First Known Use: before 12th century
Dictionary
1bear
noun, often attributive \ˈber\
: any one of a group of large and heavy animals that have thick hair and sharp claws and that can stand on two legs like a person
finance : a person who expects the price of stocks to go down and who sells them to avoid losing money
: something that is difficult to do or deal with
plural bears
Full Definition of BEAR
1
or plural bear : any of a family (Ursidae of the order Carnivora) of large heavy mammals of America and Eurasia that have long shaggy hair, rudimentary tails, and plantigrade feet and feed largely on fruit, plant matter, and insects as well as on flesh
2
: a surly, uncouth, burly, or shambling person <a tall, friendly bear of a man>
3
[probably from the proverb about selling the bearskin before catching the bear] : one that sells securities or commodities in expectation of a price decline — compare bull
4
: something difficult to do or deal with <the oven is a bear to clean>
— bear·like \-ˌlīk\ adjective
See bear defined for English-language learners
See bear defined for kids
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Examples of BEAR
- Traffic in Knoxville, Tennessee, can be a bear anytime, but in late spring the slowdowns on Neyland Drive are often caused by Canada geese. —Joelle Anthony, Audubon, November-December 2004
- True, the rally has been around the corner since Memorial Day. But bears have dominated market sentiment for so long since the Federal Reserve Board raised interest rates last February, that traders feel the market is headed for a major tectonic shift … —Anthony Ramirez, New York Times, 19 July 1994
- Hikers in the woods are far more likely to wear a bell to deter bears than to take precautions against bees. But bears kill two to seven people in North America annually, bee stings kill 600 to 900. —Allan J. Davison, Chemical & Engineering News, 15 Mar. 1993
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Origin of BEAR
Middle English bere, from Old English bera; akin to Old English brūn brown — more at brown
Rhymes with BEAR
air, Ayr, bare, Blair, blare, care, chair, chare, dare, Dare, e'er, ere, err, eyre, fair, fare, flair, flare, glair, glare, hair, hare, Herr, heir, lair, mare, ne'er, pair, pare, pear, prayer, rare, rear, scare, share, snare, spare, square, stair, stare, swear, tare, tear, their, there, vair, ware, wear, weir, where, yare
2bear
verb \ˈber\
: to accept or endure (something) ( US )
: to be worthy of (something) : to deserve or allow (something)
: to assume or accept (something, such as cost or responsibility)
bore \ˈbȯr\ borne also born \ˈbȯrn\ bear·ing
Full Definition of BEAR
transitive verb
1
a : to move while holding up and supporting (something) b : to be equipped or furnished with (something) c : behave, conduct <bearing himself well> d : to have as a feature or characteristic <bears a likeness to her grandmother> e : to give as testimony <bear false witness> f : to have as an identification <bore the name of John> g : to hold in the mind or emotions <bear malice> h : disseminate i : lead, escort j : render, give
2
3
a : to support the weight of : sustain b : to accept or allow oneself to be subjected to especially without giving way <couldn't bear the pain> <I can't bear seeing you cry> c : to call for as suitable or essential <it bears watching> d : to hold above, on top, or aloft e : to admit of : allow f : assume, accept
intransitive verb
1
: to produce fruit : yield
2
a : to force one's way b : to extend in a direction indicated or implied c : to be situated : lie d : to become directed e : to go or incline in an indicated direction
3
: to support a weight or strain —often used with up
4
a : to exert influence or force b : apply, pertain —often used with on or upon <facts bearing on the question>
— bear a hand
: to join in and help out
— bear arms
1
: to carry or possess arms
2
: to serve as a soldier
— bear fruit
: to come to satisfying fruition, production, or development : to produce a desired result or reward
— bear in mind
: to think of (something) especially as a warning : remember
— bear with
: to be indulgent, patient, or forbearing with (someone)
See bear defined for English-language learners
Examples of BEAR
