rear

[ reer ]

/ rɪər /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR rear ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

the back of something, as distinguished from the front: The porch is at the rear of the house.

the space or position behind something: The bus driver asked the passengers to move to the rear.

the buttocks; rump.

the hindmost portion of an army, fleet, etc.

adjective

pertaining to or situated at the rear of something: the rear door of a bus.

QUIZZES

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Take this quiz to see if you really know the difference between “compliment” and “complement"!

Question 1 of 11

“Compliment” and “complement” had a shared meaning a long time ago, but today they are no longer interchangeable.

True

False

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Idioms for rear

bring up the rear, to be at the end; follow behind: The army retreated, and the fleeing civilian population brought up the rear.

Origin of rear

First recorded in 1590–1600; aphetic variant of arrear

synonym study for rear

5. See back¹.

Words nearby rear

reappoint, reapportion, reapportionment, reappraisal, reappraise, rear, rear adm., rear admiral, rear deck, rear echelon, rear end

Definition for rear (2 of 2)

rear²

[ reer ]

/ rɪər /

verb (used with object)

to take care of and support up to maturity: to rear a child.

to breed and raise (livestock).

to raise by building; erect.

to raise to an upright position: to rear a ladder.

to lift or hold up; elevate; raise.

verb (used without object)

to rise on the hind legs, as a horse or other animal.

(of a person) to start up in angry excitement, hot resentment, or the like (usually followed by up).

to rise high or tower aloft: The skyscraper rears high over the neighboring buildings.

Origin of rear

before 900; Middle English reren, Old English rǣran to raise; cognate with Gothic -raisjan, Old Norse reisa

SYNONYMS FOR rear

1 nurture, raise.

3 construct.

5 loft.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR rear ON THESAURUS.COM

usage note for rear

1. See raise.

OTHER WORDS FROM rear

un·reared, adjectivewell-reared, adjective

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

Example sentences from the Web for rear

Shouts came from the rear of the crowd for “no violence,” shouts that went largely unheeded.
Mexican Protesters Look to Start a New Revolution|Jason McGahan|November 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST
At the rear end of the park is a wall or divider maybe six or seven feet high and about twice that wide.
Inside Hebron, Israel’s Heart of Darkness|Michael Tomasky|November 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Kitty staggered around the corner to the rear of her building, trying to make it home.
The Myth of the Central Park Five|Edward Conlon|October 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST
There is a crash and gray smoke billows from the rear of the tank.
Turkish President Kisses Off Kurds Under Siege By ISIS|Jamie Dettmer|October 7, 2014|DAILY BEAST

What is there to prevent Sherman taking General Lee in the rear?
Atlanta’s Fall Foretold The End Of Civil War Bloodshed|Marc Wortman|September 1, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The men rode toward the rear of the herd, one on each side, and Arlie fell in beside her old playmate, Dick.
A Texas Ranger|William MacLeod Raine
Before Frederic could reply, the two men were jostled and swept on by a sudden rush of a noisy crowd in their rear.
The Parisians, Complete|Edward Bulwer-Lytton
Seeing his Pawnees were some distance in the rear, the whole party turned on Major North.
The Story of the First Trans-Continental Railroad|W. F. Bailey.
At the rear, a doorway, heavily curtained, leads into another room.
Fifty Contemporary One-Act Plays|Various
It is not only loving birds that build their nests and rear their young over the horns of forgotten fears, but, alas!
Demonology and Devil-lore|Moncure Daniel Conway

British Dictionary definitions for rear (1 of 2)

rear¹

/ (rɪə) /

noun

the back or hind part

the area or position that lies at the backa garden at the rear of the house

the section of a military force or procession farthest from the front

the buttocksSee buttock

bring up the rear to be at the back in a procession, race, etc

in the rear at the back

(modifier) of or in the rearthe rear legs; the rear side

Word Origin for rear

C17: probably abstracted from rearward or rearguard

British Dictionary definitions for rear (2 of 2)

rear²

/ (rɪə) /

verb

(tr) to care for and educate (children) until maturity; bring up; raise

(tr) to breed (animals) or grow (plants)

(tr) to place or lift (a ladder, etc) upright

(tr) to erect (a monument, building, etc); put up

(intr often foll by up) (esp of horses) to lift the front legs in the air and stand nearly upright

(intr ; often foll by up or over) (esp of tall buildings) to rise high; tower

(intr) to start with anger, resentment, etc

Derived forms of rear

rearer, noun

Word Origin for rear

Old English rǣran; related to Old High German rēren to distribute, Old Norse reisa to raise

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

Idioms and Phrases with rear

rear

In addition to the idioms beginning with rear

rear end
rear its ugly head

also see:

bring up the rear

rear

noun

adjective

QUIZZES

CAN YOU ACE THIS QUIZ ABOUT “COMPLIMENT” VS. “COMPLEMENT”?

Idioms for rear

Origin of rear

synonym study for rear

Words nearby rear

Definition for rear (2 of 2)

verb (used with object)

verb (used without object)

Origin of rear

SYNONYMS FOR rear

usage note for rear

OTHER WORDS FROM rear

Words related to rear

Example sentences from the Web for rear

British Dictionary definitions for rear (1 of 2)

noun

Word Origin for rear

British Dictionary definitions for rear (2 of 2)

verb

Derived forms of rear

Word Origin for rear

Idioms and Phrases with rear