bear
noun
Definitions of bear noun
animal
- A2Countable
A large, powerful wild mammal with a thick fur coat, primarily inhabiting colder regions of Europe, Asia, and North America.
A bear cub (a young bear).
A brown/black bear.
man
- Countable
An older, large, and hairy gay man.
finance
- Countablefinance & economicsspecialized
An investor who sells shares when prices are expected to fall, aiming to profit by repurchasing them at a lower price.
verb
Definitions of bear verb
accept
- B2Transitive
To accept, tolerate, or endure something, particularly something unpleasant.
The pressure at the time must have been immense, but she bore it.
Tell me now! I can't bear the anticipation!
He could not bear to see the dog suffer so much.
keep
- C1Transitive
To have or continue to possess something.
Thank you for your advice; I will bear it in mind.
Their baby bears a striking resemblance to his grandfather.
The stone plaque bearing his name was shattered into pieces.
support
- Transitive
To hold or support the weight of something.
The chair, being too fragile to bear her weight, collapsed.
I don’t think the table can bear the weight of the heavy machinery.
produce
- C2Transitiveformal
To give birth to young, or (of a tree or plant) to produce fruit or flowers.
The pear tree they planted has never borne any fruit.
She had borne six children by the time she reached 30.
When his wife bore him a child, he couldn't hide his happiness.
bring
- Transitiveformal
To carry and move something to a place.
At Christmas, the whole family arrived at the house bearing gifts.
Numerous waiters bore trays of drinks into the room.
The sound of the ice cream truck was borne into the office by the wind.
change direction
- C1IntransitiveVerb + adv/prep
To change direction slightly so that you are going in a particular direction.
After you pass the church, keep bearing left.
Bear right at the fork in the road.
The path followed the coastline for several miles, then bore inland.
Phrases of bear verb
- not bear thinking about
To be too unpleasant or frightening to contemplate or consider.
• If I didn't pass the exam, I wouldn't be able to graduate, which really doesn't bear thinking about.
- bear false witness
To give untrue testimony; to lie or make a false statement, especially in a court of law or under oath.
• It is against the law to bear false witness in court.
- bear testimony/witness
To state that one knows something to be true or to have occurred based on personal experience.
• She personally witnessed his dedication and hard work.
Idioms
- bear fruit
To produce successful or desired results as a consequence of effort or action.
• After years of research, their collaboration finally bore fruit, resulting in a groundbreaking paper.
- bear the scars
To continue to experience emotional pain resulting from a past unpleasant event.
• Even after many years, she still bears the scars of that failed relationship.
- be like a bear with a sore head
To be in a bad mood, causing one to treat others poorly and complain frequently.
• He's been like a bear with a sore head this morning, snapping at everyone.
- does a bear/do bears shit in the woods?
A rhetorical question used to express that the answer to a previous question is blatantly obvious, often with sarcasm or impatience.
• "Do you think he'll accept the job?" "Does a bear shit in the woods?"
Phrasal Verbs of bear
- bear up
to confront a difficult or sorrowful situation with bravery and resolve
• Even after losing her job, she continues to bear up and confront the challenges of life with bravery.
- bear on something
to have a connection or relevance to something
• This research will bear on future scientific advancements significantly.
- bear down
to exert greater effort in accomplishing a task
• Before the exam, we need to bear down in our preparations and strive to push our limits.
- bear someone/something out
to confirm or provide evidence for the truth of something
• Her testimony bore out the defendant's innocence.
- bear down on someone/something
to approach someone or something in a menacing manner
• The fugitive saw a car bearing down on him at a menacing speed.
- bear in on/upon
When something is borne in on/upon an individual, it compels them to comprehend it.
• After facing failure, she finally realized she needed to change her study approach; this bore heavily in on her.
- bear with someone
to patiently wait for someone as they perform something
• She is learning the new software, so please bear with her while she finishes.