Bear Click to enlarge |
n.
- Any of various usually omnivorous mammals of the family Ursidae that have a shaggy coat and a short tail and walk with the entire lower surface of the foot touching the ground.
- Any of various other animals, such as the koala, that resemble a true bear.
- A large, clumsy, or ill-mannered person.
- One, such as an investor, that sells securities or commodities in expectation of falling prices.
- A pessimist, especially regarding business conditions.
- Slang. Something that is difficult or unpleasant: The final exam was a bear.
- Slang. A highway patrol officer.
Characterized by falling prices: a bear market.
[Middle English bere, from Old English bera. Sense 3, probably from proverb To sell the bear's skin before catching the bear.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
