bear
bear down
1 [PHRASAL VERB] V P on n, also V P
If someone or something bears down on you, they move quickly towards you in a threatening way.
A group of half a dozen men entered the pub and bore down on the bar...
= advance
2 [PHRASAL VERB] V P on n, also V P
To bear down on something means to push or press downwards with steady pressure.
The roof support structure had collapsed and the entire weight was bearing down on the ceiling.bear hug (bear hugs)
[N-COUNT]
A bear hug is a rather rough, tight, affectionate hug.bear mar|ket (bear markets)
[N-COUNT]
A bear market is a situation on the stock market when people are selling a lot of shares because they expect that the shares will decrease in value and that they will be able to make a profit by buying them again after a short time. Compare bull market. (BUSINESS)
≠ bull marketbear out
[PHRASAL VERB] V P n (not pron), also V n P
If someone or something bears a person out or bears out what that person is saying, they support what that person is saying.
Recent studies have borne out claims that certain perfumes can bring about profound psychological changes.
= confirm
≠ refutebear with
[PHRASAL VERB] V P n
If you ask someone to bear with you, you are asking them to be patient.
If you'll bear with me, Frank, just let me try to explain.♦♦ bear1 /b'eər/ (bear bears bearing bore borne) VERB USES
Please look at category 18 to see if the expression you are looking for is shown under another headword.
1 [VERB] V n adv/prep
If you bear something somewhere, you carry it there or take it there. (LITERARY)
They bore the oblong hardwood box into the kitchen and put it on the table.
= carry
● -bearing [COMB in ADJ]
...food-bearing lorries.
2 [VERB] V n
If you bear something such as a weapon, you hold it or carry it with you. (FORMAL)
...the constitutional right to bear arms.
● -bearing [COMB in ADJ]
...rifle-bearing soldiers.
...hundreds of flag-bearing marchers.
3 [VERB] V n
If one thing bears the weight of something else, it supports the weight of that thing.
The ice was not thick enough to bear the weight of marching men.
= support
● -bearing [COMB in ADJ]
...the load-bearing joints of the body.
4 [VERB] V n, V n, V n
If something bears a particular mark or characteristic, it has that mark or characteristic.
The houses bear the marks of bullet holes.
...note paper bearing the Presidential seal...
The room bore all the signs of a violent struggle.
5 [VERB] V n
If you bear an unpleasant experience, you accept it because you are unable to do anything about it.
They will have to bear the misery of living in constant fear of war...
= endure
6 [VERB] with neg, V n/-ing, V to-inf
If you can't bear someone or something, you dislike them very much.
I can't bear people who make judgements and label me...
He can't bear to talk about it, even to me.
7 [VERB] V n
If someone bears the cost of something, they pay for it.
Patients should not have to bear the costs of their own treatment.
8 [VERB] V n
If you bear the responsibility for something, you accept responsibility for it.
If a woman makes a decision to have a child alone, she should bear that responsibility alone.
= accept
9 [VERB] usu with brd-neg, V n, V n
If one thing bears no resemblance or no relationship to another thing, they are not at all similar.
Their daily menus bore no resemblance whatsoever to what they were actually fed...
For many software packages, the price bears little relation to cost.
= have
10 [VERB] V n
When a plant or tree bears flowers, fruit, or leaves, it produces them.
As the plants grow and start to bear fruit they will need a lot of water.
= produce
● -bearing [COMB in ADJ]
...a strong, fruit-bearing apple tree.
11 [VERB] V n
If something such as a bank account or an investment bears interest, interest is paid on it. (BUSINESS)
The eight-year bond will bear annual interest of 10.5%.
● -bearing [COMB in ADJ]
...interest-bearing current accounts.
12 [VERB] V n, V n n
When a woman bears a child, she gives birth to him or her. (OLD-FASHIONED)
Emma bore a son called Karl...
She bore him a daughter, Suzanna.
13 [VERB] V pron-refl adv/prep
If you bear yourself in a particular way, you move or behave in that way. (LITERARY)
There was elegance and simple dignity in the way he bore himself.
= carry
14 [VERB] V adv
If you bear left or bear right when you are driving or walking along, you turn and continue in that direction.
Go left onto the A107 and bear left into Seven Sisters Road.
= veer
15
see also bore, borne
16 [PHRASE] V inflects
If you bring something to bear on a situation, you use it to deal with that situation.
British scientists have brought computer science to bear on this problem.
17 [PHRASE] V inflects
If you bring pressure or influence to bear on someone, you use it to try and persuade them to do something.
His companions brought pressure to bear on him, urging him to stop wasting money.
18
to bear the brunt of: see brunt
to bear fruit: see fruit
to grin and bear it: see grin
to bear in mind: see mind
to bear witness to: see witnessbear2 /b'eər/ (bear bears) NOUN USES
1 [N-COUNT]
A bear is a large, strong wild animal with thick fur and sharp claws.
see also polar bear, teddy bear
2 [N-COUNT] usu pl
On the stock market, bears are people who sell shares in expectation of a drop in price, in order to make a profit by buying them back again after a short time. Compare bull. (BUSINESS)po|lar bear (polar bears)
[N-COUNT]
A polar bear is a large white bear which is found near the North Pole.ted|dy bear (teddy bears)
also teddy-bear
[N-COUNT]
A teddy bear is a children's toy, made from soft or furry material, which looks like a friendly bear.
