bore

[ bawr, bohr ]

/ bɔr, boʊr /

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verb (used with object), bored, bor·ing.

to weary by dullness, tedious repetition, unwelcome attentions, etc.: The long speech bored me.

noun

a dull, tiresome, or uncongenial person.

a cause of ennui or petty annoyance: repetitious tasks that are a bore to do.

Nearby words

Origin of bore

First recorded in 1760–70; of uncertain origin

SYNONYMS FOR bore

1. fatigue, tire, annoy.

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ANTONYMS FOR bore

1. amuse; thrill, enrapture.

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Can be confusedboar Boer boor boreboard boredboard bored committee council panel trust

bore

[ bawr, bohr ]

/ bɔr, boʊr /

verb (used with object), bored, bor·ing.

to pierce (a solid substance) with some rotary cutting instrument.

to make (a hole) by drilling with such an instrument.

to form, make, or construct (a tunnel, mine, well, passage, etc.) by hollowing out, cutting through, or removing a core of material: to bore a tunnel through the Alps; to bore an oil well 3000 feet deep.

Machinery. to enlarge (a hole) to a precise diameter with a cutting tool within the hole, by rotating either the tool or the work.

to force (an opening), as through a crowd, by persistent forward thrusting (usually followed by through or into); to force or make (a passage).

verb (used without object), bored, bor·ing.

to make a hole in a solid substance with a rotary cutting instrument.

Machinery. to enlarge a hole to a precise diameter.

(of a substance) to admit of being bored: Certain types of steel do not bore well.

noun

a hole made or enlarged by boring.

the inside diameter of a hole, tube, or hollow cylindrical object or device, such as a bushing or bearing, engine cylinder, or barrel of a gun.

Origin of bore

before 900; Middle English; Old English borian; cognate with Old High German borōn, Old Norse bora, Latin forāre

SYNONYMS FOR bore

1. perforate, drill. 10. caliber.

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Related formsbore·a·ble, bor·a·ble, adjective

bore

[ bawr, bohr ]

/ bɔr, boʊr /

noun

an abrupt rise of tidal water moving rapidly inland from the mouth of an estuary.

Origin of bore

1275–1325; Middle English bare < Old Norse bāra wave

Also called tidal bore.

bore

⁴

[ bawr, bohr ]

/ bɔr, boʊr /

verb

simple past tense of bear¹.

bear

[ bair ]

/ bɛər /

verb (used with object), bore or (Archaic) bare; borne or born; bear·ing.

to hold up; support: to bear the weight of the roof.

to hold or remain firm under (a load): The roof will not bear the strain of his weight.

to bring forth (young); give birth to: to bear a child.

to produce by natural growth: a tree that bears fruit.

to hold up under; be capable of: His claim doesn't bear close examination.

to press or push against: The crowd was borne back by the police.

to hold or carry (oneself, one's body, one's head, etc.): to bear oneself erectly.

to conduct (oneself): to bear oneself bravely.

to suffer; endure; undergo: to bear the blame.

to sustain without yielding or suffering injury; tolerate (usually used in negative constructions, unless qualified): I can't bear your nagging. I can hardly bear to see her suffering so.

to be fit for or worthy of: It doesn't bear repeating.

to carry; bring: to bear gifts.

to carry in the mind or heart: to bear love; to bear malice.

to transmit or spread (gossip, tales, etc.).

to render; afford; give: to bear witness; to bear testimony.

to lead; guide; take: They bore him home.

to have and be entitled to: to bear title.

to exhibit; show: to bear a resemblance.

to accept or have, as an obligation: to bear responsibility; to bear the cost.

to stand in (a relation or ratio); have or show correlatively: the relation that price bears to profit.

to possess, as a quality or characteristic; have in or on: to bear traces; to bear an inscription.

to have and use; exercise: to bear authority; to bear sway.

verb (used without object), bore or (Archaic) bare; borne or born; bear·ing.

to tend in a course or direction; move; go: to bear west; to bear left at the fork in the road.

to be located or situated: The lighthouse bears due north.

to bring forth young or fruit: Next year the tree will bear.

