bore Definition

bear¹
verb bore (past tense), borne (past participle), born (past participle in sense 7b), bearing (present participle)

1. To support or sustain (a weight or load).
2. To take or accept.

Example: bear the blame
Thesaurus: tolerate, endure, sustain, suffer, support, abide, stomach, stand, weather, brook.
3. To put up with or tolerate something or someone.
4a. To allow; to be fit or suitable for something;

Example: It doesn't bear thinking about
4b. To stand up to or be capable of withstanding something.

Example: will not bear close scrutiny
5. To bring or take something with one; to carry.

Example: bearing gifts
Thesaurus: carry, transport, convey, transfer, tote.
6. To produce.

Example: bear fruit
Thesaurus: produce, yield, give birth to, bring forth, breed, engender, generate, propagate.
7a. To give birth to (a child or offspring);

Example: She bore three children
7b. In the passive using past participle born;

Example: He was born in 1990
7c. In the past tense using past participle borne;

Example: Has she borne children?
7d. In the passive using past participle borne, followed by by and the mother's name;

Example: a child borne by Mary
7e. With a direct and an indirect object to give birth to (the child of a man).

Example: She bore him a son
8. To carry something in one's thought or memory.

Example: bearing grudges
9. To have.

Example: bears no resemblance to his father
10. To show or be marked by something.

Example: Her cheeks bore the traces of tears
intr
11. To turn slightly in a given direction.

Example: bear left
12. To behave.

Example: bear oneself well

Idiom: bear fruit

To be productive; to bring results.

Idiom: bring something to bear

To apply or exert (especially pressure or influence), or bring something into operation.

Etymology: Anglo-Saxon beran to carry or support.

Phrasal Verb: bear down on or upon someone or something

To move threateningly towards them or it.
Example: saw a lorry bearing down on them

Phrasal Verb: bear on something

To affect, concern or relate to it
Example: How does the new evidence bear on this case?

Phrasal Verb: bear someone or something out

To support or confirm them or it.
Example: The evidence bears out my original suspicions
Example: My colleagues will bear me out on this

Phrasal Verb: bear up

To remain strong or brave, etc under strain or difficult circumstances
Example: How is Jo bearing up after the accident?

Phrasal Verb: bear with someone

To be patient with them.
Example: Bear with me while I check this

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bore¹
verb bored, boring

1. To make a hole in it by drilling.

Thesaurus: drill, penetrate, pierce, gouge, perforate, tunnel, countermine, burrow, sap, sink, ream.
Form: bore a hole in something (often)
2. To produce (a borehole, tunnel or mine, etc) by drilling.
intr
3. Said of a racehorse or an athlete: to push against other competitors so as to gain advantage in a race.

noun

1. The hollow barrel of a gun, or the cavity inside any such tube.
2a. The diameter of the hollow barrel of a gun, especially to show which size bullets the gun requires;

Example: 12-bore shotgun
2b. The diameter of the cavity inside any such tube or pipe. Also called calibre, gauge.
3. A borehole.
(Austral)
4. An artesian well.

Etymology: Anglo-Saxon borian.

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bore²
verb

bored, boring
1. To make someone feel tired and uninterested, by being dull, tedious, uninteresting, unimaginative, etc.

noun

1. A dull, uninteresting or tedious person or thing.
2. colloq
Something that causes a certain amount of irritation or annoyance; a nuisance.
Thesaurus: nuisance, pest, annoyance, bother, vexation; Antonym: pleasure.

Derivative: bored
adj

Tired and uninterested from being unoccupied or under-occupied.
Thesaurus: wearied, fatigued, jaded, blasé, in a rut, sick and tired; Antonym: interested, excited.

Derivative: boredom
noun

The state of being bored.
Thesaurus: apathy, listlessness, tedium, ennui, indifference, monotony, doldrums; Antonym: excitement.

Derivative: boring
adj

Tedious and uninteresting.
Thesaurus: unexciting, wearisome, tiresome, tedious, long-winded, stale, routine, dreary, dull, trite, vapid; Antonym: interesting, original.

Derivative: boringly
adverb

Etymology: 18c.

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bore³
noun

1. A solitary high wave of water resembling a wall, that moves rapidly upstream, gradually losing height, caused by constriction of the spring tide as it enters a narrow shallow estuary.

Etymology: 17c: from Norse bara a wave or swell.

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bore⁴ bear¹