bear

Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary

Wikipedia

Contents 1 English 1.1 Pronunciation 1.2 Etymology 1 1.2.1 Noun 1.2.1.1 Antonyms 1.2.1.2 Derived terms 1.2.1.3 See also 1.2.1.4 Translations 1.2.2 Adjective 1.3 Etymology 2 1.3.1 Verb 1.3.1.1 Derived terms 1.3.1.2 Translations 1.4 Anagrams 2 West Frisian 2.1 Noun

[edit] English

[edit] Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA: /bɛə/, SAMPA: /bE@/
• (US) IPA: /bɛɚ/, SAMPA: /bE@r/
•  Audio (US)^{help, file}
• Homophones: bare

[edit] Etymology 1

From Middle English bere, from Old English bera; related to Old English brun (“‘brown’”)

[edit] Noun

bear (plural bears)

1. A large omnivorous mammal, related to the dog and raccoon, having shaggy hair, a very small tail, and flat feet; a member of family Ursidae, particularly of subfamily Ursinae.
2. (informal) An animal that resembles a bear, such as a koala or ant bear.
3. (finance) An investor who sells commodities, securities, or futures in anticipation of a fall in prices.

   Bears look for over-priced securities to sell short.

4. (informal) A difficult situation or problem.
5. (slang) A large hairy man, especially one who is gay.

[edit] Antonyms

• (investor who anticipates falling prices): bull

[edit] Derived terms

[edit] See also

• Appendix: Animals
• Appendix: Collective nouns

[edit] Translations

[edit] Adjective

bear (comparative more bear, superlative most bear)

1. (finance, investments) Characterized by or believing to benefit of declining prices in securities markets.

   The great bear market starting in 1929 scared a whole generation of investors.

[edit] Etymology 2

From Middle English beren (“‘carry, bring forth’”). The Old English root beran is related to Old High German beran (“‘carry’”), Gothic 𐌱𐌰𐌹𐍂𐌰𐌽 (baíran), Latin ferre, and Ancient Greek φέρειν (pherein), Russian беременная (beremennaya), “‘pregnant’”). These derive from the Proto-Indo-European *bʰer-.

[edit] Verb

to bear (third-person singular simple present bears, present participle bearing, simple past bore, or (archaic) bare, past participle born, borne, or (archaic) yborn)

1. (transitive) To carry something.
   • 2005, Plato, Sophist. Translation by Lesley Brown. 234b.

     imitations that bear the same name as the things

   • 1852, Mrs M.A. Thompson, “The Tutor's Daughter”, in Graham's American Monthly Magazine of Literature, Art, and Fashion^[1], page 266:

     In the lightness of my heart I sang catches of songs as my horse gayly bore me along the well-remembered road.

2. (transitive) To be equipped with something.

   the right to bear arms

3. (transitive, with witness) To declare as testimony.

   The jury could see he was bearing false witness.

4. (transitive) To put up with something.
5. (transitive) To give birth to someone or something.

   In Troy she becomes Paris’ wife, bearing him several children, all of whom die in infancy.

6. (transitive) To produce or yield something, such as fruit or crops.
7. (intransitive) To be - or head - in a specific direction from the observer’s position.

   The harbour bears North by Northeast.

[edit] Derived terms

[edit] Translations

[edit] Anagrams

• Alphagram: Aber
• bare, Baré

---

[edit] West Frisian

[edit] Noun

bear c. (plural bears)

1. bear