to hold up; support: to bear the weight of the roof.
2.
to hold or remain firm under (a load): The roof will not bear the strain of his weight.
3.
to bring forth (young); give birth to: to bear a child.
4.
to produce by natural growth: a tree that bears fruit.
5.
to hold up under; be capable of: His claim doesn't bear close examination.
6.
to press or push against: The crowd was borne back by the police.
7.
to hold or carry (oneself, one's body, one's head, etc.): to bear oneself erectly.
8.
to conduct (oneself): to bear oneself bravely.
9.
to suffer; endure; undergo: to bear the blame.
10.
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.
11.
to be fit for or worthy of: It doesn't bear repeating.
12.
to carry; bring: to bear gifts.
13.
to carry in the mind or heart: to bear love; to bear malice.
14.
to transmit or spread (gossip, tales, etc.).
15.
to render; afford; give: to bear witness; to bear testimony.
16.
to lead; guide; take: They bore him home.
17.
to have and be entitled to: to bear title.
18.
to exhibit; show: to bear a resemblance.
19.
to accept or have, as an obligation: to bear responsibility; to bear the cost.
20.
to stand in (a relation or ratio); have or show correlatively: the relation that price bears to profit.
21.
to possess, as a quality or characteristic; have in or on: to bear traces; to bear an inscription.
22.
to have and use; exercise: to bear authority; to bear sway.
–verb (used without object)
23.
to tend in a course or direction; move; go: to bear west; to bear left at the fork in the road.
24.
to be located or situated: The lighthouse bears due north.
25.
to bring forth young or fruit: Next year the tree will bear.
—Verb phrases
26.
bear down,
a.
to press or weigh down.
b.
to strive harder; intensify one's efforts: We can't hope to finish unless everyone bears down.
c.
Nautical. to approach from windward, as a ship: The cutter was bearing down the channel at twelve knots.
27.
bear down on or upon,
a.
to press or weigh down on.
b.
to strive toward.
c.
to approach something rapidly.
d.
Nautical. to approach (another vessel) from windward: The sloop bore down on us, narrowly missing our stern.
28.
bear off,
a.
Nautical. to keep (a boat) from touching or rubbing against a dock, another boat, etc.
b.
Nautical. to steer away.
c.
Backgammon. to remove the stones from the board after they are all home.
29.
bear on or upon, to affect, relate to, or have connection with; be relevant to: This information may bear on the case.
30.
bear out, to substantiate; confirm: The facts bear me out.
31.
bear up, to endure; face hardship bravely: It is inspiring to see them bearing up so well.
32.
bear with, to be patient or forbearing with: Please bear with me until I finish the story.
—Idiom
33.
bring to bear, to concentrate on with a specific purpose: Pressure was brought to bear on those with overdue accounts.
[Origin: bef. 900; ME beren, OE beran; c. OS, OHG beran, D baren, OFris, ON bera, Goth bairan, G (ge)bären, Russ berët (he) takes, Albanian bie, Tocharian pär-, Phrygian ab-beret (he) brings, L ferre, OIr berid (he) carries, Armenian berem, Gk phérein, Skt bhárati, Avestan baraiti; < IE *bher- (see -fer, -phore]
—Synonyms 1. uphold, sustain. 4. yield. 6. thrust, drive, force. 10. brook, abide, suffer. Bear,stand,endure refer to supporting the burden of something distressing, irksome, or painful. Bear and stand are close synonyms and have a general sense of withstanding: to bear a disappointment well; to stand a loss. Endure implies continued resistance and patience in bearing through a long time: to endure torture.
