bring something to bear 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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bring
verb brought, bringing

1. To carry or take something or someone to a stated or implied place or person.

Example: Bring the cup here
Thesaurus: transport, convey, carry, conduct, bear, transfer.
2. To make someone or something be in, or reach, a certain state.

Example: It brought him to his senses
Example: bring two new rules into effect
3. To make something or result in it.

Example: War brings misery
Thesaurus: cause, produce, effect, begin, make, generate, beget, institute, initiate, engender, create.
4. To persuade, make or force oneself to do (something unpleasant).

Example: I can't bring myself to tell her
Form: bring oneself to do something (especially)
5. To be sold for (a stated price); to produce (a stated amount) as income.

Form: bring in something (especially)
6. To make (a charge or action, etc) against someone.
7. To give (evidence) to a court, etc.

Derivative: bringer
noun

Idiom: bring home something (bring something home to someone)

To prove or show it clearly.

Idiom: bring the house down

Said of an actor or performer, etc: to receive ecstatic applause; to be brilliantly successful.

Idiom: bring something to bear

To make (pressure or influence) felt; to apply it.

Idiom: bring something to mind

To make it be remembered or thought about.
Example: That story brought to mind my student days

Idiom: bring up the rear

To come last or behind all the others.

Idiom: bring someone up short

To make them stop suddenly.
Example: The doorbell brought me up short

Etymology: Anglo-Saxon bringan.

Phrasal Verb: bring something about

To make it happen; to cause it.

Phrasal Verb: bring something or someone along

Usually said of a person: to bring or convey (a thing or person) with them.To help something develop.
Example: His visit brought the decorating along greatly

Phrasal Verb: bring something back

To make (a thought or memory) return.

Phrasal Verb: bring someone down

To make them sad or disappointed, etc.To demean them.

Phrasal Verb: bring something down

To make it fall or collapse.

Phrasal Verb: bring something forth

To give birth to or produce (an offspring, etc).

Phrasal Verb: bring something forward

To move (an arrangement, etc) to an earlier date or time.To draw attention to it.
Example: I hesitate to bring the matter forward
To transfer (a partial sum) to the head of the next column.

Phrasal Verb: bring something in

To introduce it or make it effective, etc.To produce (income or profit).

Phrasal Verb: bring something off

To succeed in doing (something difficult).
Example: It's really tricky, so I hope I can bring it off OK

Phrasal Verb: bring something on

To help it to develop or progress.
Example: The rain will bring on my seedlings
To make it happen or appear.
Example: This weather brings on my arthritis

Phrasal Verb: bring something out

To emphasize or clarify something (often a quality in someone).
Example: brings out the worst in me
To publish or release it.
Example: brought out a new novel

Phrasal Verb: bring someone out in something

To cause them to be affected with (spots or a rash, etc).
Example: Cats bring me out in spots

Phrasal Verb: bring someone over or round or around

To convince them that one's own opinions, etc are right; to convert them to one's own side.

Phrasal Verb: bring someone round

To cause them to recover consciousness.

Phrasal Verb: bring someone to

To make (someone who is asleep or unconscious) wake up.

Phrasal Verb: bring something to

To bring (a ship) to a standstill.

Phrasal Verb: bring someone up

To care for and educate them when young.

Phrasal Verb: bring something up

To introduce (a subject) for discussion.To vomit or regurgitate (something eaten).