- 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): 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.
- 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.
- bear down,
- to press or weigh down.
- to strive harder; intensify one's efforts: We can't hope to finish unless everyone bears down.
- to approach from windward, as a ship: The cutter was bearing down the channel at twelve knots.
- bear down on / upon
- to press or weigh down on.
- to strive toward.
- to approach something rapidly.
- to approach (another vessel) from windward: The sloop bore down on us, narrowly missing our stern.
- bear off,
- to keep (a boat) from touching or rubbing against a dock, another boat, etc.
- to steer away.
- 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.
- See entry at bear false witness.
- See entry at bear witness.
- to concentrate on with a specific purpose: Pressure was brought to bear on those with overdue accounts.
- 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, especially of stocks, will decline (opposed to bull).
- a person who shows great ability, enthusiasm, stamina, etc.: a bear for physics.
- either of two constellations, Ursa Major or Ursa Minor.
- a player at cards who rarely bluffs.
- Russia.
- having to do with or marked by declining prices, as of stocks: bear market.
- to force prices down in (a market, stock, etc.).
- 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.
- a mountain in southern Alaska, in the Saint Elias Mountains. 14,831 feet (4,520 meters).
- to support or hold up; sustain
- to bring or convey
- to take, accept, or assume the responsibility of
- to give birth to
- to produce by or as if by natural growth
- to tolerate or endure
- to admit of; sustain
- to hold in the conscious mind or in one's feelings
- to show or be marked with
- to transmit or spread
- to render or supply (esp in the phrase bear witness)
- to conduct or manage (oneself, the body, etc)
- to have, be, or stand in (relation or comparison)
- to move, be located, or lie in a specified direction
- to have by right; be entitled to (esp in the phrase bear title)
- to give assistance
- to bring into operation or effect
- any plantigrade mammal of the family Ursidae : order Carnivora (carnivores). Bears are typically massive omnivorous animals with a large head, a long shaggy coat, and strong claws
- any of various bearlike animals, such as the koala and the ant bear
- a clumsy, churlish, or ill-mannered person
- a teddy bear
- stock exchange
- a speculator who sells in anticipation of falling prices to make a profit on repurchase
- (as modifier)
- to lower or attempt to lower the price or prices of (a stock market or a security) by speculative selling
- the English name for Ursa Major, Ursa Minor
- an informal name for Russia
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