Meaning of bear in English
Table of contents
Pronunciation
/bɛr/US accent
UK accent
to browse different examples of pronunciation.Verb
bearEtymology
Old English beran, of Germanic origin; from an Indo-European root shared by Sanskrit bharati, Greek pherein, and Latin ferreDefinitions
1. haveExamples
- « bear a resemblance »
- « bear a signature »
- 2. give birth (to a newborn)
Examples
- « My wife had twins yesterday! »
Derived terms
- 3. put up with something or somebody unpleasant
Examples
- « I cannot bear his constant criticism »
- « The new secretary had to endure a lot of unprofessional remarks »
- « he learned to tolerate the heat »
- « She stuck out two years in a miserable marriage »
Derived terms
- 4. move while holding up or supporting
Examples
- « Bear gifts »
- « bear a heavy load »
- « bear news »
- « bearing orders »
Derived terms
- 5. bring forth, "The apple tree bore delicious apples this year"
Examples
- « The unidentified plant bore gorgeous flowers »
- 6. take on as one's own the expenses or debts of another person
Examples
- « I'll accept the charges »
- « She agreed to bear the responsibility »
Derived terms
- 7. contain or hold
Examples
- « have within »
- « The jar carries wine »
- « The canteen holds fresh water »
- « This can contains water »
Derived terms
- 8. bring in
Examples
- « interest-bearing accounts »
- « How much does this savings certificate pay annually? »
Derived terms
- 9. have on one's person
Examples
- « He wore a red ribbon »
- « bear a scar »
Derived terms
- 10. behave in a certain manner
Examples
- « She carried herself well »
- « he bore himself with dignity »
- « They conducted themselves well during these difficult times »
Derived terms
- 11. have rightfully
Examples
- « of rights, titles, and offices »
- « She bears the title of Duchess »
- « He held the governorship for almost a decade »
Derived terms
- 12. support or hold in a certain manner
Examples
- « She holds her head high »
- « He carried himself upright »
Derived terms
- 13. be pregnant with
Examples
- « She is bearing his child »
- « The are expecting another child in January »
- « I am carrying his child »
Derived terms
Noun
bearEtymology
Old English bera, of West Germanic origin; related to Dutch beer and German BärDefinitions
1. massive plantigrade carnivorous or omnivorous mammals with long shaggy coats and strong claws- 2. an investor with a pessimistic market outlook
Examples
- « an investor who expects prices to fall and so sells now in order to buy later at a lower price »
Antonyms
Famous quotes
- « Nothing happens to any man that he is not formed by nature to bear. » Marcus Aurelius
- « Well, my son really loves wildlife. And everytime he draws a polar bear I want to tell him there probably won't any by the time... he's my age. That's kinda hard to deal with. » Thom Yorke
- « Circumstances cause us to act the way we do. We should always bear this in mind before judging the actions of others. I realized this from the start during World War II. » Thor Heyerdahl
- « No great movement designed to change the world can bear to be laughed at or belittled. Mockery is a rust that corrodes all it touches. » Milan Kundera
- « Here is the rule to remember in the future, When anything tempts you to be bitter: not, 'This is a misfortune' but 'To bear this worthily is good fortune.' » Marcus Aurelius