Origin: Germanic Old English prefix
Bear has 23 different meanings across 3 categories:
Noun · Verb · Proper Noun
massive plantigrade carnivorous or omnivorous mammals with long shaggy coats and strong claws
"The explorers stumbled upon a grizzly bear as they ventured deeper into the dense, snow-covered forest."
an investor with a pessimistic market outlook; an investor who expects prices to fall and so sells now in order to buy later at a lower price
"After hearing the latest economic forecast, our portfolio manager decided to shift from being a bull to a bear by selling his tech stocks before the anticipated crash."
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.
"She decided to replace her old linen bear with a new velvet one that matched the sofa."
Alternative spelling of bere (“barley”).
A pillowcase; a fabric case or covering as for a pillow.
In plain English: A bear is a large, strong animal with thick fur and sharp claws that lives in forests and eats meat or plants.
"The brown bear lumbered slowly through the deep snow."
Usage: The word bear should not be used to mean a pillowcase or bedding cover, as that is an archaic or dialectal term rarely encountered in modern English. In everyday usage, a bear refers exclusively to the large mammal known for its strength and round ears.
put up with something or somebody unpleasant
"I cannot bear his constant criticism"
"The new secretary had to endure a lot of unprofessional remarks"
"he learned to tolerate the heat"
"She stuck out two years in a miserable marriage"
move while holding up or supporting
"Bear gifts"
"bear a heavy load"
"bear news"
"bearing orders"
be pregnant with
"She is bearing his child"
"The are expecting another child in January"
"I am carrying his child"
To endeavour to depress the price of, or prices in.
"She had to bear the heavy box of groceries all the way up the narrow stairs without help."
To carry or convey, literally or figuratively.
"The heavy hiker struggled to bear his massive pack up the steep incline while other climbers walked by empty-handed."
To carry upon one's person, especially visibly; to be equipped with.
In plain English: To bear means to carry something heavy or to endure a difficult situation without giving up.
"She tried to bear the weight of the heavy box with her arms."
Usage: Use "bear" to mean carrying a physical load or enduring something difficult, such as bearing a heavy box or bearing pain. Do not use it to indicate the act of giving birth; instead, use "give birth to."
Characterized by declining prices in securities markets or by belief that the prices will fall.
"The seasoned investor decided to adopt a bear strategy, selling off her stocks early because she was convinced the market crash would worsen next month."
In plain English: Bear means to be very brave and willing to face difficult situations without showing fear.
"The bear market caused many investors to lose their savings."
Usage: Do not use "bear" as an adjective to describe declining security prices; instead, use it only as a noun to refer to an investor who expects such declines. The correct phrasing is "a bear market," never "a bear market."
A surname.
"The new head coach, John Bear, has already won over the entire team with his aggressive style of play."
The word "bear" comes from the Old English bera, which traces its roots back to a Proto-Indo-European root meaning "brown." This original sense of brown likely referred to the animal's coat color when the word first entered the language.