An Encylopedia Britannica Company

August 11, 2020 Word of the Day

bear /ˈbeɚ/ verb
bear
/ˈbeɚ/
verb

bears; bore; borne; bearing

The woman can't bear the girls' noisy playing any longer.
The woman can't bear the girls' noisy playing any longer.
Definition of BEAR

1 : to accept or endure (something)

[+ object]

  • He bore [=tolerated] their insults patiently.

— usually used in questions and negative statements with can, can't, could, and couldn't

  • He could hardly bear [=stand] the pain.

  • I can't bear cold weather. [=I strongly dislike cold weather]

  • I couldn't bear the suspense.

[no object] (US) — + for

  • I couldn't bear for you to get the wrong idea.

2 [+ object] : to be worthy of (something) : to deserve or allow (something)

  • a joke too silly to bear repeating [=a joke that is too silly to be worth repeating]

  • It's so horrible it doesn't bear thinking about! [=it's so horrible that I don't want to think about it]

  • a symphony that can bear comparison with Beethoven's best

3 [+ object] : to assume or accept (something, such as cost or responsibility)

  • The company agreed to bear the costs/expenses.

  • The criminals must bear full responsibility for the deaths of these innocent people.

  • Who will bear the blame for this tragedy?

4 [+ object] somewhat formal + literary : to move while holding up and supporting (something) : CARRY

  • The demonstrators bore banners and sang songs.

  • They arrived bearing gifts.

  • The leaves were borne aloft/away by the wind.

◊ If something is borne in on/upon you, it is made very clear to you. This is a formal phrase.

  • It was borne in on us by the new evidence that prompt action was very important. [=the new evidence strongly indicated that prompt action was very important]

5  [+ object]

a : to have (something) as a feature or characteristic

  • His leg was badly injured in the accident and it still bears [=shows] the scars/wounds/marks.

  • His face bears marks/signs of suffering.

  • Your conclusion bears [=has] no relation to the evidence.

  • She bore a resemblance to her aunt. [=she looked like her aunt]

b : to have a surface on which something is written, drawn, etc.

  • The cornerstone bears a Latin inscription.

  • a letter bearing the date of 1900

  • a shield bearing strange symbols

c : to have (a name, price, etc.)

  • He bore the name (of) John.

  • The store sells imported goods bearing [=having, with] high prices.

d : to have or hold (a feeling) in the mind

  • She still bears a grudge against him. = She still bears him a grudge.

  • She says she bears him no resentment for the way he treated her.

  • I can't deny the love I still bear [=feel] for her.

6 [+ object]

a formal : to give birth to (a child)

  • She has borne three children.

  • She has borne her husband three children.

b : to produce (something)

  • a bank account that bears interest = an interest-bearing bank account

  • a bush that bears red flowers

  • trees that bear fruit

7 [+ object] : to support the weight of (something)

  • How much weight is that wall able to bear?

8 [no object] : to go, move, or turn in a specified direction

  • Bear south.

  • The road bears (to the) right.

  • When you get to the fork in the road, you should bear [=turn] left.

More Words of the Day