bear up
Related to bear up: bear with, bear out, brought to bear, brings to bear
bear up
1. To physically hold or prop someone or something up. In this usage, a noun or pronoun can be used between "bear" and "up." This rod is too flimsy to bear up the weight of all those clothes. A: "How did the swing break?" B: "I guess it couldn't bear up four people at once."
2. To endure or persevere through challenges or emotional distress. Mandy's been OK today, but I doubt she'll bear up well at the funeral.
3. To help one to endure or persevere through emotional distress. In this usage, a noun or pronoun can be used between "bear" and "up." The presence of Mandy's father really bore her up at the funeral.
See also: bear, up
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
bear someone or something up
to hold someone or something up; to support someone or something. Will this bench bear me up? This bench is so sturdy it would bear up an elephant.
See also: bear, up
bear someone up*
to sustain or encourage someone. Your encouragement bore me up through a very hard time. I will bear up the widow through the funeral service as well as I can.
See also: bear, up
bear up (under something)
1. Lit. to hold up under something; to sustain the weight of something. How is the new beam bearing up under the weight of the floor? It isn't bearing up. It broke.
2. Fig. [for someone] to remain brave under a mental or emotional burden. Jill did not bear up well under problems with her family. Jill bore up quite well amid serious difficulties.
See also: bear, up
bear up
(under something)1. Lit. to hold up under something; to sustain the weight of something. How is the new beam bearing up under the weight of the floor? It isn't bearing up. It broke.
2. Fig. [for someone] to remain brave under a mental or emotional burden. Jill did not bear up well under problems with her family. Jill bore up quite well amid serious difficulties.
See also: bear, up
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
bear up
Endure, face a hardship, as in Jane found it hard to bear up under the strain of her father's illness. This term is also used as an imperative, as in Bear up-the trip's almost over. [c. 1600]
See also: bear, up
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
bear up
v.
To withstand stress, difficulty, or attrition: The patient bore up well during the long illness. The president had a hard time bearing up against his critics.
See also: bear, up
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs.
- bear off from (someone or something)
- bear off
- bear off (of something)
- bear down
- bear out
- as much as the traffic will bear
- traffic
- bearing
- bear cage
- take the bear by the tooth