Meaning of bear In English

• 0 to accept, tolerate, or endure something, especially something unpleasant:

  • The strain must have been enormous but she bore it well.

  • Tell me now! I can't bear the suspense!

  • It's your decision - you have to bear the responsibility if things go wrong.

  • [ + to infinitive ] He couldn't bear to see the dog in pain.

  • [ + -ing verb ] I can't bear being bored.

  • "What if she'd been driving faster?" "It doesn't bear thinking about."

• 1 to have or continue to have something:

  • Their baby bears a strong resemblance to its grandfather.

  • The stone plaque bearing his name was smashed to pieces.

  • On display were boxing gloves that bore Rocky Marciano's signature.

  • [ + two objects ] I don't bear them any ill feeling (= I do not continue to be angry with or dislike them).

  • Thank you for your advice - I'll bear it in mind (= I will remember and consider it).

• 2 to hold or support something:

  • The chair, too fragile to bear her weight, collapsed.

• 3 to give birth to young, or (of a tree or plant) to give or produce fruit or flowers:

  • She had borne six children by the time she was 30.

  • [ + two objects ] When his wife bore him a child he could not hide his delight.

  • Most animals bear their young in the spring.

  • The pear tree they planted has never borne fruit.

• 4 to carry and move something to a place:

  • At Christmas the family all arrive at the house bearing gifts.

  • Countless waiters bore trays of drinks into the room.

  • The sound of the ice cream van was borne into the office on the wind.

• 5 to change direction slightly so that you are going in a particular direction:

  • The path followed the coastline for several miles, then bore inland.

  • After you go past the church keep bearing left/right.

• 6 to say you know from your own experience that something happened or is true:

  • She bore witness to his patience and diligence.

  • The iron bridge bears testimony to the skills developed in that era.

• 7 a large, strong wild mammal with a thick fur coat that lives especially in colder parts of Europe, Asia, and North America:

  • a brown/black bear

  • a bear cub (= young bear)

• 8 an older gay man who is large and has a lot of hair on his body

• 9 a person who sells shares when prices are expected to fall, in order to make a profit by buying them back again at a lower price

• 10 a large, strong mammal with thick fur that lives esp. in colder parts of the world:

  • a black/grizzly/polar bear

• 11 to carry or bring something:

  • Fans bearing banners ringed the stadium.

• 12 to hold or support something:

  • The bridge has to be strengthened to bear heavier loads.

• 13 to accept something painful or unpleasant with determination and strength:

  • [ T ] Since you will bear most of the responsibility, you should get the rewards.

  • [ + to infinitive ] He could not bear to see her suffering.

• 14 to have as a quality or characteristic:

  • My life bore little resemblance to what I’d hoped for.

• 15 (of mammals) to give birth to young, or of a tree or plant to give or produce fruit or flowers:

  • She bore three children in five years.

• 16 to travel or move in the stated direction:

  • After you pass the light, bear left until you come to a bank.

• 17 someone who expects prices on a financial market to go down and sells their shares, etc. hoping to buy them back in the future at a lower price:

  • The brokerage, which has been a persistent bear in recent months, switched its recommendation from sell to hold.

  • The bears are driven by bad economic news from Japan, such as July's 2.4% monthly slump in industrial production.