bear
1to hold up; support: to bear the weight of the roof.
to hold or remain firm under (a load): The roof will not bear the strain of his weight.
to bring forth (young); give birth to: to bear a child.
to produce by natural growth: a tree that bears fruit.
to hold up under; be capable of: His claim doesn't bear close examination.
to press or push against: The crowd was borne back by the police.
to hold or carry (oneself, one's body, one's head, etc.): to bear oneself erectly.
to conduct (oneself): to bear oneself bravely.
to sustain without yielding or suffering injury; tolerate (usually used in negative constructions, unless qualified): I can't bear your nagging. I can hardly bear to see her suffering so.
to be fit for or worthy of: It doesn't bear repeating.
to carry; bring: to bear gifts.
to carry in the mind or heart: to bear love;to bear malice.
to transmit or spread (gossip, tales, etc.).
to lead; guide; take: They bore him home.
to have and be entitled to: to bear title.
to accept or have, as an obligation: to bear responsibility;to bear the cost.
to stand in (a relation or ratio); have or show correlatively: the relation that price bears to profit.
to possess, as a quality or characteristic; have in or on: to bear traces;to bear an inscription.
to have and use; exercise: to bear authority;to bear sway.
to tend in a course or direction; move; go: to bear west;to bear left at the fork in the road.
to be located or situated: The lighthouse bears due north.
to bring forth young or fruit: Next year the tree will bear.
bear down,
to press or weigh down.
to strive harder; intensify one's efforts: We can't hope to finish unless everyone bears down.
Nautical. to approach from windward, as a ship: The cutter was bearing down the channel at twelve knots.
bear down on / upon
to press or weigh down on.
to strive toward.
to approach something rapidly.
Nautical. to approach (another vessel) from windward: The sloop bore down on us, narrowly missing our stern.
bear off,
Nautical. to keep (a boat) from touching or rubbing against a dock, another boat, etc.
Nautical. to steer away.
Backgammon. to remove the stones from the board after they are all home.
bear on / upon to affect, relate to, or have connection with; be relevant to: This information may bear on the case.
bear out, to substantiate; confirm: The facts bear me out.
bear up, to endure; face hardship bravely: It is inspiring to see them bearing up so well.
bear with, to be patient or forbearing with: Please bear with me until I finish the story.
Idioms about bear
bear false witness. See entry at bear false witness.
bear witness. See entry at bear witness.
bring to bear, to concentrate on with a specific purpose: Pressure was brought to bear on those with overdue accounts.
Origin of bear
1synonym study For bear
confusables note For bear
Other words for bear
Other definitions for bear (2 of 3)
any of the plantigrade, carnivorous or omnivorous mammals of the family Ursidae, having massive bodies, coarse heavy fur, relatively short limbs, and almost rudimentary tails.
any of various animals resembling the bear, as the ant bear.
a gruff, burly, clumsy, bad-mannered, or rude person.
a person who believes that market prices, especially of stocks, will decline (opposed to bull).
Informal. a person who shows great ability, enthusiasm, stamina, etc.: a bear for physics.
Bear, Astronomy. either of two constellations, Ursa Major or Ursa Minor.
Informal. a player at cards who rarely bluffs.
Bear. Russia.
having to do with or marked by declining prices, as of stocks: bear market.
Stock Exchange. to force prices down in (a market, stock, etc.).
Origin of bear
2Other words from bear
- bearlike, adjective
Other definitions for Bear (3 of 3)
Mount Bear, a mountain in southern Alaska, in the Saint Elias Mountains. 14,831 feet (4,520 meters).
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use bear in a sentence
A bearlike man with a big voice, he could be intimidating to his enemies (“adversaries” seems too neutral a word).
"Throw down," it repeated, with a growl as bearlike as the body.
The Devil's Asteroid | Manly Wade WellmanAwkwardly and with the bearlike roughness of excessive timidity I put my arms about her, drew her to me tentatively.
Tramping on Life | Harry KempJane uttered a whoop and embraced the girl in a bearlike hug.
The Meadow-Brook Girls Across Country | Janet AldridgeMcTeague put aside her hands with a single gesture, and gripped her to him in a bearlike embrace that all but smothered her.
McTeague | Frank Norris
The Indian looked hastily around him without releasing the bearlike hug.
The Fiery Totem | Argyll Saxby
British Dictionary definitions for bear (1 of 3)
/ (bɛə) /
to support or hold up; sustain
to bring or convey: to bear gifts
to take, accept, or assume the responsibility of: to bear an expense
(past participle born in passive use except when foll by by) to give birth to: to bear children
(also intr) to produce by or as if by natural growth: to bear fruit
to tolerate or endure: she couldn't bear him
to admit of; sustain: his story does not bear scrutiny
to hold in the conscious mind or in one's feelings: to bear a grudge; I'll bear that idea in mind
to show or be marked with: he still bears the scars
to transmit or spread: to bear gossip
to render or supply (esp in the phrase bear witness)
to conduct or manage (oneself, the body, etc): she bore her head high
to have, be, or stand in (relation or comparison): his account bears no relation to the facts
(intr) to move, be located, or lie in a specified direction: the way bears east
to have by right; be entitled to (esp in the phrase bear title)
bear a hand to give assistance
bring to bear to bring into operation or effect: he brought his knowledge to bear on the situation
Origin of bear
1British Dictionary definitions for bear (2 of 3)
/ (bɛə) /
any plantigrade mammal of the family Ursidae : order Carnivora (carnivores). Bears are typically massive omnivorous animals with a large head, a long shaggy coat, and strong claws: See also black bear, brown bear, polar bear Related adjective: ursine
any of various bearlike animals, such as the koala and the ant bear
a clumsy, churlish, or ill-mannered person
a teddy bear
stock exchange
a speculator who sells in anticipation of falling prices to make a profit on repurchase
(as modifier): a bear market Compare bull 1 (def. 5)
(tr) to lower or attempt to lower the price or prices of (a stock market or a security) by speculative selling
Origin of bear
2British Dictionary definitions for Bear (3 of 3)
/ (bɛə) /
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Other Idioms and Phrases with bear
In addition to the idioms beginning with bear
- bear a grudge
- bear down
- beard the lion
- bear fruit
- bear in mind
- bear one's cross
- bear out
- bear the brunt
- bear up
- bear with
also see:
- bring to bear
- cross as a bear
- cross to bear
- grin and bear it
- loaded for bear
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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