bear garden
Americannoun
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a place for keeping or exhibiting bears, especially (formerly) for bearbaiting.
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a place or scene of tumult.
noun
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(formerly) a place where bears were exhibited and where bear-baiting took place
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a place or scene of tumult and disorder
Etymology
Origin of bear garden
First recorded in 1590–1600
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"It was a real bear garden," Lord Campbell told The Daily Telegraph.
From BBC • Sep. 15, 2015
I don't miss the bear garden of Prime Minister's Questions or the endless hours sitting in the Chamber waiting to try to get a few minutes talking to an empty House.
From BBC • Feb. 2, 2011
Let us pull out of this bear garden.
From Time Magazine Archive
The first time I took charge of a study hall at Centennial High School, I thought I was in a bear garden.
From Time Magazine Archive
All she wants is to turn the place into a bear garden and spoil the whole election.
From Lalage's Lovers by Birmingham, George A.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
