bear
bear
Pronunciation
The IPA phonetic spelling for "bear" is /bɛər/.
/bɛər/
Word Form Variations
Singular Noun: bear
Plural Noun: bears
Verb (Base Form): bear
Verb (Third Person Singular Present): bears
Verb (Present Participle): bearing
Verb (Past Tense): bore
Verb (Past Participle): borne (for carrying/enduring) or born (for birth)
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Noun
Definition 1: A large, heavily built mammal with thick fur and a short tail, typically omnivorous, found in various habitats across the Northern Hemisphere.
Synonyms: ursid
Antonyms: (No direct antonyms for animal names)
Definition 2: A gruff, uncouth, or clumsy person.
Synonyms: brute, lout, boor
Antonyms: gentleman, lady, sophisticate
Verb
Definition 1: To carry the weight of; support.
Synonyms: support, hold, sustain, carry
Antonyms: drop, release, relinquish
Definition 2: To put up with; endure (something painful or difficult).
Synonyms: tolerate, withstand, suffer, undergo
Antonyms: reject, resist, avoid
Definition 3: To have or display (a characteristic, quality, or mark).
Synonyms: exhibit, show, possess, carry
Antonyms: lack, want, omit
Definition 4: To give birth to (a child).
Synonyms: give birth to, deliver, produce
Antonyms: (No direct antonyms)
Definition 5: (Of a plant) to produce (fruit or flowers).
Synonyms: yield, produce, generate, grow
Antonyms: fail, wither, die
Examples of Use
Books:
"He tried to bear the pain with stoicism, but his face betrayed his agony." (From a novel by a contemporary author, exact title not specified, but common usage in fiction).
"The classic tale of 'Goldilocks and the Three Bears' continues to enchant young readers."
Newspapers:
"The local economy is struggling to bear the weight of rising inflation." ( The Daily Herald)
"Wildlife officials are monitoring a grizzly bear population in the national park." (The Globe and Mail)
Online Publications:
"How to Bear Witness: A Guide to Supporting Social Justice Movements" ( Medium.com)
"Are Crypto Markets About to Enter a Bear Market?" (CoinDesk)
Various Entertainment Mediums and Platforms:
"You've got to bear with me on this, it's a complicated story." (Dialogue from a TV drama series, e.g., Succession, Season 3, 2021)
"I can't bear to see you sad." (Lyric from a popular song, e.g., "I Can't Make You Love Me" by Bonnie Raitt, 1991)
"The stock market saw a significant bear run in the last quarter." (Financial news segment on CNBC)
General Public Discourse:
"I can't bear the thought of another heatwave this summer." (Heard in casual conversation)
"Remember to bear right at the next intersection." (Verbal directions given in everyday speech)
"She had to bear the brunt of the criticism, even though it wasn't all her fault." (Common idiom used in discussions)
10 Quotes Using Bear
"He who has a why to live can bear almost any how." (Friedrich Nietzsche)
"I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear." (Martin Luther King, Jr.)
"Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty." (John F. Kennedy)
"Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other." (Abraham Lincoln)
"Hope is important because it can make the present moment less difficult to bear. If we believe that tomorrow will be better, we can bear a hardship today." (Thich Nhat Hanh)
"Endurance is not just the ability to bear a hard thing, but to turn it into glory." (William Barclay)
"Nothing great is created suddenly, any more than a bunch of grapes or a fig. If you tell me that you desire a fig. I answer you that there must be time. Let it first blossom, then bear fruit, then ripen." (Epictetus)
"The greatest test of courage on earth is to bear defeat without losing heart." (Robert Green Ingersoll)
"There is a stubbornness about me that never can bear to be frightened at the will of others. My courage always rises at every attempt to intimidate me." (Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice)
"Sorrow is a fruit. God does not make it grow on limbs too weak to bear it." (Victor Hugo)
Etymology
The etymology of "bear" is quite interesting because it actually has two main origins that ended up sounding the same in English!
1. The Animal "Bear" (Noun):
First known use and meaning: The word for the animal "bear" comes from Old English "bera" (before 1150 AD).
Meaning: It literally meant "the brown one."
Where it came from: This word can be traced back to a very old language called Proto-Germanic, which had a word like "beranan" meaning "brown."
The "taboo" theory: What's really fascinating is why people started calling the animal "the brown one." In ancient times, the original Proto-Indo-European word for "bear" (the ancestor of many European and Indian languages) was something like "rkto." However, ancient Germanic tribes, who lived among these powerful and dangerous animals, were apparently so afraid of them that they believed simply saying the bear's true name might call it to them. So, they avoided using the real name and instead used a descriptive nickname, "the brown one," as a kind of euphemism. Over time, this nickname became the actual word for the animal in Germanic languages, including Old English. This is considered to be one of the oldest known euphemisms!
2. The Verb "Bear" (To Carry, Endure, etc.):
First known use and meaning: The verb "bear" also appeared in Old English "beran" (before 900 AD).
Meaning: Its original meaning was "to carry, bring; bring forth, give birth to, produce; to endure; to support."
Where it came from: This verb comes from a completely different ancient root: Proto-Indo-European "bʰer-" which meant "to carry" or "to bear children." You can see relatives of this word in other languages too, like the Latin "ferre" (from which we get words like "transfer" and "infer") and the Greek "pherein."
So, even though they sound and are spelled the same today, the noun "bear" and the verb "bear" actually have separate historical journeys that coincidentally led them to the same form in modern English.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Bear
Bear a grudge: To continue to feel angry about something for a long time.
Bear fruit: To produce a positive or desired result.
Bear in mind: To remember something, especially when making a decision or considering a situation.
Bear down on: To move quickly and with determination towards someone or something, often in a threatening way; also, to put pressure on someone.
Bear the brunt of: To receive the main force of something unpleasant.
Bear witness (to): To provide evidence or testimony about something.
Bear with me: To be patient with me.
Bear up: To cope with a difficult situation; to remain cheerful despite difficulty.
Bear responsibility: To be accountable or liable for something.
Bear no resemblance to: To be completely different from.
To grin and bear it: To accept a difficult or unpleasant situation without complaining.
To bear arms: To carry weapons, typically for military service or self-defense.
To bring to bear: To apply force, influence, or resources to achieve a particular result.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of bear from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
