rear
pronunciation
How to pronounce rear in British English:
UK [rɪə(r)]
How to pronounce rear in American English:
US [rɪr]
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- Noun:
- the back of a military formation or procession
- the side of an object that is opposite its front
- the part of something that is furthest from the normal viewer
- the fleshy part of the human body that you sit on
- the side that goes last or is not normally seen
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- Verb:
- stand up on the hind legs, of quadrupeds
- bring up
- rise up
- cause to rise up
- construct, build, or erect
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- Adjective:
- located in or toward the back or rear
Word Origin
- rear
- rear: There are two separate words rear in English. The older, ‘raise’ [OE], is a descendant of prehistoric Germanic *raizjan, which also produced Old Norse reisa, source of English raise. The Germanic verb denoted literally ‘cause to rise’, and was derived from *reisan, which evolved into English rise. Rear ‘hind’ [16] is descended ultimately from Latin retrō- ‘behind’, but it is not clear whether it came into the language as an abbreviation of arrear [18], which goes back via Old French arere to medieval Latin adretrō ‘to the rear’ (the Anglo- Norman noun areres existed in the 14th century, so the chronological disparity may not be crucial), or was extracted from rearguard [15], a borrowing from Old French rereguarde.=> raise, rise; arrear, retro
- rear (n.)
- "hindmost part," c. 1600, abstracted from rerewarde "rear guard, hindmost part of an army or fleet" (mid-14c.), from Anglo-French rerewarde, Old French rieregarde, from Old French adverb riere "behind" (from Latin retro "back, behind;" see retro-) + Old French garde (see guard (n.)). Or the word may be a shortened form of arrear (see arrears). As a euphemism for "buttocks" it is attested from 1796. Rear admiral is first attested 1580s, apparently so called from ranking "behind" an admiral proper. Rear-view (mirror) is recorded from 1926.
- rear (v.1)
- Old English ræran "to raise, build up, create, set on end; arouse, excite, stir up," from Proto-Germanic *raizijanau "to raise," causative of *risanan "to rise" (see raise (v.)). Meaning "bring into being, bring up" (as a child) is recorded from early 15c.; that of "raise up on the hind legs" is first recorded late 14c. Related: Reared; rearing.
- rear (adj.)
- c. 1300, from Old French rere (see rear (n.)).
- rear (v.2)
- "attack in the rear," 17c., from rear (n.).
Example
- 1. Then my rear gear cable snapped !
- 2. This reduces drag and maximises the amount of air available to the rear wing .
- 3. The rear knob has no function .
- 4. Mitsui officials showed pictures of a large square dent on the rear starboard side of the ship 's hull .
- 5. Mr. bo 's family told the first son to stand at the rear of the large procession .