rear

[ reer ]

/ rɪər /

|||

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR rear ON THESAURUS.COM

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.

Nearby words

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

Idioms

rear its (ugly) head. head(def 85).

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 MORE SYNONYMS FOR rear ON THESAURUS.COM

Related formsun·reared, adjectivewell-reared, adjective

Usage note

1. See raise.

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

Examples from the Web for reared

Even if they have been reared from a young age in captivity, news reports abound with animal attacks.
The $10 Billion Pet Cheetah and Chimp Industry|Sharon Adarlo|July 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
For a while, she fell into a depression and abandoned the churchgoing Methodist tradition in which she was reared.
Joy Reid, MSNBC Anchor, on the Racism of the Tea Party, Family Dramas, and Why She Loves Boxing|Lloyd Grove|March 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Racial tension, never far from the surface of public debate here, also reared its head.
Oscar Pistorius Now Being Seen by Many South Africans as a Fallen Hero|Eusebius McKaiser|February 15, 2013|DAILY BEAST
He acquired the wolves as cubs from zoos or animal parks and has reared them mostly by hand.
Meet Germany's Wolf Man|Justin Green|January 29, 2013|DAILY BEAST

During a visitation on August 14, a caustic and angry Casey reared her head and jurors were seen taking notes.
Casey Anthony Speaks|Diane Dimond|June 3, 2011|DAILY BEAST
Again, this Confederate soldier was born and reared a gentleman, was so by instinct.
The Story of a Confederate boy in the Civil War|David E. Johnston
They have a right to be born with a good inheritance, to be reared in good health, and to be well trained in a happy home.
The Good Housekeeping Marriage Book|Various
It is all very well to love the woman who reared us, but est medius in rebus.
The Bashful Lover (Novels of Paul de Kock Volume XIX)|Charles Paul de Kock
And now Carmen herself had shown him that real education must be reared upon a foundation wholly spiritual.
Carmen Ariza|Charles Francis Stocking
It reared over the boat that Hrymer sat in and that Thor straddled across.
The Children of Odin|Padraic Colum

British Dictionary definitions for reared (1 of 2)

rear

/ (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 reared (2 of 2)

rear

/ (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 Formsrearer, 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

Word Origin and History for reared (1 of 4)

rear

adj.

c.1300, from Old French rere (see rear (n.)).

Word Origin and History for reared (1 of 4)

rear

v.2

"attack in the rear," 17c., from rear (n.).

Word Origin and History for reared (2 of 4)

rear

"hindmost part," c.1600, abstracted from rerewarde "rear guard, hindmost part of an army or fleet" (mid-14c.), from Anglo-French rerewarde, Old French rieregarde, from Old French adverb riere "behind" (from Latin retro "back, behind;" see retro-) + Old French garde (see guard (n.)). Or the word may be a shortened form of arrear (see arrears).

As a euphemism for "buttocks" it is attested from 1796. Rear admiral is first attested 1580s, apparently so called from ranking "behind" an admiral proper. Rear-view (mirror) is recorded from 1926.

Word Origin and History for reared (3 of 4)

rear

v.1

Old English ræran "to raise, build up, create, set on end; arouse, excite, stir up," from Proto-Germanic *raizijanau "to raise," causative of *risanan "to rise" (see raise (v.)). Meaning "bring into being, bring up" (as a child) is recorded from early 15c.; that of "raise up on the hind legs" is first recorded late 14c. Related: Reared; rearing.

Idioms and Phrases with reared

rear

In addition to the idioms beginning with rear

rear end
rear its ugly head

also see:

bring up the rear

rear

verb (used with object)

verb (used without object)

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RELATED WORDS

Nearby words

Idioms

Origin of rear

Usage note

Examples from the Web for reared

British Dictionary definitions for reared (1 of 2)

rear

noun

Word Origin for rear

British Dictionary definitions for reared (2 of 2)

rear

verb

Word Origin for rear

Word Origin and History for reared (1 of 4)

rear

Word Origin and History for reared (1 of 4)

rear

Word Origin and History for reared (2 of 4)

rear

Word Origin and History for reared (3 of 4)

rear

Idioms and Phrases with reared

rear