bear
bear — verb
1. to keep going while pain, trouble, or annoyance is happening, without breaking d
to keep going while pain, trouble, or annoyance is happening, without breaking down or giving up.
Rita bore the long train delay without shouting at the staff.
bear + unpleasant situation
Even after the surgery, Grandpa bore the pain quietly at home.
bear + pain
Our small shop cannot bear another month of high rent.
cannot bear + difficult condition
Mina smiled politely, but she could not bear his rude joke.
The old dog bore the noisy fireworks better than the puppies did.
- bear the pain
- bear the noise
- bear the pressure
- cannot bear it
Grammar Patterns
cannot bear + noun
cannot bear + to-infinitive
cannot bear + -ing form
Usage Note
Often appears with 'cannot', 'could not', or another limiting word. The object is usually something unpleasant or difficult; distinguish from sense 3, where the idea is that something is too upsetting even to think about calmly.
Common Mistakes
2. to accept that a duty, cost, blame, or result belongs to you, and deal with it y
to accept that a duty, cost, blame, or result belongs to you, and deal with it yourself.
The company will bear the cost of repairing every broken tablet.
bear + the cost
After the crash, both drivers had to bear some blame.
bear + blame
If the trip is canceled, our club must bear the loss.
The landlord refused to bear responsibility for the leaking pipe.
bear responsibility for
- bear responsibility
- bear the cost
- bear the blame
- bear the loss
Grammar Patterns
bear + responsibility
bear + the cost
bear + the blame/loss
Usage Note
Common with nouns such as 'cost', 'responsibility', 'blame', and 'loss'. The subject is the person or group that accepts the duty or result.
Common Mistakes
3. to be so painful, sad, or frightening that the mind does not want to face it.
to be so painful, sad, or frightening that the mind does not want to face it.
The photo of the empty classroom was almost too sad to bear.
too + adjective + to bear
For Emma, the thought of losing her son was hard to bear.
hard to bear
The silence in the hospital room was too heavy to bear.
Seeing the burned house again was more than Luis could bear.
more than [someone] can bear
- too painful to bear
- hard to bear
- more than she could bear
- too much to bear
Grammar Patterns
too + adjective + to bear
hard to bear
more than [someone] can bear
Usage Note
Most common in patterns like 'too ... to bear' and 'hard to bear'. Distinguish from sense 1: this sense focuses on emotional weight that feels almost impossible to think about or face.
Common Mistakes
4. to have, display, contain, or keep something as part of you or on you, such as a
to have, display, contain, or keep something as part of you or on you, such as a name, a mark, a date, or a feeling.
The silver box bears my grandmother's initials on the lid.
bear + initials/name
Her right arm still bears a thin scar from the bicycle crash.
bear + scar/mark
The concert ticket bears tonight's date and seat number in blue ink.
bear + date
The village school bears Dr. Lin's name above the front gate.
bear the name of
The letter bore the mayor's signature at the bottom.
bear + signature
- bear a name
- bear a scar
- bear the date
- bear a signature
Grammar Patterns
bear + a name
bear + a date/signature
bear + a scar/mark
Usage Note
Common in formal writing. The object is usually a visible mark, an official name, a date, a signature, or an emotion shown on the face. Distinguish from sense 7 in the other verb chunk: this sense means 'have/show', not 'carry to a place'.
Common Mistakes
5. to keep a person or thing raised by taking its weight.
to keep a person or thing raised by taking its weight.
These old wooden beams still bear the kitchen roof safely.
bear + weight of structure
The ice could not bear the farmer and his horse.
bear + person/animal weight
A strong metal hook bore the heavy bag by the door.
This narrow bridge bears school buses and farm trucks every morning.
bear + traffic
- bear the weight
- bear the load
- bear the roof
- bear traffic
- drop
to let the weight fall
- collapse under
to fail because the weight is too great
Grammar Patterns
bear + weight
bear + load
bear + traffic
Usage Note
The subject is usually a structure, surface, or body part, and the object is the weight it supports. Common in physical and engineering descriptions.
Common Mistakes
6. to produce young if an animal is female, or to grow fruit or flowers if it is a
to produce young if an animal is female, or to grow fruit or flowers if it is a plant.
The mango tree bore yellow fruit after the long rainy season.
bear + fruit
That old apple tree still bears fruit every autumn.
In the spring, our lemon bushes bear small white flowers.
bear + flowers
The zoo's oldest panda bore two cubs last year.
bear + young
Goat mothers usually bear one or two kids at a time.
- bear fruit
- bear flowers
- bear young
- bear cubs
- produce
the broadest equivalent for plants or results
- yield
common for crops and formal writing
- give birth to
used for animals or people, not plants
Grammar Patterns
bear + young
bear + fruit
bear + flowers
Usage Note
Mostly seen in formal, literary, biological, or farming contexts. For human birth, everyday speech usually prefers 'have a baby'; for plants, 'bear fruit' and 'bear flowers' are the most usual patterns.