Verb Phrases

bear down,

to press or weigh down.
to strive harder; intensify one's efforts: We can't hope to finish unless everyone bears down.
Nautical. to approach from windward, as a ship: The cutter was bearing down the channel at twelve knots.

bear down on/upon,

to press or weigh down on.
to strive toward.
to approach something rapidly.
Nautical. to approach (another vessel) from windward: The sloop bore down on us, narrowly missing our stern.

bear off,

Nautical. to keep (a boat) from touching or rubbing against a dock, another boat, etc.
Nautical. to steer away.
Backgammon. to remove the stones from the board after they are all home.

bear on/upon, to affect, relate to, or have connection with; be relevant to: This information may bear on the case.

bear out, to substantiate; confirm: The facts bear me out.

bear up, to endure; face hardship bravely: It is inspiring to see them bearing up so well.

bear with, to be patient or forbearing with: Please bear with me until I finish the story.

Origin of bear

before 900; Middle English beren, Old English beran; cognate with Old Saxon, Old High German beran, Dutch baren, Old Frisian, Old Norse bera, Gothic bairan, German (ge)bären, Russian berët (he) takes, Albanian bie, Tocharian pär-, Phrygian ab-beret (he) brings, Latin ferre, Old Irish berid (he) carries, Armenian berem, Greek phérein, Sanskrit bhárati, Avestan baraiti; < Indo-European *bher- (see -fer, -phore)

SYNONYMS FOR bear

1. uphold, sustain. 4. yield. 6. thrust, drive, force. 10. brook, abide, suffer.

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Synonym study

10. Bear, stand, endure refer to supporting the burden of something distressing, irksome, or painful. Bear and stand are close synonyms and have a general sense of withstanding: to bear a disappointment well; to stand a loss. Endure implies continued resistance and patience in bearing through a long time: to endure torture.

Usage note

Since the latter part of the 18th century, a distinction has been made between born and borne as past participles of the verb bear1 . Borne is the past participle in all senses that do not refer to physical birth: The wheatfields have borne abundantly this year. Judges have always borne a burden of responsibility. Borne is also the participle when the sense is “to bring forth (young)” and the focus is on the mother rather than on the child. In such cases, borne is preceded by a form of have or followed by by: Anna had borne a son the previous year. Two children borne by her earlier were already grown. When the focus is on the offspring or on something brought forth as if by birth, born is the standard spelling, and it occurs only in passive constructions: My friend was born in Ohio. No children have been born at the South Pole. A strange desire was born of the tragic experience. Born is also an adjective meaning “by birth,” “innate,” or “native”: born free; a born troublemaker; Mexican-born.

bear

[ bair ]

/ bɛər /

noun, plural bears, (especially collectively) bear.

any of the plantigrade, carnivorous or omnivorous mammals of the family Ursidae, having massive bodies, coarse heavy fur, relatively short limbs, and almost rudimentary tails.

any of various animals resembling the bear, as the ant bear.

a gruff, burly, clumsy, bad-mannered, or rude person.

a person who believes that market prices, especially of stocks, will decline (opposed to bull).

Informal. a person who shows great ability, enthusiasm, stamina, etc.: a bear for physics.

(initial capital letter) Astronomy. either of two constellations, Ursa Major or Ursa Minor.

Informal. a player at cards who rarely bluffs.

(initial capital letter) Russia.

adjective

having to do with or marked by declining prices, as of stocks: bear market.

verb (used with object), beared, bear·ing.

Stock Exchange. to force prices down in (a market, stock, etc.).

Origin of bear

before 1000; Middle English be(a)re, beor(e), Old English bera; cognate with Frisian bār, Dutch beer, Old High German bero (German Bär); < Germanic *beran- literally, the brown one; akin to Old Norse bjǫrn, bersi; compare Lithuanian bė́ras brown. Cf. bruin

Related formsbear·like, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for bore

The eventual deal, approved by Law 840 in June 2013, bore little resemblance to the original.
China’s Nicaragua Canal Could Spark a New Central America Revolution|Nina Lakhani|November 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
They bought La Pietra, where she bore a son, Harold, the following year.
In Tussle Over Will, Mistress’s Family Takes a Bite Out of NYU|Anthony Haden-Guest|November 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In 2010, Jake Holmes sued over “Dazed and Confused,” claiming it bore a strong resemblance to his own song of the same name.
‘No Stairway, Denied!’ Led Zeppelin Lawsuit Winds on Down the Road|Keith Phipps|October 22, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In the end he was left with a disappointing product that bore little of his creative fingerprint.
David Fincher’s Backseat Feminism|Teo Bugbee|October 9, 2014|DAILY BEAST

