bearing
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find (one's) bearings
To recognize or determine one's orientation, position, or abilities relative to one's surroundings or situation. It took me a little while to find my bearings in the new office, but after a week, I felt as if I'd been working there for years. We need to get above the treeline if we're going to find our bearings and reach the campsite before dark.
lose (one's) bearings
To lose sight of or become unable to determine one's orientation, position, or abilities relative to one's surroundings or situation. Trying to find her way home through the woods in the dead of night, Sarah lost her bearings when the clouds obscured the stars overhead. I feel like I've been losing my bearings in life ever since I lost my job.
bear a grudge (against someone)
To remain angry with someone about past slights or misdeeds. Although our disagreement happened months ago, Lily still won't talk to me—clearly, she's bearing a grudge. My sister-in-law bore a grudge against me for years after she found out that I said her wedding dress was ugly.
bear arms
To possess a weapon. The demonstration is in defense of the right to bear arms. We need to be careful, as some people in the crowd could be bearing arms.
bear down (on)
1. Literally, to press down hard on a surface or item. I bore down on the eraser, but I still couldn't fully erase my drawing. Really bear down on the bandage there—more pressure will slow the bleeding until we get to the hospital.
2. To put forth one's maximum effort toward something. If you want to get a passing grade this semester, you'll really need to bear down on your studies.
3. To move closer to someone or something, usually in an intimidating or frightening way. I'm going over the speed limit, so I have no idea why this car is bearing down on me. We ducked into a store to avoid the angry man who'd been bearing down on us.
bear fruit
1. Literally, to produce fruit, as of certain trees and plants. Now that the tree in our backyard is bearing fruit, the kids love picking apples from it.
2. By extension, to yield desired results. Donna is convinced that this plan will bear fruit if we just keep working on it, but it's been a year—the rest of us are officially skeptical.
bear in mind (that)
To remember and consider something when making a decision or before taking action. This phrase is often used as an instruction. Before you ask for a raise, bear in mind that the company isn't doing well financially right now. Bearing in mind that you got excellent grades this semester, your father and I are willing to extend your curfew.
bear off (of something)
To turn or veer off of a road. This phrase is often given as an instruction to someone who is driving. Now bear off of this road and then take the highway entrance to the right.
bear (up)on (something)
To impact or affect something or someone. How does my lateness bear upon you? You weren't here on time either! Don't worry, our lawyers have told us that this information won't bear on the merger.
See also: bear
bear out
To support or prove a claim or idea. If you didn't do anything wrong, then the investigation will bear out your innocence.
bear testimony to (something)
To support or prove a claim or idea, often by one's (or something's) physical presence. If you didn't do anything wrong, then the investigation will bear testimony to that. The many students on campus these days bear testimony to the school's successful rebranding efforts. The beautiful homes and vibrant gardens bear testimony to the rebirth of this neighborhood.
See also: bear
bear the brunt (of something)
To suffer the worst part of an unpleasant or problematic situation. When our system crashed, the call center employees bore the brunt of our customers' anger. Because I came home late, my sister bore the brunt of our mother's frustration about her job.
bear watching
To warrant one's attention. Because this situation is so fluid, it bears watching over the next few hours.
bear witness to (something)
To support or prove a claim or idea by one's (or something's) physical presence. The many students on campus these days bear witness to the school's successful rebranding efforts. The beautiful homes and vibrant gardens bear witness to the rebirth of this neighborhood.
beware of Greeks bearing gifts
Be skeptical of a present or kindness from an enemy. The phrase refers to the Trojan horse, a gift to the Trojans from which Greek soldiers emerged and conquered Troy. A: "I can't believe the opposing team made us cupcakes before the big game!" B: "Yeah, I'd beware of Greeks bearing gifts if I were you."
get (one's) bearings
To recognize or determine one's orientation, position, or abilities relative to one's surroundings or situation. We need to get above the tree line if we're going to get our bearings and reach the campsite before dark. It took me a little while to get my bearings in the new office, but after a week, I felt as if I'd been working there for years.
bear up
1. To physically hold or prop someone or something up. In this usage, a noun or pronoun can be used between "bear" and "up." This rod is too flimsy to bear up the weight of all those clothes. A: "How did the swing break?" B: "I guess it couldn't bear up four people at once."
2. To endure or persevere through challenges or emotional distress. Mandy's been OK today, but I doubt she'll bear up well at the funeral.
3. To help one to endure or persevere through emotional distress. In this usage, a noun or pronoun can be used between "bear" and "up." The presence of Mandy's father really bore her up at the funeral.
grin and bear it
To endure an unpleasant situation. Well, a delayed flight isn't an ideal situation, but we'll just have to grin and bear it.
bear fruit
1. Lit. [for a plant or tree] to yield fruit. Our apple tree didn't bear fruit this year.
2. Fig. to yield results. I hope your new plan bears fruit. We've had many good ideas, but none of them has borne fruit.
bear someone or something up
to hold someone or something up; to support someone or something. Will this bench bear me up? This bench is so sturdy it would bear up an elephant.
bear someone up*
to sustain or encourage someone. Your encouragement bore me up through a very hard time. I will bear up the widow through the funeral service as well as I can.
bear something out
[for facts or evidence] to support or confirm a story or explanation. The facts don't bear this out. Her story bears out exactly what you said.
bear up (under something)
1. Lit. to hold up under something; to sustain the weight of something. How is the new beam bearing up under the weight of the floor? It isn't bearing up. It broke.