Common Mistakes
7. to take a person, thing, or message with you as you move it to another place.
to take a person, thing, or message with you as you move it to another place.
Nina bore the sleeping baby upstairs after the party ended.
bear + object + place
A young waiter bore our trays across the crowded dining room.
Two nurses bore the stretcher into the ambulance through the rain.
The wagon bore fresh apples to the town market at dawn.
literary use for carrying goods
Porters bore supplies up the mountain path before sunrise.
formal/literary carrying sense
- bear a message
- bear supplies
- bear a body
- bear a load
Grammar Patterns
bear + object + place
Usage Note
Common in literary or historical writing, often with an object plus a destination. In everyday speech, people usually say 'carry' or 'take' instead.
Common Mistakes
8. to turn a little and continue moving toward a particular side or direction.
to turn a little and continue moving toward a particular side or direction.
At the fork, drivers bear left toward the old stone bridge.
bear left/right
The path bears east after the lake and climbs the hill.
bear + compass direction
Our boat bore slightly south to avoid the line of rocks.
Cyclists must bear right where the market road meets the river.
The narrow trail bears north once you pass the pine trees.
- bear left
- bear right
- bear north
- bear south
Grammar Patterns
bear left/right
bear + compass direction
Usage Note
Usually appears with 'left', 'right', or a compass direction, and it does not take a direct object. Distinguish from sense 7, where something is physically carried.
Common Mistakes
9. to say, based on what you directly saw or knew, that an event really took place
to say, based on what you directly saw or knew, that an event really took place or a fact is correct.
Village doctor Mei can bear witness to the flood's damage.
bear witness to + noun
Three nurses bore witness that the patient was breathing at noon.
bear witness + that-clause
I can bear witness to the help Amara gave us after the flood.
bear witness to + noun phrase
The old coach bore witness that Elena trained through every storm.
Old miners bore witness to the unsafe tunnel conditions in court.
- bear witness
- bear witness to a fact
- bear witness that ...
- deny
say that something did not happen or is not true
Grammar Patterns
bear witness to + noun
bear witness + that-clause
Usage Note
Almost always appears with the noun 'witness', followed by 'to' plus a noun or by a that-clause. Distinguish from sense 10, where an object or sign proves something without speaking.
Common Mistakes
10. to show that something is true because a sign, object, or condition points to it
to show that something is true because a sign, object, or condition points to it.
The cracked harbor walls bear testimony to years of salt wind.
bear testimony to + noun
The scar on his wrist bears witness to the factory fire.
bear witness to + noun for visible proof
The empty classroom desks bear testimony that many families left town.
bear testimony + that-clause
These faded letters bear witness to Rosa and Helen's wartime friendship.
bear witness to + relationship
The broken lock bore testimony to a hurried escape through the gate.
- bear testimony to
- bear witness to
- bear testimony that ...
- prove
more direct and less formal
- show
broad everyday word
- demonstrate
formal and often used in writing
- disprove
show that something is not true
Grammar Patterns
bear testimony to + noun
bear witness to + noun
bear testimony + that-clause
Usage Note
The subject is usually an object, record, mark, or visible condition. Distinguish from sense 9, where a person states what they know from direct experience.
Common Mistakes
11. to say what is untrue as a witness, especially in legal or religious language.
to say what is untrue as a witness, especially in legal or religious language.
In court, the driver bore false witness against his old boss.
fixed phrase: bear false witness against
The priest warned the boys never to bear false witness for money.
fixed phrase: bear false witness
Rosa refused to bear false witness even after the gang threatened her.
The judge jailed a witness who had borne false witness before.
- bear false witness
- bear false witness against someone
- perjure oneself
formal legal term for lying under oath
- lie
the general everyday word
- give false evidence
plain explanation rather than a set phrase
- tell the truth
general opposite
- testify truthfully
formal opposite in court settings
Grammar Patterns
bear false witness
bear false witness against + someone
Usage Note
Used almost only in the fixed phrase 'bear false witness', often in legal or biblical language. It is not the normal way to describe an everyday lie.
Common Mistakes
bear down on
phrasal verbTo move quickly and forcefully toward someone or something.
The car bore down on the pedestrian, forcing him to jump aside.
A storm is bearing down on the coast, so residents should prepare.
bear on
phrasal verbTo be relevant or have an effect on something.
These new facts bear directly on the case.
How does your comment bear on the issue we are discussing?
bear out
phrasal verbTo show that something is true or that someone is correct.
The evidence bears out the witness's testimony.
Later events bore out his prediction of a market crash.
bear up
phrasal verbTo remain strong and not give up when facing difficulties.
She bore up well under the pressure of the final exams.
How is he bearing up after the loss of his job?
bear with
phrasal verbTo be patient with someone or something.
Please bear with me while I find the correct file.
