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.

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Question 1 of 10

What does “barren” mean?

a cylindrical wooden container with slightly bulging sides.

Worn down by dullness, tedious repetition.

unproductive; unfruitful

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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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WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH bore

1. boar, boor, bore ; 2. board, bored .

Words nearby bore

Border terrier, Bordet, Bordetella, Bordet-Gengou bacillus, bordure, bore, boreal, Boreas, borecole, boredom, boree

Definition for bore (2 of 4)

bore²

[ 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 3,000 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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OTHER WORDS FROM bore

bore·a·ble, bor·a·ble, adjective

Definition for bore (3 of 4)

bore³

[ bawr, bohr ]

/ bɔr, boʊr /

noun

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

Also called tidal bore .

Origin of bore

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

Definition for bore (4 of 4)

bore⁴

[ bawr, bohr ]

/ bɔr, boʊr /

verb

simple past tense of bear¹.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences 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 (1 of 4)

bore¹

/ (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

British Dictionary definitions for bore (2 of 4)

bore²

/ (bɔː) /

verb

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

noun

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

Derived forms of bore

bored, adjective

Word Origin for bore

C18: of unknown origin

British Dictionary definitions for bore (3 of 4)

bore³

/ (bɔː) /

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

British Dictionary definitions for bore (4 of 4)

bore⁴

/ (bɔː) /

verb

the past tense of bear 1

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

Scientific 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.

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bore

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

noun

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Origin of bore

SYNONYMS FOR bore

ANTONYMS FOR bore

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH bore

Words nearby bore

Definition for bore (2 of 4)

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

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

noun

Origin of bore

SYNONYMS FOR bore

OTHER WORDS FROM bore

Definition for bore (3 of 4)

noun

Origin of bore

Definition for bore (4 of 4)

verb

Words related to bore

Example sentences from the Web for bore

British Dictionary definitions for bore (1 of 4)

verb

noun

Word Origin for bore

British Dictionary definitions for bore (2 of 4)

verb

noun

Derived forms of bore

Word Origin for bore

British Dictionary definitions for bore (3 of 4)

noun

Word Origin for bore

British Dictionary definitions for bore (4 of 4)

verb

Scientific definitions for bore