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bear down
verb
bore down; borne down also born down; bearing down; bears down
: to exert full strength and concentrated attention
Examples of bear down in a Sentence
you need to bear down on that cap a bit to get it to latch tightly
Recent Examples on the Web
The Weather Prediction Center issued excessive rainfall risks beginning Nov. 19 and lasting through Nov. 22 as the strongest atmospheric river – long plumes of moisture stretching far over the Pacific Ocean – that California and the Pacific Northwest has seen this season bears down on the region.
—Hallie Golden and Christopher Weber, The Christian Science Monitor, 19 Nov. 2024
Listen to this article Loading your audio article This year’s bomb cyclone season has rolled around once again, and a powerful one exacerbated by a massive atmospheric river could be bearing down on the Pacific Northwest and Northern California, weather experts warned Tuesday.
—Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 19 Nov. 2024
Massive trucks carrying thousands of gallons of milk bore down the narrow road, and three men dressed in full regalia used their spurs to whirl sweating horses past us at a full gallop.
—Kayla Aletha Welch, Longreads, 19 Nov. 2024
Refusing to leave the dock is what made Malinowski famous as two major hurricanes bore down on Florida in late September and early October.
—Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 18 Oct. 2024
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Word History
First Known Use
14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense
Time Traveler
The first known use of bear down was
in the 14th century
Articles Related to bear down
Dictionary Entries Near bear down
Cite this Entry
“Bear down.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bear%20down. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.
Kids Definition
Medical Definition
bear down
intransitive verb
: to contract the abdominal muscles and the diaphragm during childbirth
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
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