bear
Pronunciation: (bâr), [key]
— v., bore bare borne born bear&syling.
—v.t.
- to 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&hasp;): to bear oneself bravely.
- to suffer; endure; undergo: to bear the blame.
- 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 render; afford; give: to bear witness; to bear testimony.
- to lead; guide; take: They bore him home.
- to have and be entitled to: to bear title.
- to exhibit; show: to bear a resemblance.
- 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.
—v.i.
- 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.
- We can't hope to finish unless everyone bears down.
- to press or weigh down.
- to strive harder; intensify one's efforts:We can't hope to finish unless everyone bears down.
- Naut.to approach from windward, as a ship:The cutter was bearing down the channel at twelve knots.
- The sloop bore down on us, narrowly missing our stern.
- to press or weigh down on.
- to strive toward.
- to approach something rapidly.
- Naut.to approach (another vessel) from windward:The sloop bore down on us, narrowly missing our stern.
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- Naut.to keep (a boat) from touching or rubbing against a dock, another boat, etc.
- Naut.to steer away.
- Backgammon.to remove the stones from the board after they are all home.
- to affect, relate to, or have connection with; be relevant to: This information may bear on the case.
- to substantiate; confirm: The facts bear me out.
- to endure; face hardship bravely: It is inspiring to see them bearing up so well.
- to be patient or forbearing with: Please bear with me until I finish the story.
- to concentrate on with a specific purpose: Pressure was brought to bear on those with overdue accounts.
bear
Pronunciation: (bâr), [key]
— n., pl. adj., v., bears, bear, beared, bear•ing.
—n.
- 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, esp. of stocks, will decline (opposed to bull).
- a person who shows great ability, enthusiasm, stamina, etc.: a bear for physics.
- (cap.)either of two constellations, Ursa Major or Ursa Minor.
- a player at cards who rarely bluffs.
- (cap.) Russia.
- 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.
—adj.
- having to do with or marked by declining prices, as of stocks: bear market.
—v.t.
- to force prices down in (a market, stock, etc.).
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.