The son walked alongside the fire rig that bore the flag-covered coffin.
The Flying New York Fireman Who Shined on 9/11|Michael Daly|September 11, 2014|DAILY BEAST
If there was a loss at my meetings I bore it myself; never asking any one for aid.
Modern Skepticism: A Journey Through the Land of Doubt and Back Again|Joseph Barker
In the course of the discussion, Mr. Lefroy bore testimony to the generally successful working of the Irish poor-law.
The History of England in Three Volumes, Vol.III.|E. Farr and E. H. Nolan
The eunuch returned, followed by two slaves, who bore on a bier a corpse covered with a large pall.
A Christian But a Roman|Mr Jkai
Bore small holes in the bottom of a barrel, place four bricks around, and fill the barrel with ashes.
The American Frugal Housewife|Lydia M. Child
Lebrun's missives of 20th December bore fruit seven days later in Chauvelin's despatch to Grenville.
William Pitt and the Great War|John Holland Rose

British Dictionary definitions for bore

bore

/ (bɔː) /

verb

to produce (a hole) in (a material) by use of a drill, auger, or other cutting tool

to increase the diameter of (a hole), as by an internal turning operation on a lathe or similar machine

(tr) to produce (a hole in the ground, tunnel, mine shaft, etc) by digging, drilling, cutting, etc

(intr) informal (of a horse or athlete in a race) to push other competitors, esp in order to try to get them out of the way

noun

a hole or tunnel in the ground, esp one drilled in search of minerals, oil, etc

a circular hole in a material produced by drilling, turning, or drawing
the diameter of such a hole

the hollow part of a tube or cylinder, esp of a gun barrel
the diameter of such a hollow part; calibre

Australian an artesian well

Word Origin for bore

Old English borian; related to Old Norse bora, Old High German borōn to bore, Latin forāre to pierce, Greek pharos ploughing, phárunx pharynx

verb

(tr) to tire or make weary by being dull, repetitious, or uninteresting

noun

a dull, repetitious, or uninteresting person, activity, or state

Derived Formsbored, adjective

Word Origin for bore

C18: of unknown origin

noun

a high steep-fronted wave moving up a narrow estuary, caused by the tide

Word Origin for bore

C17: from Old Norse bāra wave, billow

verb

the past tense of bear 1

Bear

/ (bɛə) /

noun the Bear

the English name for Ursa Major, Ursa Minor

an informal name for Russia

bear

/ (bɛə) /

verb bears, bearing, bore or borne (mainly tr)

to support or hold up; sustain

to bring or conveyto bear gifts

to take, accept, or assume the responsibility ofto bear an expense

(past participle born in passive use except when foll by by) to give birth toto bear children

(also intr) to produce by or as if by natural growthto bear fruit

to tolerate or endureshe couldn't bear him

to admit of; sustainhis story does not bear scrutiny

to hold in the conscious mind or in one's feelingsto bear a grudge; I'll bear that idea in mind

to show or be marked withhe still bears the scars

to transmit or spreadto bear gossip

to render or supply (esp in the phrase bear witness)

to conduct or manage (oneself, the body, etc)she bore her head high

to have, be, or stand in (relation or comparison)his account bears no relation to the facts

(intr) to move, be located, or lie in a specified directionthe way bears east

to have by right; be entitled to (esp in the phrase bear title)

bear a hand to give assistance

bring to bear to bring into operation or effecthe brought his knowledge to bear on the situation

Word Origin for bear

Old English beran; related to Old Norse bera, Old High German beran to carry, Latin ferre, Greek pherein to bear, Sanskrit bharati he carries

bear

/ (bɛə) /

noun plural bears or bear

any plantigrade mammal of the family Ursidae : order Carnivora (carnivores). Bears are typically massive omnivorous animals with a large head, a long shaggy coat, and strong clawsSee also black bear, brown bear, polar bear Related adjective: ursine

any of various bearlike animals, such as the koala and the ant bear

a clumsy, churlish, or ill-mannered person

a teddy bear

stock exchange

a speculator who sells in anticipation of falling prices to make a profit on repurchase
(as modifier)a bear market Compare bull 1 (def. 5)

verb bears, bearing or beared

(tr) to lower or attempt to lower the price or prices of (a stock market or a security) by speculative selling

Word Origin for bear

Old English bera; related to Old Norse bjorn, Old High German bero

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for bore

bore

v.1

Old English borian "to bore through, perforate," from bor "auger," from Proto-Germanic *buron (cf. Old Norse bora, Swedish borra, Old High German boron, Middle Dutch boren, German bohren), from PIE root *bher- (2) "to cut with a sharp point, pierce, bore" (cf. Greek pharao "I plow," Latin forare "to bore, pierce," Old Church Slavonic barjo "to strike, fight," Albanian brime "hole").