—Usage note Since the latter part of the 18th century, a distinction has been made between born and borne as past participles of the verb bear1. Borne is the past participle in all senses that do not refer to physical birth: The wheatfields have borne abundantly this year. Judges have always borne a burden of responsibility. Borne is also the participle when the sense is “to bring forth (young)” and the focus is on the mother rather than on the child. In such cases, borne is preceded by a form of have or followed by by: Anna had borne a son the previous year. Two children borne by her earlier were already grown. When the focus is on the offspring or on something brought forth as if by birth, born is the standard spelling, and it occurs only in passive constructions: My friend was born in Ohio. No children have been born at the South Pole. A strange desire was born of the tragic experience. Born is also an adjective meaning “by birth,” “innate,” or “native”: born free; a born troublemaker; Mexican-born.
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.
2.
any of various animals resembling the bear, as the ant bear.
3.
a gruff, burly, clumsy, bad-mannered, or rude person.
4.
a person who believes that market prices, esp. of stocks, will decline (opposed to bull).
5.
Informal. a person who shows great ability, enthusiasm, stamina, etc.: a bear for physics.
6.
(initial capital letter) Astronomy. either of two constellations, Ursa Major or Ursa Minor.
having to do with or marked by declining prices, as of stocks: bear market.
–verb (used with object)
10.
Stock Exchange. to force prices down in (a market, stock, etc.).
—Idiom
11.
loaded for bear, Informal. fully prepared and eager to initiate or deal with a fight, confrontation, or trouble: Keep away from the boss—he's loaded for bear today.
[Origin: bef. 1000; ME be(a)re, beor(e), OE bera; c. Fris bār, D beer, OHG bero (G Bär); < Gmc *beran- lit., the brown one; akin to ON bjǫrn, bersi; cf. Lith bė́ras brown. Cf. bruin]
bear 1Audio Help (bâr) Pronunciation Key
v.
bore (bôr, bōr), borne (bôrn, bōrn) or born (bôrn), bear·ing, bears
v.
tr.
To hold up; support.
To carry from one place to another; transport.
To carry in the mind; harbor: bear a grudge.
To transmit at large; relate: bearing glad tidings.
To have as a visible characteristic: bore a scar on the left arm.
To have as a quality; exhibit: "A thousand different shapes it bears"(Abraham Cowley).
To carry (oneself) in a specified way; conduct: She bore herself with dignity.
To be accountable for; assume: bearing heavy responsibilities.
To have a tolerance for; endure: couldn't bear his lying.
To call for; warrant: This case bears investigation.
To give birth to: bore six children in five years.
To produce; yield: plants bearing flowers.
To offer; render: I will bear witness to the deed.
To move by or as if by steady pressure; push: "boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past"(F. Scott Fitzgerald).
v.
intr.
To yield fruit; produce: peach trees that bear every summer.
To have relevance; apply: They studied the ways in which the relativity theory bears on the history of science.
To exert pressure, force, or influence.
To force oneself along; forge.
To endure something with tolerance and patience: Bear with me while I explain matters.
To extend or proceed in a specified direction: The road bears to the right at the bottom of the hill.
To advance in a threatening manner: The ship bore down on our canoe.
To apply maximum effort and concentration: If you really bear down, you will finish the task.
Phrasal Verb(s): bear down
To advance in a threatening manner: The ship bore down on our canoe.
To apply maximum effort and concentration: If you really bear down, you will finish the task.
bear out
To prove right or justified; confirm: The test results bear out our claims. bear up
To withstand stress, difficulty, or attrition: The patient bore up well during the long illness.
Idiom(s):
bear down on
To effect in a harmful or adverse way: Financial pressures are bearing down on them.
Idiom(s):
bear fruit
To come to a satisfactory conclusion or to fruition.
Idiom(s):
bear in mind
To hold in one's mind; remember: Bear in mind that bridges freeze before roads.
[Middle English beren, from Old English beran; see bher-1 in Indo-European roots.]
Synonyms: These verbs mean to withstand something difficult or painful. Bear pertains broadly to the capacity to withstand: "Those best can bear reproof who merit praise" (Alexander Pope).
Endure specifies a continuing capacity to face pain or hardship: "Human life is everywhere a state in which much is to be endured and little to be enjoyed" (Samuel Johnson).