1 [PHRASAL VERB] V P on n, also V P
If someone or something bears down on you, they move quickly towards you in a threatening way.
A group of half a dozen men entered the pub and bore down on the bar...
= advance
2 [PHRASAL VERB] V P on n, also V P
To bear down on something means to push or press downwards with steady pressure.
The roof support structure had collapsed and the entire weight was bearing down on the ceiling.bear hug (bear hugs)
[N-COUNT]
A bear hug is a rather rough, tight, affectionate hug.bear mar|ket (bear markets)
[N-COUNT]
A bear market is a situation on the stock market when people are selling a lot of shares because they expect that the shares will decrease in value and that they will be able to make a profit by buying them again after a short time. Compare bull market. (BUSINESS)
≠ bull marketbear out
[PHRASAL VERB] V P n (not pron), also V n P
If someone or something bears a person out or bears out what that person is saying, they support what that person is saying.
Recent studies have borne out claims that certain perfumes can bring about profound psychological changes.
= confirm
≠ refutebear with
[PHRASAL VERB] V P n
If you ask someone to bear with you, you are asking them to be patient.
If you'll bear with me, Frank, just let me try to explain.♦♦ bear1 /b'eər/ (bear bears bearing bore borne) VERB USES
Please look at category 18 to see if the expression you are looking for is shown under another headword.
1 [VERB] V n adv/prep
If you bear something somewhere, you carry it there or take it there. (LITERARY)
They bore the oblong hardwood box into the kitchen and put it on the table.
= carry
● -bearing [COMB in ADJ]
...food-bearing lorries.
2 [VERB] V n
If you bear something such as a weapon, you hold it or carry it with you. (FORMAL)
...the constitutional right to bear arms.
● -bearing [COMB in ADJ]
...rifle-bearing soldiers.
...hundreds of flag-bearing marchers.
3 [VERB] V n
If one thing bears the weight of something else, it supports the weight of that thing.
The ice was not thick enough to bear the weight of marching men.
= support
● -bearing [COMB in ADJ]
...the load-bearing joints of the body.
4 [VERB] V n, V n, V n
If something bears a particular mark or characteristic, it has that mark or characteristic.
The houses bear the marks of bullet holes.
...note paper bearing the Presidential seal...
The room bore all the signs of a violent struggle.
5 [VERB] V n
If you bear an unpleasant experience, you accept it because you are unable to do anything about it.
They will have to bear the misery of living in constant fear of war...
= endure
6 [VERB] with neg, V n/-ing, V to-inf
If you can't bear someone or something, you dislike them very much.
I can't bear people who make judgements and label me...
He can't bear to talk about it, even to me.
7 [VERB] V n
If someone bears the cost of something, they pay for it.
Patients should not have to bear the costs of their own treatment.
8 [VERB] V n
If you bear the responsibility for something, you accept responsibility for it.
If a woman makes a decision to have a child alone, she should bear that responsibility alone.
= accept
9 [VERB] usu with brd-neg, V n, V n
If one thing bears no resemblance or no relationship to another thing, they are not at all similar.
Their daily menus bore no resemblance whatsoever to what they were actually fed...
For many software packages, the price bears little relation to cost.
= have
10 [VERB] V n
When a plant or tree bears flowers, fruit, or leaves, it produces them.
As the plants grow and start to bear fruit they will need a lot of water.
= produce
● -bearing [COMB in ADJ]
...a strong, fruit-bearing apple tree.
11 [VERB] V n
If something such as a bank account or an investment bears interest, interest is paid on it. (BUSINESS)
The eight-year bond will bear annual interest of 10.5%.
● -bearing [COMB in ADJ]
...interest-bearing current accounts.
12 [VERB] V n, V n n
When a woman bears a child, she gives birth to him or her. (OLD-FASHIONED)
Emma bore a son called Karl...
She bore him a daughter, Suzanna.
13 [VERB] V pron-refl adv/prep
If you bear yourself in a particular way, you move or behave in that way. (LITERARY)
There was elegance and simple dignity in the way he bore himself.
= carry
14 [VERB] V adv
If you bear left or bear right when you are driving or walking along, you turn and continue in that direction.
Go left onto the A107 and bear left into Seven Sisters Road.
= veer
15
see also bore, borne
16 [PHRASE] V inflects
If you bring something to bear on a situation, you use it to deal with that situation.
British scientists have brought computer science to bear on this problem.
17 [PHRASE] V inflects
If you bring pressure or influence to bear on someone, you use it to try and persuade them to do something.
His companions brought pressure to bear on him, urging him to stop wasting money.
18
to bear the brunt of: see brunt
to bear fruit: see fruit
to grin and bear it: see grin
to bear in mind: see mind
to bear witness to: see witnessbear2 /b'eər/ (bear bears) NOUN USES
1 [N-COUNT]
A bear is a large, strong wild animal with thick fur and sharp claws.
see also polar bear, teddy bear
2 [N-COUNT] usu pl
On the stock market, bears are people who sell shares in expectation of a drop in price, in order to make a profit by buying them back again after a short time. Compare bull. (BUSINESS)po|lar bear (polar bears)
[N-COUNT]
A polar bear is a large white bear which is found near the North Pole.ted|dy bear (teddy bears)
also teddy-bear
[N-COUNT]
A teddy bear is a children's toy, made from soft or furry material, which looks like a friendly bear.