tailors, London: Victor Gollancz, published 1975, Part 3:

One who possesses a cheque, bond, or other notes promising payment.

A person employed or engaged to carry equipment on a safari, expedition, etc.

A person employed to carry a palanquin or litter.

Within an hour of our finally deciding to start five litters were brought up to the door of the cave, each accompanied by four regular bearers and two spare hands, also a band of about fifty armed Amahagger, who were to form the escort and carry the baggage.1886 October – 1887 January, H[enry] Rider Haggard, She: A History of Adventure, London: Longmans, Green, and Co., published 1887, →OCLC:

India, Dated A domestic servant in charge of household goods and clothing; a valet.

The bar of the watch-guard worked through the buttonhole, and the watch—Platte's watch—slid quietly on to the carpet; where the bearer found it next morning and kept it.1888, Rudyard Kipling, “Watches of the Night”, in Plain Tales from the Hills, Folio, published 2005, page 60:

India A waiter in a hotel or restaurant.

A tree or plant yielding fruit.

a good bearer
In the common mode of pruning, this species of vine is no great bearer; but managed as it is here, it produces wonderfully.1791, William Gilpin, Remarks on Forest Scenery: and Other Woodland Views, London: R. Blamire, Volume 1, Book 1, Section 6, p. 149:

Dated Someone who delivers a letter or message on behalf of another (especially as referred to in the letter or message).

[…] Wilt thou know Th’ effect of what I wrote? […] An earnest conjuration from the King, As England was his faithful tributary, […] That, on the view and knowing of these contents, Without debatement further, more or less, He should the bearers put to sudden death,c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene ii]:
P. S. If you’d send your pipes by the Bearer[…], I would put them in order, and play some Melancholy tunes, […]1754 September 25, Ja[me]s [Mor] MacGregor, “[Letter from James Macgregor, on his arrival at Paris the week before he died, October, 1754]”, in K[enneth] Macleay, Historical Memoirs of Rob Roy and the Clan Macgregor; […], Glasgow: […] William Turnbull, […], published 1818, pages 300–301:

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1784, Samuel Johnson, letter cited in James Boswell, The Life of Samuel Johnson, London: Charles Dilly, Volume 2, p. 487, Sir, The bearer is my godson, whom I take the liberty of recommending to your kindness […]
The message was brought, and Winterborne sent the bearer back to say that he begged the lady’s pardon, but that he could not do as she requested;1886 May – 1887 April, Thomas Hardy, chapter XIII, in The Woodlanders […], volume I, London; New York, N.Y.: Macmillan and Co., published 1887, →OCLC, page 246:
[…] he gave him a note to Mr. Harmon, one of the head managers of Durham’s— “The bearer, Jurgis Rudkus, is a particular friend of mine, and I would like you to find him a good place […]1905 April–October, Upton Sinclair, chapter XXV, in The Jungle, New York, N.Y.: Doubleday, Page & Company, published 26 February 1906, →OCLC:

Media, Printing, Publishing A strip of reglet or other furniture to bear off the impression from a blank page.

Media, Printing, Publishing A type or type-high piece of metal interspersed in blank parts to support the plate when it is shaved.

Derived terms: 57 terms
ape-bearer, armorbearer, armor-bearer, armourbearer, arms bearer, arms-bearer, bearer bond, Bearer English, bearer note, bearer of bad news, bearership, bearess, bell-bearer, boat bearer, boatbearer, book-bearer, bowbearer, bread-bearer, cardbearer, casebearer, childbearer, colorbearer, cross bearer, cross-bearer, cup-bearer, cupbearer, cup bearer, dooly-bearer, everbearer, fanbearer, flag-bearer, flag bearer, frost-bearer, furbearer, gunbearer, livebearer, mace-bearer, myrrhbearer, pallbearer, purse-bearer, ringbearer, rushbearer, scalloped sack-bearer, shield-bearer, standard-bearer, stretcher-bearer, swordbearer, sword-bearer, tale-bearer, talebearer, tale bearer, torchbearer, train-bearer, trainbearer, truthbearer, Water Bearer, year bearer