Stand implies resoluteness of spirit: Actors who can't stand criticism shouldn't perform in public. Abide and suffer suggest the capacity to withstand patiently: She couldn't abide fools. He suffered their insults in silence. Tolerate, when applied to something other than pain, connotes reluctant acceptance: "A decent . . . examination of the acts of government should be not only tolerated, but encouraged" (William Henry Harrison). See Also Synonyms at convey, produce.
Usage Note: Thanks to the vagaries of English spelling, bear has two past participles: born and borne. Traditionally, born is used only in passive constructions referring to birth: I was born in Chicago. For all other uses, including active constructions referring to birth, borne is the standard form: She has borne both her children at home. I have borne his insolence with the patience of a saint.
Bear\ (b[^a]r), v. t. [imp. Bore (b[=o]r) (formerly Bare (b[^a]r)); p. p. Born (b[^o]rn), Borne (b[=o]r); p. pr. & vb. n. Bearing.] [OE. beren, AS. beran, beoran, to bear, carry, produce; akin to D. baren to bring forth, G. geb["a]ren, Goth. ba['i]ran to bear or carry, Icel. bera, Sw. b["a]ra, Dan. b[ae]re, OHG. beran, peran, L. ferre to bear, carry, produce, Gr. fe`rein, OSlav brati to take, carry, OIr. berim I bear, Skr. bh[.r] to bear. [root]92. Cf. Fertile.]1. To support or sustain; to hold up. 2. To support and remove or carry; to convey. I 'll bear your logs the while. --Shak. 3. To conduct; to bring; -- said of persons. [Obs.] Bear them to my house. --Shak. 4. To possess and use, as power; to exercise. Every man should bear rule in his own house. --Esther i. 22. 5. To sustain; to have on (written or inscribed, or as a mark), as, the tablet bears this inscription. 6. To possess or carry, as a mark of authority or distinction; to wear; as, to bear a sword, badge, or name. 7. To possess mentally; to carry or hold in the mind; to entertain; to harbor --Dryden. The ancient grudge I bear him. --Shak. 8. To endure; to tolerate; to undergo; to suffer. Should such a man, too fond to rule alone, Bear, like the Turk, no brother near the throne. --Pope. I cannot bear The murmur of this lake to hear. --Shelley. My punishment is greater than I can bear. --Gen. iv. 13. 9. To gain or win. [Obs.] Some think to bear it by speaking a great word. --Bacon. She was . . . found not guilty, through bearing of friends and bribing of the judge. --Latimer. 10. To sustain, or be answerable for, as blame, expense, responsibility, etc. He shall bear their iniquities. --Is. liii. 11. Somewhat that will bear your charges. --Dryden. 11. To render or give; to bring forward. "Your testimony bear" --Dryden. 12. To carry on, or maintain; to have. "The credit of bearing a part in the conversation." --Locke. 13. To admit or be capable of; that is, to suffer or sustain without violence, injury, or change. In all criminal cases the most favorable interpretation should be put on words that they can possibly bear. --Swift. 14. To manage, wield, or direct. "Thus must thou thy body bear." --Shak. Hence: To behave; to conduct. Hath he borne himself penitently in prison ? --Shak. 15. To afford; to be to; to supply with. His faithful dog shall bear him company. --Pope. 16. To bring forth or produce; to yield; as, to bear apples; to bear children; to bear interest. Here dwelt the man divine whom Samos bore. --Dryden. Note: In the passive form of this verb, the best modern usage restricts the past participle born to the sense of brought forth, while borne is used in the other senses of the word. In the active form, borne alone is used as the past participle. To bear down. (a) To force into a lower place; to carry down; to depress or sink. "His nose, . . . large as were the others, bore them down into insignificance." --Marryat. (b) To overthrow or crush by force; as, to bear down an enemy. To bear a hand. (a) To help; to give assistance. (b) (Naut.) To make haste; to be quick. To bear in hand, to keep (one) up in expectation, usually by promises never to be realized; to amuse by false pretenses; to delude. [Obs.] "How you were borne in hand, how crossed." --Shak. To bear in mind, to remember. To bear off. (a) To restrain; to keep from approach. (b) (Naut.) To remove to a distance; to keep clear from rubbing against anything; as, to bear off a blow; to bear off a boat. (c) To gain; to carry off, as a prize. To bear one hard, to owe one a grudge. [Obs.] "C[ae]sar doth bear me hard." --Shak. To bear out. (a) To maintain and support to the end; to defend to the last. "Company only can bear a man out in an ill thing." --South. (b) To corroborate; to confirm. To bear up, to support; to keep from falling or sinking. "Religious hope bears up the mind under sufferings." --Addison. Syn: To uphold; sustain; maintain; support; undergo; suffer; endure; tolerate; carry; convey; transport; waft.
