rear2
- 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.
- 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.
- rear its (ugly) head. head(def 85).
Origin of rear2
Synonyms
See more synonyms for rear on Thesaurus.comUsage note
Examples from the Web for reared
Contemporary Examples
Even if they have been reared from a young age in captivity, news reports abound with animal attacks.
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 BoxingLloyd Grove
March 27, 2014
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 HeroEusebius McKaiser
February 15, 2013
He acquired the wolves as cubs from zoos or animal parks and has reared them mostly by hand.
During a visitation on August 14, a caustic and angry Casey reared her head and jurors were seen taking notes.
Historical Examples
And what monument would you have reared to mark the spot where Anaxagoras sleeps?
PhilotheaLydia Maria Child
She had been reared in a criminal family, which must excuse much.
Within the LawMarvin Dana
She had not wanted to part with the home she had been reared in.
Her Father's DaughterGene Stratton-Porter
By the sword the Ottoman Empire was reared and by the sword it has been ruled ever since.
He reared it as a habitation for his queen, and he called it by her name.
rear1
- 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
rear2
- (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
Word Origin
Word Origin and History for reared
rear
adj.
c.1300, from Old French rere (see rear (n.)).
rear
v.2
"attack in the rear," 17c., from rear (n.).
rear
n.
"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.
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