bore

1
[ bawr, bohr ]
/ bɔr, boʊr /

verb (used with object), bored, bor·ing.

to weary by dullness, tedious repetition, unwelcome attentions, etc.: The long speech bored me.

noun

a dull, tiresome, or uncongenial person.
a cause of ennui or petty annoyance: repetitious tasks that are a bore to do.

Origin of bore

1
First recorded in 1760–70; of uncertain origin

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH bore

boar Boer boor bore board bored board bored committee council panel trust

Definition for bore (2 of 6)

bore 2
[ bawr, bohr ]
/ bɔr, boʊr /

verb (used with object), bored, bor·ing.

verb (used without object), bored, bor·ing.

noun

a hole made or enlarged by boring.
the inside diameter of a hole, tube, or hollow cylindrical object or device, such as a bushing or bearing, engine cylinder, or barrel of a gun.

Origin of bore

2
before 900; Middle English; Old English borian; cognate with Old High German borōn, Old Norse bora, Latin forāre

OTHER WORDS FROM bore

bore·a·ble, bor·a·ble, adjective

Definition for bore (3 of 6)

bore 3
[ bawr, bohr ]
/ bɔr, boʊr /

noun

an abrupt rise of tidal water moving rapidly inland from the mouth of an estuary.
Also called tidal bore.

Origin of bore

3
1275–1325; Middle English bare < Old Norse bāra wave

Definition for bore (4 of 6)

bore 4
[ bawr, bohr ]
/ bɔr, boʊr /

verb

simple past tense of bear1.

Definition for bore (5 of 6)

bear 1
[ bair ]
/ bɛər /

verb (used with object), bore or (Archaic) bare; borne or born; bear·ing.

verb (used without object), bore or (Archaic) bare; borne or born; bear·ing.

Verb Phrases

Origin of bear

1
before 900; Middle English beren, Old English beran; cognate with Old Saxon, Old High German beran, Dutch baren, Old Frisian, Old Norse bera, Gothic bairan, German ( ge)bären, Russian berët (he) takes, Albanian bie, Tocharian pär-, Phrygian ab-beret (he) brings, Latin ferre, Old Irish berid (he) carries, Armenian berem, Greek phérein, Sanskrit bhárati, Avestan baraiti; < Indo-European *bher- (see -fer, -phore)

synonym study for bear

10. Bear, stand, endure refer to supporting the burden of something distressing, irksome, or painful. Bear and stand are close synonyms and have a general sense of withstanding: to bear a disappointment well; to stand a loss. Endure implies continued resistance and patience in bearing through a long time: to endure torture.

usage note for bear

Since the latter part of the 18th century, a distinction has been made between born and borne as past participles of the verb bear1 . Borne is the past participle in all senses that do not refer to physical birth: The wheatfields have borne abundantly this year. Judges have always borne a burden of responsibility. Borne is also the participle when the sense is “to bring forth (young)” and the focus is on the mother rather than on the child. In such cases, borne is preceded by a form of have or followed by by: Anna had borne a son the previous year. Two children borne by her earlier were already grown. When the focus is on the offspring or on something brought forth as if by birth, born is the standard spelling, and it occurs only in passive constructions: My friend was born in Ohio. No children have been born at the South Pole. A strange desire was born of the tragic experience. Born is also an adjective meaning “by birth,” “innate,” or “native”: born free; a born troublemaker; Mexican-born.

Definition for bore (6 of 6)

bear 2
[ bair ]
/ bɛər /

noun, plural bears, (especially collectively) bear.

adjective

having to do with or marked by declining prices, as of stocks: bear market.

verb (used with object), beared, bear·ing.

Stock Exchange. to force prices down in (a market, stock, etc.).

Origin of bear

2
before 1000; Middle English be(a)re, beor(e), Old English bera; cognate with Frisian bār, Dutch beer, Old High German bero (German Bär); < Germanic *beran- literally, the brown one; akin to Old Norse bjǫrn, bersi; compare Lithuanian bė́ras brown. Cf. bruin

OTHER WORDS FROM bear

bear·like, adjective

Example sentences from the Web for bore

British Dictionary definitions for bore (1 of 7)

bore 1
/ (bɔː) /

verb

noun

Word Origin for bore

Old English borian; related to Old Norse bora, Old High German borōn to bore, Latin forāre to pierce, Greek pharos ploughing, phárunx pharynx

British Dictionary definitions for bore (2 of 7)

bore 2
/ (bɔː) /

verb

(tr) to tire or make weary by being dull, repetitious, or uninteresting

noun

a dull, repetitious, or uninteresting person, activity, or state

Derived forms of bore

bored, adjective

Word Origin for bore

C18: of unknown origin

British Dictionary definitions for bore (3 of 7)

bore 3
/ (bɔː) /

noun

a high steep-fronted wave moving up a narrow estuary, caused by the tide

Word Origin for bore

C17: from Old Norse bāra wave, billow

British Dictionary definitions for bore (4 of 7)

bore 4
/ (bɔː) /

verb

the past tense of bear 1

British Dictionary definitions for bore (5 of 7)

Bear
/ (bɛə) /

noun the Bear

the English name for Ursa Major, Ursa Minor
an informal name for Russia

British Dictionary definitions for bore (6 of 7)

bear 1
/ (bɛə) /

verb bears, bearing, bore or borne (mainly tr)

Word Origin for bear

Old English beran; related to Old Norse bera, Old High German beran to carry, Latin ferre, Greek pherein to bear, Sanskrit bharati he carries

British Dictionary definitions for bore (7 of 7)

bear 2
/ (bɛə) /

noun plural bears or bear

any plantigrade mammal of the family Ursidae : order Carnivora (carnivores). Bears are typically massive omnivorous animals with a large head, a long shaggy coat, and strong claws See also black bear, brown bear, polar bear Related adjective: ursine
any of various bearlike animals, such as the koala and the ant bear
a clumsy, churlish, or ill-mannered person
a teddy bear
stock exchange
  1. a speculator who sells in anticipation of falling prices to make a profit on repurchase
  2. (as modifier)a bear market Compare bull 1 (def. 5)

verb bears, bearing or beared

(tr) to lower or attempt to lower the price or prices of (a stock market or a security) by speculative selling

Word Origin for bear

Old English bera; related to Old Norse bjorn, Old High German bero

Scientific definitions for bore

bore
[ bôr ]

In fluid mechanics, a jump in the level of moving water, generally propagating in the opposite direction to the current. Strong ocean tides can cause bores to propagate up rivers.
  1. The white, shallow portion of a wave after it breaks. The bore carries ocean water onto the beach.
  2. A tidal wave caused by the surge of a flood tide upstream in a narrowing estuary or by colliding tidal currents.

Idioms and Phrases with bore

bear