Bear"ing\, n. 1. The manner in which one bears or conducts one's self; mien; behavior; carriage. I know him by his bearing. --Shak. 2. Patient endurance; suffering without complaint. 3. The situation of one object, with respect to another, such situation being supposed to have a connection with the object, or influence upon it, or to be influenced by it; hence, relation; connection. But of this frame, the bearings and the ties, The strong connections, nice dependencies. --Pope. 4. Purport; meaning; intended significance; aspect. 5. The act, power, or time of producing or giving birth; as, a tree in full bearing; a tree past bearing. [His mother] in travail of his bearing. --R. of Gloucester. 6. (Arch.) (a) That part of any member of a building which rests upon its supports; as, a lintel or beam may have four inches of bearing upon the wall. (b) The portion of a support on which anything rests. (c) Improperly, the unsupported span; as, the beam has twenty feet of bearing between its supports. 7. (Mach.) (a) The part of an axle or shaft in contact with its support, collar, or boxing; the journal. (b) The part of the support on which a journal rests and rotates. 8. (Her.) Any single emblem or charge in an escutcheon or coat of arms -- commonly in the pl. A carriage covered with armorial bearings. --Thackeray. 9. (Naut.) (a) The situation of a distant object, with regard to a ship's position, as on the bow, on the lee quarter, etc.; the direction or point of the compass in which an object is seen; as, the bearing of the cape was W. N. W. (b) pl. The widest part of a vessel below the plank-sheer. (c) pl. The line of flotation of a vessel when properly trimmed with cargo or ballast. Ball bearings. See under Ball. To bring one to his bearings, to bring one to his senses. To lose one's bearings, to become bewildered. To take bearings, to ascertain by the compass the position of an object; to ascertain the relation of one object or place to another; to ascertain one's position by reference to landmarks or to the compass; hence (Fig.), to ascertain the condition of things when one is in trouble or perplexity. Syn: Deportment; gesture; mien; behavior; manner; carriage; demeanor; port; conduct; direction; relation; tendency; influence.
Brass\, n.; pl. Brasses. [OE. bras, bres, AS. br[ae]s; akin to Icel. bras cement, solder, brasa to harden by fire, and to E. braze, brazen. Cf. 1st & 2d Braze.]1. An alloy (usually yellow) of copper and zinc, in variable proportion, but often containing two parts of copper to one part of zinc. It sometimes contains tin, and rarely other metals. 2. (Mach.) A journal bearing, so called because frequently made of brass. A brass is often lined with a softer metal, when the latter is generally called a white metal lining. See Axle box, Journal Box, and Bearing. 3. Coin made of copper, brass, or bronze. [Obs.] Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses, nor scrip for your journey. --Matt. x. 9. 4. Impudence; a brazen face. [Colloq.] 5. pl. Utensils, ornaments, or other articles of brass. The very scullion who cleans the brasses. --Hopkinson. 6. A brass plate engraved with a figure or device. Specifically, one used as a memorial to the dead, and generally having the portrait, coat of arms, etc. 7. pl. (Mining) Lumps of pyrites or sulphuret of iron, the color of which is near to that of brass. Note: The word brass as used in Sculpture language is a translation for copper or some kind of bronze. Note: Brass is often used adjectively or in self-explaining compounds; as, brass button, brass kettle, brass founder, brass foundry or brassfoundry. Brass band (Mus.), a band of musicians who play upon wind instruments made of brass, as trumpets, cornets, etc. Brass foil, Brass leaf, brass made into very thin sheets; -- called also Dutch gold.
