rear
verbadjectiveadverbnounverbverbadjectivecommon in dialogue
- United Kingdom//ˈɹɪː//
- United Kingdom//ˈɹɪjə//
- Australia//ˈɹɪə//
- Australia/[ˈɹʷɪə̯]/
- New Zealand//ˈɹiə//
To bring up to maturity, as offspring; to educate; to instruct; to foster.
verb
- 1
To bring up to maturity, as offspring; to educate; to instruct; to foster.
He wants a father to protect his youth, and rear him up to virtue.
- 2
To breed and raise.
The family has been rearing cattle for 200 years.
- 3
To rise up on the hind legs.
The horse was shocked, and thus reared.
- 4
To get angry.
- 5
To rise high above, tower above.
By my side reared a solid stone wall, and beneath was simply the room we stood in, for the space below the stairway was not enclosed.
- 6
To raise physically or metaphorically; to lift up; to cause to rise, to elevate.
Poverty reared its ugly head. (appeared, started, began to have an effect)
The monster slowly reared its head.
In adoration at his feet I fell Submiss; he reared me.
Mine [shall be] the first hand to rear her banner.
- 7
rareTo construct by building; to set up
to rear defenses or houses
to rear one government on the ruins of another.
One reared a font of stone.
- 8
rareTo raise spiritually; to lift up; to elevate morally.
It reareth our hearts from vain thoughts.
- 9
obsoleteTo lift and take up.
And hauing her from Trompart lightly reard, / Vpon his Courser set the louely lode,
- 10
obsoleteTo rouse; to strip up.
And seeks the tusky boar to rear.
Etymology
From Middle English reren (“to raise”), from Old English rǣran (“to raise, set upright, promote, exalt, begin, create, give rise to, excite, rouse, arouse, stir up”), from Proto-West Germanic *raiʀijan, from Proto-Germanic *raizijaną, *raisijaną (“to cause to rise, raise”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₁rey- (“to lift oneself, rise”). Cognate with Scots rere (“to construct, build, rear”), Icelandic reisa (“to raise”), Gothic 𐍂𐌰𐌹𐍃𐌾𐌰𐌽 (raisjan, “to cause to rise, lift up, establish”), German reisen (“to travel”, literally “to rear up and depart”); and a doublet of raise. More at rise. Related to rise and raise, which is used for several of its now archaic or obsolete senses and for some of its senses that are currently more common in other dialects of English.
adjective
- 1
Being behind, or in the hindmost part; hindmost.
the rear rank of a company
sit in the rear seats of a car
Etymology
From Middle English rere, from Anglo-Norman rere, ultimately from Latin retro. Compare arrear. Doublet of retro.
adverb
- 1
early; soon
Then why does Cuddy leave his cot so rear!
noun
- 1
The back or hindmost part; that which is behind, or last in order.
Nipt with the lagging rear of winters froſt.
- 2
Specifically, the part of an army or fleet which comes last, or is stationed behind the rest.
When the fierce Foe hung on our brok'n Rear
- 3
The buttocks or bottom.
verb
- 1
To place in the rear; to secure the rear of.
- 2
To sodomize (perform anal sex)
verb
- 1
To move; stir.
- 2
To carve.
Rear that goose!
- 3
obsoleteTo revive, bring to life, quicken. (only in the phrase, to rear to life)
He healeth the blind and he reareth to life the dead.
Etymology
From Middle English reren, from Old English hrēran (“to move, shake, agitate”), from Proto-Germanic *hrōzijaną (“to stir”), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱroHs- (“to mix, stir, cook”). Cognate with Dutch roeren (“to stir, shake, whip”), German rühren (“to stir, beat, move”), Swedish röra (“to touch, move, stir”), Icelandic hræra (“to stir”).
adjective
- 1
(of eggs) Underdone; nearly raw.
- 2
(of meats) Rare.
Fred ordered a rear steak along with a glass of beer as he took a seat at an empty table
Etymology
From Middle English rere, from Old English hrēr, hrēre (“not thoroughly cooked, underdone, lightly boiled”), from hrēran (“to move, shake, agitate”), from Proto-Germanic *hrōzijaną (“to stir”), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱroHs- (“to mix, stir, cook”). Related to Old English hrōr (“stirring, busy, active, strong, brave”), Dutch roeren (“to stir, shake, whip”), German rühren (“to stir, beat, move”), Swedish röra (“to touch, move, stir”), Icelandic hræra (“to stir”).
Forms
- plural
- rears
- comparative
- rearer, more rear
- superlative
- rearest, most rear
- past tense
- reared
- past participle
- reared
- present participle
- rearing
- third person singular
- rears
rear · To bring up to maturity, as offspring; to educate; to instruct; to foster.
rearrange · To change the order or arrangement of (one or more items).reason · A cause: That which causes something: an efficient cause, a…Reason · A surname.