- A stone slab bearing 3,000-year-old writing previously unknown to scholars has been found in the Mexican state of Veracruz, and archaeologists say it is an example of the oldest script ever discovered in the Western Hemisphere. —John Noble Wilford,New York Times, 15 Sept. 2006
- Large public buildings often bear only a loose resemblance to what was originally in the minds of the architects who designed them. Things get cut back to save money; somebody has second thoughts about the way part of the building will function; it takes so long to get public approval that the original idea starts to seem dated … —Paul Goldberger, New Yorker, 17 Jan. 2002
- The most famous work of Louis Pasteur (1822-1895), of course, was purifying milk with the process that now bears his name. —Brendan Miniter, American Enterprise, September/October 1998
- In so-called parking schemes, securities aren't carried on the books of the true owner but are temporarily sold to someone else with the understanding that the seller will continue to bear any risk of loss and reap any profits. —James B. Stewart, New Yorker, 8 Mar. 1993
- As a science fiction buff, many years ago, I remember being particularly fascinated by tales of genetic surgery. Imagine the surgeon … peering through the electron microscope, repairing the sickle-cell gene and returning the ovum to its mother, who would then bear a normal child. —Richard Novick, New York Times Book Review, 15 Feb.1987
- The sight of Niña already there, snugged down as if she had been at home a month, finished Martín Alonso Pinzón. Older than Columbus, ill from the hardships of the voyage, mortified by his snub from the Sovereigns, he could bear no more. —Samuel Eliot Morison, The European Discovery of America, 1974
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Origin of BEAR
Middle English beren to carry, bring forth, from Old English beran; akin to Old High German beran to carry, Latin ferre, Greek pherein
First Known Use: before 12th century
Related to BEAR
Synonym Discussion of BEAR
bear, suffer, endure, abide, tolerate, stand mean to put up with something trying or painful. bear usually implies the power to sustain without flinching or breaking <forced to bear a tragic loss>. suffer often suggests acceptance or passivity rather than courage or patience in bearing <suffering many insults>. endure implies continuing firm or resolute through trials and difficulties <endured years of rejection>. abide suggests acceptance without resistance or protest <cannot abide their rudeness>. tolerate suggests overcoming or successfully controlling an impulse to resist, avoid, or resent something injurious or distasteful <refused to tolerate such treatment>. stand emphasizes even more strongly the ability to bear without discomposure or flinching <unable to stand teasing>.
Bear
geographical name \ˈber\
Definition of BEAR
river 350 miles (563 kilometers) N Utah, SW Wyoming, & SE Idaho flowing to Great Salt Lake
BEAR Defined for Kids
1bear
noun \ˈber\
plural bears
Definition of BEAR for Kids
1
or plural bear : a large heavy mammal with long shaggy hair and a very short tail
2
: a person resembling a bear in size or behavior <a large bear of a man> <He acted like a grumpy old bear.>
2bear
verb
bore \ˈbȯr\borne \ˈbȯrn\bear·ing
Definition of BEAR for Kids
1
: 1support 1 <bear weight>
2
: to move while holding up and supporting : carry <They came bearing gifts.>
3
: to hold in the mind <She bears a grudge.>
4
: to put up with <I can't bear the suspense.>
5
: to assume or accept <bear the blame>
6
: to have as a feature or characteristic <She bears a resemblance to her sister.>
7
: give birth to <bear children>
8
: 1produce 1 <trees bearing fruit> <bear interest>
9
: to move or lie in the indicated direction <Bear right at the fork.>
10
: to have a relation to the matter at hand <These facts don't bear on the question.>
— bear down on
: to push or lean down on <Bear down hard on your pencil.>
— bear in mind
: to think of especially as a warning <Bear in mind that you only get one chance.>
— bear up
: to have strength or courage <She's bearing up under the stress.>
— bear with
: to be patient with <Bear with me.>
Medical Dictionary
bear
transitive verb \ˈba(ə)r, ˈbe(ə)r\
bore \ˈbō(ə)r, ˈbȯ(ə)r\ borne \ˈbō(ə)rn, ˈbȯ(ə)rn\ also born \ˈbȯ(ə)rn\ bear·ing
Medical Definition of BEAR
: to give birth to
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