Charge\, n. [F. charge, fr. charger to load. See Charge, v. t., and cf. Cargo, Caricature.]1. A load or burder laid upon a person or thing. 2. A person or thing commited or intrusted to the care, custody, or management of another; a trust. Note: The people of a parish or church are called the charge of the clergyman who is set over them. 3. Custody or care of any person, thing, or place; office; responsibility; oversight; obigation; duty. 'Tis a great charge to come under one body's hand. --Shak. 4. Heed; care; anxiety; trouble. [Obs.] --Chaucer. 5. Harm. [Obs.] --Chaucer. 6. An order; a mandate or command; an injunction. The king gave cherge concerning Absalom. --2. Sam. xviii. 5. 7. An address (esp. an earnest or impressive address) containing instruction or exhortation; as, the charge of a judge to a jury; the charge of a bishop to his clergy. 8. An accusation of a wrong of offense; allegation; indictment; specification of something alleged. The charge of confounding very different classes of phenomena. --Whewell. 9. Whatever constitutes a burden on property, as rents, taxes, lines, etc.; costs; expense incurred; -- usually in the plural. 10. The price demanded for a thing or service. 11. An entry or a account of that which is due from one party to another; that which is debited in a business transaction; as, a charge in an account book. 12. That quantity, as of ammunition, electricity, ore, fuel, etc., which any apparatus, as a gun, battery, furnace, machine, etc., is intended to receive and fitted to hold, or which is actually in it at one time 13. The act of rushing upon, or towards, an enemy; a sudden onset or attack, as of troops, esp. cavalry; hence, the signal for attack; as, to sound the charge. Never, in any other war afore, gave the Romans a hotter charge upon the enemies. --Holland. The charge of the light brigade. --Tennyson. 14. A position (of a weapon) fitted for attack; as, to bring a weapon to the charge. 15. (Far.) A soft of plaster or ointment. 16. (Her.) A bearing. See Bearing, n., 8. 17. [Cf. Charre.] Thirty-six pigs of lead, each pig weighing about seventy pounds; -- called also charre. 18. Weight; import; value. Many suchlike "as's" of great charge. --Shak. Back charge. See under Back, a. Bursting charge. (a (Mil.) The charge which bursts a shell, etc. (b (Mining) A small quantity of fine powder to secure the ignition of a charge of coarse powder in blasting. Charge and discharge (Equity Practice), the old mode or form of taking an account before a master in chancery. Charge sheet, the paper on which are entered at a police station all arrests and accusations. To sound the charge, to give the signal for an attack. Syn: Care; custody; trust; management; office; expense; cost; price; assault; attack; onset; injunction; command; order; mandate; instruction; accusation; indictment.
Flo*ta"tion\, n. [Cf. F. flottation a floating, flottaison water line, fr. flotter to float. See Flotilla.]1. The act, process, or state of floating. 2. The science of floating bodies. Center of flotation. (Shipbuilding) (a) The center of any given plane of flotation. (b) More commonly, the middle of the length of the load water line. --Rankine. Plane, or Line, of flotation, the plane or line in which the horizontal surface of a fluid cuts a body floating in it. See Bearing, n., 9 (c) . Surface of flotation (Shipbuilding), the imaginary surface which all the planes of flotation touch when a vessel rolls or pitches; the envelope of all such planes.
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Audio Help [bair-ing] Pronunciation Key 