Bear with the slow internet connection; it will improve soon.
bear arms
idiomTo serve as a soldier or to fight in a war.
Many young men were forced to bear arms during the conflict.
In some countries, citizens have the right to bear arms.
bear fruit
idiomTo produce a successful or desired result after effort.
Her hard work finally bore fruit when she got the promotion.
The team's new strategy began to bear fruit in the second quarter.
To cause difficulty or worry for someone.
The new tax law bears heavily on small business owners.
His mother's illness bore severely on the whole family.
To remember or consider someone or something.
Please bear in mind that the deadline is next Friday.
Keep your budget in mind when shopping for a new car.
To receive the main force or impact of something unpleasant.
Small businesses bore the brunt of the economic downturn.
During the storm, the coastal town took the brunt of the damage.
To provide evidence or proof that something is true.
The empty streets bore witness to the city's decline.
Her diary gives witness to the hardships she endured.
To become gradually understood or realized by someone.
It was slowly borne in on him that he had made a mistake.
The truth was borne in on the team after the final results.
To use effort, pressure, or influence to achieve something.
The government brought pressure to bear on the company to comply.
She brought all her experience to bear on the difficult project.
grin and bear it
idiomTo accept pain or difficulty without complaining.
The long wait was frustrating, but we just grinned and bore it.
When the dentist started drilling, I had to grin and bear it.
To have a difficult problem or responsibility that one must deal with.
Caring for her sick mother is a heavy cross to bear.
Everyone has their own cross to bear in life.
bear — noun
1. a very large wild animal with thick fur and strong claws, often living in cold r
a very large wild animal with thick fur and strong claws, often living in cold regions of Europe, Asia, or North America.
A brown bear crossed the road near the mountain camp.
a brown bear
At dawn, the hikers saw a bear fishing beside the river.
The zoo's oldest bear slept in a pool of shade.
Bear tracks led the park ranger to a cave above the lake.
bear tracks
- brown bear
- polar bear
- bear tracks
- bear cub
Grammar Patterns
a brown/black/polar bear
bear tracks
Usage Note
Often appears with type words such as 'brown', 'black', and 'polar'. Distinguish from senses 2 and 3, which refer to people rather than the animal.
Common Mistakes
2. a man in gay communities, often older, with a large build and lots of body hair,
a man in gay communities, often older, with a large build and lots of body hair, who identifies with bear culture.
At the club's Pride night, Daniel introduced Leo as a friendly bear from Kaohsiung.
a friendly bear
The dating app lets users search for bears in their area.
search for bears
During Pride, the bear group marched together behind a yellow banner.
In the film, the main character falls for a bear at Pride.
- friendly bear
- bear group
- bear community
- search for bears
- twink
gay slang for a younger, slim, smooth-looking man
Grammar Patterns
a friendly bear
the bear community
Usage Note
Common in gay community talk, social groups, and dating apps. It usually points to body type and identity, not to a person's mood or personality.
Common Mistakes
3. a trader who thinks a market will fall, so they sell now and plan to buy the sam
a trader who thinks a market will fall, so they sell now and plan to buy the same shares or goods back later for less.
After the poor forecast, a bear sold the airline shares at once.
a bear sold the shares
On the business channel, bears and bulls argued over next month's oil prices.
bulls and bears
Traders called Mina a bear after she sold her oil shares, expecting cheaper prices later.
sell shares expecting lower prices
Every bear hopes to buy back the airline stock after prices drop.
buy back the stock later
- a bear on tech stocks
- bulls and bears
- market bear
- buy back shares
- short seller
the most exact finance term for this role
- market pessimist
broader and less technical; it stresses the negative view
- speculator
a broader market word that can describe either side of a trade
- bull
an investor who expects prices to rise
Grammar Patterns
a bear on [a market/stock]
bulls and bears
Usage Note
Usually appears in finance writing and often contrasts with 'bull'. A bear expects falling prices and may sell before the drop.
Common Mistakes
Word family
Synonym discussion
Sense: verb/1
For verb sense 1, bear is a fairly neutral word for continuing while something painful, annoying, or difficult is happening. Endure is slightly stronger and often suggests lasting through something for a long time or with unusual courage. Tolerate often sounds more deliberate or more formal, and it can also mean allowing something even if you dislike it. Stand is especially common in negatives such as can't stand, often for strong dislike or irritation. Put up with is the most informal choice and usually suggests unwilling acceptance of an everyday annoyance rather than deep suffering. You bear the pain after surgery, endure months of cold weather, tolerate loud music in the office, and put up with a noisy neighbor.
Etymology
Modern English bear brings together two old Germanic words. The animal noun comes from Old English bera, from a Germanic name probably linked to the idea of 'the brown one'. The verb comes from Old English beran, meaning 'carry, bring forth, endure'. Over time that verb spread into senses about carrying weight, accepting pain, producing young, and showing evidence.