Rear

Pronunciation

• GenAm IPA: /ɹɪɹ/
• RP IPA: /ɹɪə/
• Rhymes: -ɪə(ɹ)

From Middle English reren, from Old English rǣran ("to cause to rise, rear, raise, build, create, lift up, move from a lower to a higher position, elevate, promote, exalt, set up, establish, begin, commit, do, offer, give rise to, excite, rouse, arouse, stir up"), from Proto-Germanic *raizijaną, *raisijaną ("to cause to rise, raise"), from Proto-Indo-European *rei- ("to lift oneself, rise"). Cognate with Scots rere ("to construct, build, rear"), Icelandic reisa ("to raise"), Gothic (raisjan, "to cause to rise, lift up, establish"), German reisen ("to travel", literally to rear up and depart). More at rise.

Alternative forms

• reer, rere, rare

Full definition of rear

Verb

1. (transitive) To raise physically; to lift up; to cause to rise, to elevate.
• unknown date MiltonIn adoration at his feet I fell Submiss; he reared me.
• unknown date Lord LyttonMine be the first hand to rear her banner.
2. (transitive) To construct by building; to set upto rear defenses or housesto rear one government on the ruins of another.
• unknown date Alfred TennysonOne reared a font of stone.
3. (transitive) To raise spiritually; to lift up; to elevate morally.
• unknown date Isaac BarrowIt reareth our hearts from vain thoughts.
4. (transitive, obsolete) To lift and take up.
• unknown date Edmund SpenserAnd having her from Trompart lightly reared, Upon his set the lovely load.
5. (transitive) To bring up to maturity, as offspring; to educate; to instruct; to foster.
• unknown date Thomas SoutherneHe wants a father to protect his youth, and rear him up to virtue.
6. (transitive) To breed and raise; as, to rear cattle (cattle-rearing).
7. (transitive, obsolete) To rouse; to strip up.
• unknown date, John DrydenAnd seeks the tusky boar to rear.
8. (intransitive) To rise up on the hind legs, as a bolting horse.

Usage notes

See note under raise.

Synonyms

• (rise up on the hind legs) prance
• build
• elevate
• erect
• establish
• lift
• raise

Derived terms

• raring

From Middle English reren, from Old English hrēran ("to move, shake, agitate"), from Proto-Germanic *hrōzijaną ("to stir"), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱera-, *ḱrā- ("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").

Alternative forms

• reer, rere

Verb

1. (transitive) To move; stir.
2. (transitive, of geese) To carve.Rere that goose!

Related terms

• reremouse
• uproar

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 *ḱera-, *ḱrā- ("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").

Alternative forms

• reer, rere
• rare US

Adjective

1. (now chiefly dialectal) (of eggs) Underdone; nearly raw.
2. (chiefly US) (of meats) Rare.

Derived terms

• rear-boiled
• rear-roasted

Anglo-Norman rere, ultimately from Latin retro. Compare arrear.

Adjective

1. Being behind, or in the hindmost part; hindmost; as, the rear rank of a company.

Antonyms

• front

Adverb

1. (British, dialect) early; soon
• unknown date John Gay.Then why does Cuddy leave his cot so rear!

Noun

1. The back or hindmost part; that which is behind, or last on order; - opposed to front.
• unknown date MiltonNipped with the lagging rear of winter's frost.
2. (military) Specifically, the part of an army or fleet which comes last, or is stationed behind the rest.
• unknown date MiltonWhen the fierce foe hung on our broken rear.
3. (anatomy) The buttocks, a creature's bottom

Synonyms

• (buttocks) rear end

Verb

1. To place in the rear; to secure the rear of.
2. (transitive, vulgar, British) To sodomize (perform anal sex)

Derived terms

Anagrams

• rare