bearer
English
Etymology
Pronunciation
- Lua error in Module:parameters at line 360: Parameter 1 should be a valid language or etymology language code; the value "UK" is not valid. See WT:LOL and WT:LOL/E. IPA(key): /ˈbɛəɹə(ɹ)/
- Rhymes: -ɛəɹə(ɹ)
Noun
bearer (plural bearers)
- One who, or that which, bears, sustains, or carries.
- 1611, King James Version of the Bible, 2 Chronicles 2.18,[1]
- And he [Solomon] set threescore and ten thousand of them [the foreigners living in Israel] to be bearers of burdens,
- 1676, John Dryden, Aureng-Zebe, London: Henry Herringman, Act II, p. 29,[2]
- Forgive the Bearer of unhappy news:
- Your alter’d Father openly pursues
- Your ruine;
- 1855, Frederick Douglass, My Bondage and My Freedom, Chapter 20,[3]
- The slightest manifestation of sympathy or justice toward a person of color, was denounced as abolitionism; and the name of abolitionist, subjected its bearer to frightful liabilities.
- 1611, King James Version of the Bible, 2 Chronicles 2.18,[1]
- Someone who helps carry the coffin or a dead body during a funeral procession.
- Synonym: pallbearer
- 1645, John Milton, “Another on the same” in Poems of Mr. John Milton, both English and Latin, London: Humphrey Moseley, p. 29,[4]
- Nay, quoth he, on his swooning bed outstretch’d,
- If I may not carry, sure Ile ne’re be fetch’d,
- But vow though the cross Doctors all stood hearers,
- For one Carrier put down to make six bearers.
- 1839, Charles Dickens, Oliver Twist, Chapter 5,[5]
- […] the bare coffin having been screwed down, was hoisted on the shoulders of the bearers, and carried into the street.
- 1934, Dorothy L. Sayers, The Nine Tailors, London: Victor Gollancz, 1975, “A Full Peal of Grandsire Triples”, Part 3,[6]
- The deep shadows of the porch swallowed up priest, corpse and bearers […]
- One who possesses a cheque, bond, or other notes promising payment.
- I promise to pay the bearer on demand.
- (India, dated) A domestic servant or palanquin carrier.
- 1888, Rudyard Kipling, ‘Watches of the Night’, Plain Tales from the Hills, Folio 2005, p. 60:
- The bar of the watch-guard worked through the buttonhole, and the watch—Platte's watch—slid quietly on to the carpet; where the bearer found it next morning and kept it.
- 1888, Rudyard Kipling, ‘Watches of the Night’, Plain Tales from the Hills, Folio 2005, p. 60:
- A tree or plant yielding fruit.
- a good bearer
- 1791, William Gilpin, Remarks on Forest Scenery: and Other Woodland Views, London: R. Blamire, Volume 1, Book 1, Section 6, p. 149,[7]
- In the common mode of pruning, this species of vine is no great bearer; but managed as it is here, it produces wonderfully.
- (dated) Someone who delivers a letter or message on behalf of another (especially as referred to in the letter or message).
- c. 1600 William Shakespeare, Hamlet, Act V, Scene 2,[8]
- […] Wilt thou know
- Th’ effect of what I wrote? […]
- An earnest conjuration from the King,
- As England was his faithful tributary, […]
- That, on the view and knowing of these contents,
- Without debatement further, more or less,
- He should the bearers put to sudden death,
- 1784, Samuel Johnson, letter cited in James Boswell, The Life of Samuel Johnson, London: Charles Dilly, Volume 2, p. 487,[9]
- Sir, The bearer is my godson, whom I take the liberty of recommending to your kindness […]
- 1829, Walter Scott, Introduction to Rob Roy,[10]
- P. S.—If you’d send your pipes by the bearer […] I would put them in order, and play some melancholy tunes,
- 1887, Thomas Hardy, The Woodlanders, Chapter 13,[11]
- The message was brought, and Winterborne sent the bearer back to say that he begged the lady’s pardon, but that he could not do as she requested;
- 1904, Upton Sinclair, The Jungle, Chapter 25,[12]
- […] he gave him a note to Mr. Harmon, one of the head managers of Durham’s—
- “The bearer, Jurgis Rudkus, is a particular friend of mine, and I would like you to find him a good place […]
- c. 1600 William Shakespeare, Hamlet, Act V, Scene 2,[8]
- (printing) A strip of reglet or other furniture to bear off the impression from a blank page.
- (printing) A type or type-high piece of metal interspersed in blank parts to support the plate when it is shaved.
Derived terms
- armourbearer
- arms-bearer
- bearer bond
- Bearer English
- bearership
- bell-bearer
- boatbearer
- boat bearer
- bowbearer
- cardbearer
- casebearer
- colorbearer
- cross bearer
- cupbearer
- fanbearer
- flag-bearer
- frost-bearer
- furbearer
- gunbearer
- livebearer
- mace-bearer
- pallbearer
- ringbearer
- rushbearer
- shieldbearer
- standard-bearer
- stretcher-bearer
- swordbearer
- talebearer
- torchbearer
- trainbearer
- truthbearer
Descendants
Translations
one who bears
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someone who helps carry the coffin
possessor of a cheque, bond, etc.
domestic servant in India
Anagrams
Latin
Verb
(deprecated template usage) beārer
Categories:
- English terms suffixed with -er (agent noun)
- English 2-syllable words
- English terms with IPA pronunciation
- Rhymes:English/ɛəɹə(ɹ)
- English lemmas
- English nouns
- English countable nouns
- English terms with usage examples
- Indian English
- English dated terms
- en:Printing
- English agent nouns
- en:People
- Latin non-lemma forms
- Latin verb forms