2. Fig. [for someone] to remain brave under a mental or emotional burden. Jill did not bear up well under problems with her family. Jill bore up quite well amid serious difficulties.
bear up
(under something)1. Lit. to hold up under something; to sustain the weight of something. How is the new beam bearing up under the weight of the floor? It isn't bearing up. It broke.
2. Fig. [for someone] to remain brave under a mental or emotional burden. Jill did not bear up well under problems with her family. Jill bore up quite well amid serious difficulties.
bear watching
to need close, attentive observation or monitoring. This problem will bear watching. This is a very serious disease, and it will bear watching for further developments.
Beware of Greeks bearing gifts.
Prov. Do not trust an opponent who offers to do something nice for you. (A line from the story of the Trojan horse, as told in Vergil's Aeneid.) Jill: I can't believe Melanie brought me cookies today, when we've been fighting for weeks. Jane: Beware of Greeks bearing gifts. She probably has ulterior motives. When the rival company invited all his employees to a Christmas party, Tom's first impulse was to beware of Greeks bearing gifts, but then he upbraided himself for being paranoid.
grin and bear it
Fig. to endure something unpleasant in good humor. There is nothing you can do but grin and bear it. I hate having to work for rude people. I guess I have to grin and bear it.
have (some) bearing on something
to have relevance to something. (Note the use of no and any in the negative.) I know something that has some bearing on the issue you are discussing. This has no bearing on anything that will happen today. This doesn't have any bearing on all that. What bearing does John's decision have on the situation?
*one's bearings
the knowledge of where one is; the knowledge of how one is oriented to one's immediate environment. (*Typically: get ~; find ~; have ~; lose ~; tell one ~.) After he fell, it took Ted a few minutes to get his bearings. Jean found her compass and got her bearings almost immediately.
See also: bearing
bear fruit
Yield results, have a favorable outcome, as in This new idea of his is bound to bear fruit. This metaphoric term, first recorded in 1879, transfers the production of fruit by a tree or plant to other kinds of useful yield.
bear out
Back up or confirm, as in The results bear out what he predicted, or His story bears me out exactly. [Late 1400s]
bear up
Endure, face a hardship, as in Jane found it hard to bear up under the strain of her father's illness. This term is also used as an imperative, as in Bear up-the trip's almost over. [c. 1600]
get one's bearings
Also, find one's bearings. Figure out one's position or situation relative to one's surroundings. For example, She's still new to the company and needs time to find her bearings, or I'll be along soon; just wait till I get my bearings. Naturally, one can also lose one's bearings, as in After we missed the turnpike exit, we completely lost our bearings. These phrases use bearings in the sense of "relative position," a usage dating from the 1600s.
grin and bear it
Put up good-humoredly with adversity, with good humor, as in It's no fun being sick for the holidays, but you might as well grin and bear it. Also put as grin and abide in the 19th century, this expression became so well known that Sam Walter Foss (1858-1911) made a pun on it in his poem, "The Firm of Grin and Barrett": "Never yet was any panic Scared the firm of Grin and Barrett."
lose one's bearings
see under get one's bearings.
bear fruit
FORMALCOMMON If an action bears fruit, it produces good results. The strategy of concentrating the company's efforts on a smaller range of businesses is now beginning to bear fruit. It remains to be seen whether the economic reforms will bear fruit.
grin and bear it
If you grin and bear it, you accept or tolerate something bad, such as a problem or a pain, because you believe you cannot change it. In the past, a royal trapped in a loveless marriage would have been obliged to grin and bear it. Severe or recurrent abdominal pain should always be checked. Don't just grin and bear it.
bear fruit
have good results.This expression is a biblical metaphor, found, for example, in Matthew 13:23: ‘But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty’.
beware (or fear) the Greeks bearing gifts
if rivals or enemies show apparent generosity or kindness, you should be suspicious of their motives. proverbThis proverb refers to the Trojan priest Laocoon's warning in Virgil 's Aeneid: ‘timeo Danaos et dona ferentes ’, in which he warns his countrymen against taking into their city the gigantic wooden horse that the Greeks have left behind on their apparent departure. The fall of Troy results from their failure to heed this warning.
grin and bear it
suffer pain or misfortune in a stoical manner.The usual modern sense of grin is less sinister than its earliest senses: when it entered the language it primarily meant ‘an act of showing the teeth’ or ‘a snarl’. From the mid 17th century to the mid 18th century, a grin was generally used in a derogatory way or in unfavourable contrast to a cheerful smile . The sense of grin in grin and bear it retains the earlier associations with showing your teeth in a grimace of pain or anger. Grin and abide is recorded as a proverb in the late 18th century; the modern version dates from the late 19th century.
bear ˈfruit
have the desired result; be successful: The tireless efforts of campaigners have finally borne fruit and the prisoners are due to be released tomorrow.find/get your ˈbearings
find out exactly where you are, or the details of the situation you are in, especially when this is new and unfamiliar: We got off the bus right in the centre of town and it took us a moment or two to get our bearings. ♢ I’ve only been in the job for a week so I’m still finding my bearings.lose your ˈbearings
become lost or suddenly confused: The old man seemed to have lost his bearings for a moment.grin and ˈbear it
(informal) (only used as an infinitive and in orders) accept something unpleasant without complaining: If the trip is a disaster, you’ll just have to grin and bear it.bear out
v.
To be evidence that something is true or that what someone says is true; support something or someone: The test results bear out our claims. I told them my side of the story and the evidence bore me out.
bear up
v.
To withstand stress, difficulty, or attrition: The patient bore up well during the long illness. The president had a hard time bearing up against his critics.