bring to bear

bring (something) to bear

1. To use pressure or force to cause a certain result. If you want a confession from that guy, you're going to have to bring pressure to bear on him.
2. To point or aim a weapon. I brought the gun to bear on the intruder and was able to scare him off.
See also: bear, bring
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

bring to bear

Exert, apply, as in All his efforts are brought to bear on the new problem, or The union is bringing pressure to bear on management. [Late 1600s]
See also: bear, bring
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.

bring to bear

1. To exert; apply: bring pressure to bear on the student's parents.
2. To put (something) to good use: "All of one's faculties are brought to bear in an effort to become fully incorporated into the landscape" (Barry Lopez).
See also: bear, bring
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition.
See also:
  • bring (something) to bear
  • bring something to bear
  • ear popping
  • take (one's) blood pressure
  • take blood pressure
  • check (one's) blood pressure
  • crowd
  • crowd (one)
  • railroad (something) through
  • railroad through
References in periodicals archive
Though the LA-based artist's out-of-focus, off-center shots address formal issues such as "Field" and "Ground" (titles of two series), they also indicate a very human eye, capturing the various forms of attention we bring to bear on the world.
Uta Barth: In Between Places
The key is to bring to bear all the right resources to address clients' real needs.
Enterprising Solutions
"We'll still choose our president and Congress by the old election system, but the influence the public can bring to bear will make it far less important whom we elect" It will be government by applause meter.
VOTE.COM
Robertson's spokesman in Virginia, Gene Kapp, told The Wall Street Journal that the "enterprises" Robertson referred to are "his spiritual efforts which he can bring to bear and his entrepreneurial skills." Kapp added that he knew of no specific business plans for Robertson in Zaire.
Goodbye Mobuto, hello Kabila: Pat Robertson abandons former ally in Zaire, invites rebel revolutionary to U.S
If Peterson represents the power gay and lesbian teens can wield through social activism, Nabozny represents the legal force teens and their parents can bring to bear upon the nation's high schools.
Rebels with a cause
I'll be interested to see what wisdom the SFA bring to bear on the sending off of Falkirk's Andy Gray in last week's clash with Hearts.
SFA's new Gray area
The Board has been of the view that the agency or agencies that have overall responsibility for supervision of the institutions and the exchanges that trade these instruments can bring to bear appreciably more day-to-day information in these areas.
Statements to Congress
"Peter's international experience and client skills will certainly help to bring to bear the power of the Citi Private Bank's global franchise on our clients."
Citi appoints Peter Charrington as North America private banking head
With 7,500 UK troops in Afghanistan, he added: "We need other countries to bring to bear the sort of military effort necessary to support them."
'SUPPORT OUR AFGHAN LADS'
Chambers on Venetian perceptions of Portugal, Albinia de la Mare's on Portuguese patrons of the Florentine book trade, Eric Apfelstadt on the chapel of the cardinal of Portugal in San Miniato, Sylvie Deswarte-Rosa on the Portuguese in Rome and the Palazzo dei Tribunali) bring to bear new documentary findings on their subjects.
Cultural links between Portugal and Italy in the Renaissance. (Reviews)
I will use every ounce of influence I can bring to bear to expose you to drive you out of Wales and out of business.
Paul Starling Column: FREAKS BEWARE
The challenge lies in considering the interplay of two variables: not only differences among plays but also differences in the critical apparatus and assumptions individual critics bring to bear. As an advanced exercise to illustrate the effect of variations in critical method, students might then be encouraged to assess the implications for the concept of containment of Leah Marcus's refreshingly explicit revision of her approach to Bartholomew Fair by reading her earlier criticism on the play along with her present essay.
Subject and Object in Renaissance Culture