rear

[ reer ]

See synonyms for: rear reared rearing 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.

Idioms about 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; shortened variant of arrear

synonym study For rear

5. See back¹.

Other definitions for rear (2 of 2)

rear²

[ reer ]

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

First recorded before 900; Middle English reren, ræren, reare, Old English rǣran “to raise ”; cognate with Gothic -raisjan, Old Norse reisa

confusables note For rear

1. See raise.

Other words for rear

1	nurture, raise
3	construct
5	hoist, lift

See synonyms for rear on Thesaurus.com

Other words from rear

un·reared, adjective
well-reared, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use rear in a sentence

The rears of planes are becoming hell with smaller, harder seats to jam as many passengers in as possible.
Flying Coach Is the New Hell: How Airlines Engineer You Out of Room | Clive Irving | November 25, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
After mom cries out in anguish and frustration on hearing the verdict, the ugly side of the protests rears its head.
Michael Brown’s Stepfather Tells Crowd, ‘Burn This Bitch Down’ | Jack Holmes, The Daily Beast Video | November 25, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
Every so often, true evil rears its ugly head and we must deal with it.
Killer Eric Frein Held in Murdered Cop’s Cuffs | Michael Daly | October 31, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
The message that we must send is that racism, in all of its forms, must be fought every time it rears its dangerous head.
Violence Erupts When You Tolerate Antisemitism | Dr. Charles Asher Small | April 14, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
I look forward to his paeans to religious freedom when anti-Mormonism rears its head again in 2012.
America Has Disgraced Itself | Peter Beinart | August 17, 2010 | THE DAILY BEAST

But, just examine this heterogeneous pile of 'cigar-lights,' which rears its audacious head upon the table.
Tobacco; Its History, Varieties, Culture, Manufacture and Commerce | E. R. Billings.
The cupola rears its proud head majestically above the pile of stone and marble.
Prison Memoirs of an Anarchist | Alexander Berkman
Wachusett, twelve miles distant, rears its imposing pile in the south, while Big Watatic overtops its brethren in the northwest.
The Bay State Monthly, Vol. II, No. 6, March, 1885 | Various
Then along comes another—one with a hearty red face, who rears well back and steps out with martial precision.
Those Times And These | Irvin S. Cobb
But the poor man remains, and the castle yet rears its lofty front above the hovels of the suffering laborers.
Belford's Magazine, Vol. II, No. 3, February 1889 | Various

British Dictionary definitions for rear (1 of 2)

rear¹

/ (rɪə) /

noun

the back or hind part
the area or position that lies at the back: a garden at the rear of the house

the section of a military force or procession farthest from the front
the buttocks: See 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 rear: the rear legs; the rear side

Origin of 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

Origin of rear

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

Derived forms of rear

rearer, noun

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

Other 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

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