rear
rear [rear rears reared rearing] noun, adjective, verb BrE [rɪə(r)] NAmE [rɪr]
noun
1. (usually the rear)singular the back part of sth
• A trailer was attached to the rear of the truck.
• There are toilets at both front and rear of the plane.
•A high gate blocks the only entrance to the rear.
2. (also ˌrear ˈend)countable, usually singular (informal)the part of the body that you sit on
Syn: ↑bottom
•a kick in the rear
•He spends all day sitting on his rear end in front of a computer.
Word Origin:
n. and adj. Middle English Old French rere Latin retro ‘back’ v. Old English rǣran ‘set upright, construct, elevate’ Germanic ↑raise rear ↑rise
Which Word?:
at the back / at the rear / behind
At the back and at the rear have a similar meaning, but at the rear is used more in formal or official language: ▪ What’s that at the back of the fridge? ◇ ▪ Smoking is only allowed at the rear of the aircraft. It is more usual to talk about the back door of a house but the rear exit of an aircraft or public building. If something is behind something else it is near to the back of it but not part of it. Compare: ▪ Our room was at the back of the hotel and ▪ There’s a lovely wood just behind our hotel.
Example Bank:
•Car seats for young babies should face the rear.
•The radio is loudest in the rear of the car.
•The socket for the printer cable is located at the rear of the computer.
•Three drummers brought up the rear.
Idioms: ↑bring up the rear ▪ ↑something rears its head
Derived: ↑rear somebody on something
adjective only before noun
at or near the back of sth
•front and rear windows
•the rear entrance of the building
Word Origin:
n. and adj. Middle English Old French rere Latin retro ‘back’ v. Old English rǣran ‘set upright, construct, elevate’ Germanic ↑raise rear ↑rise
verb
1. transitive ~ sb/sth often passive to care for young children or animals until they are fully grown
Syn: ↑bring somebody up, Syn: ↑raise
•She reared a family of five on her own.
•Lions usually manage to rear about half the number of cubs born to them.
2. transitive ~ sth to breed or keep animals or birds, for example on a farm
•to rear cattle
3. intransitive ~ (up) (of an animal, especially a horse)to raise itself on its back legs, with the front legs in the air
•The horse reared, throwing its rider.
4. intransitive ~ (up) (of sth large)to seem to lean over you, especially in a threatening way
•The great bulk of the building reared up against the night sky.
Verb forms: 
Word Origin:
n. and adj. Middle English Old French rere Latin retro ‘back’ v. Old English rǣran ‘set upright, construct, elevate’ Germanic ↑raise rear ↑rise
Example Bank:
•intensively reared beef cattle
•naturally reared pork and beef
•The young crocodiles were reared indoors at a constant temperature of 32°C.
|
|
