bear down

British  

verb

1. to press or weigh down

2. to approach in a determined or threatening manner

3. (of a vessel) to make an approach (to another vessel, obstacle, etc) from windward

4. (of a woman during childbirth) to exert a voluntary muscular pressure to assist delivery

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bear down Idioms  

1. Press or weigh down on someone or something. For example, This pen doesn't write unless you bear down hard on it . [Late 1600s]

2. Try hard, intensify one's efforts, as in If you'll just bear down, you'll pass the test .

3. Move forward in a pressing or threatening way, as in The ferry bore down on our little skiff . This usage was originally nautical. [Early 1700s]

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Example Sentences

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said wages were going up "for the lowest paid" but said the government "must go further to bear down on costs".

From BBC

The Treasury said it had taken "action to bear down on inflation and the cost of living".

From BBC

That question matters more than ever as tariffs, surging energy prices and the threat of artificial intelligence bear down on the broader economy.

From The Wall Street Journal

I turned and watched the truck bear down the road, bumping and juddering as it hit the trolley tracks and wove around other vehicles.

From Literature

Such disruption comes at a busy time of year for visitors, before the intense summer heat bears down, and the knock-on impact is clear.

From BBC