bear

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   a massive mammal with long shaggy coats and strong claws found in the Americas and Eurasia; one of 8 species in the family Ursidae

   When I saw a bear in the woods, I ran away.

2. 2
   noun

   an investor with a pessimistic market outlook

   After deciding to short all the stocks, everyone knew I was a bear.

3. 3
   verb

   to have on one's person; to carry

   I bear a gun.

4. 4
   verb

   to give birth to

   The dog bore pups in the pantry.

5. 5
   verb

   to be pregnant with a child

   We are bearing our first child.

6. 6
   verb

   to put up with something or somebody unpleasant

   I cannot bear the constant criticism.

7. 7
   verb

   to move while holding up or supporting

   I can bear a heavy load.

8. 8
   verb

   to support or hold in a certain manner

   I can bear it for a little while longer.

Etymology

From Middle English bere, from Old English bera, from Proto-West Germanic *berō, from Proto-Germanic *berô, from Proto-Indo-European *bʰerH- (“brown”). Cognate with Saterland Frisian Boar, Boare (“bear”), West Frisian bear (“bear”), Cimbrian, Mòcheno per (“bear”), Dutch beer (“bear”), German Bär (“bear”), German Low German Boor (“bear”), Limburgish baer, Béër (“bear”), Luxembourgish Bier (“bear”), Vilamovian baor, bar (“bear”), West Flemish beir (“bear”), Yiddish בער (ber, “bear”), Danish, Faroese, and Norwegian Bokmål bjørn (“bear”), Icelandic, Swedish björn (“bear”), Norwegian Nynorsk bjøinn…