Origin: Germanic
Old English prefix
Bear down has 7 different meanings across 1 category:
Verb
Verb
1
exert a force with a heavy weight
"The snow bore down on the roof"
2
contract the abdominal muscles during childbirth to ease delivery
3
to make a rush at or sudden attack upon, as in battle
"he saw Jess charging at him with a pitchfork"
4
exert full strength
"The pitcher bore down"
5
pay special attention to
"The lectures bore down on the political background"
6
exert a force or cause a strain upon
"This tax bears down on the lower middle class"
7
Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see bear, down.
Example Sentences
"The snow bore down on the roof"
verb
"he saw Jess charging at him with a pitchfork"
verb
"The pitcher bore down"
verb
"The lectures bore down on the political background"
verb
"This tax bears down on the lower middle class"
verb
Broader Terms (hypernyms)