The meaning "diameter of a tube" is first recorded 1570s; hence figurative slang full bore (1936) "at maximum speed," from notion of unchoked carburetor on an engine. Sense of "be tiresome or dull" first attested 1768, a vogue word c.1780-81 according to Grose; possibly a figurative extension of "to move forward slowly and persistently," as a boring tool does.

bore

v.2

past tense of bear (v.).

thing which causes ennui or annoyance, 1778; of persons by 1812; from bore (v.1).

The secret of being a bore is to tell everything. [Voltaire, "Sept Discours en Vers sur l'Homme," 1738]

bear

Old English beran "to bear, bring; bring forth, produce; to endure, sustain; to wear" (class IV strong verb; past tense bær, past participle boren), from Proto-Germanic *beranan (cf. Old Saxon beran, Old Frisian bera, Old High German beran, German gebären, Old Norse bera, Gothic bairan "to carry, bear, give birth to"), from PIE root *bher- (1) meaning both "give birth" (though only English and German strongly retain this sense, and Russian has beremennaya "pregnant") and "carry a burden, bring" (see infer).

Ball bearings "bear" the friction. Many senses are from notion of "move onward by pressure." Old English past tense bær became Middle English bare; alternative bore began to appear c.1400, but bare remained the literary form till after 1600. Past participle distinction of borne for "carried" and born for "given birth" is from late 18c. To bear (something) in mind is from 1530s.

bear

Old English bera "bear," from Proto-Germanic *beron, literally "the brown (one)" (cf. Old Norse björn, Middle Dutch bere, Dutch beer, Old High German bero, German Bär), from PIE *bher- (3) "bright, brown" (see brown (adj.)).

Greek arktos and Latin ursus retain the PIE root word for "bear" (*rtko; see Arctic), but it is believed to have been ritually replaced in the northern branches because of hunters' taboo on names of wild animals (cf. the Irish equivalent "the good calf," Welsh "honey-pig," Lithuanian "the licker," Russian medved "honey-eater"). Others connect the Germanic word with Latin ferus "wild," as if it meant "the wild animal (par excellence) of the northern woods."

Symbolic of Russia since 1794. Used of uncouth persons since 1570s. Stock market meaning "speculator for a fall" is 1709 shortening of bearskin jobber (from the proverb sell the bearskin before one has caught the bear); i.e. "one who sells stock for future delivery, expecting that meanwhile prices will fall." Paired with bull from c.1720. Bear claw as a type of large pastry is from 1942, originally chiefly western U.S.

Science definitions for bore

bore

[ bôr ]

In fluid mechanics, a jump in the level of moving water, generally propagating in the opposite direction to the current. Strong ocean tides can cause bores to propagate up rivers.

The white, shallow portion of a wave after it breaks. The bore carries ocean water onto the beach.
A tidal wave caused by the surge of a flood tide upstream in a narrowing estuary or by colliding tidal currents.

Idioms and Phrases with bore

bear

In addition to the idioms beginning with bear

bear a grudge
bear down
beard the lion
bear fruit
bear in mind
bear one's cross
bear out
bear the brunt
bear up
bear with

also see:

bring to bear
cross as a bear
cross to bear
grin and bear it
loaded for bear

bore

verb (used with object), bored, bor·ing.

noun

RELATED CONTENT

RELATED WORDS

Nearby words

Origin of bore

bore

verb (used with object), bored, bor·ing.

verb (used without object), bored, bor·ing.

noun

Origin of bore

bore

noun

Origin of bore

bore

verb

bear

verb (used with object), bore or (Archaic) bare; borne or born; bear·ing.

verb (used without object), bore or (Archaic) bare; borne or born; bear·ing.

Verb Phrases

Origin of bear

Synonym study

Usage note

bear

noun, plural bears, (especially collectively) bear.

adjective

verb (used with object), beared, bear·ing.

Origin of bear

Examples from the Web for bore

bore

verb

noun

Word Origin for bore

verb

noun

Word Origin for bore

noun

Word Origin for bore

verb

Bear

noun the Bear

bear

verb bears, bearing, bore or borne (mainly tr)

Word Origin for bear

bear

noun plural bears or bear

verb bears, bearing or beared

Word Origin for bear

bore

bore

bear

bear

bore

bear