| The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition. 2000. |
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| bear2 |
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| PRONUNCIATION: |  bâr |
| NOUN: | 1a. 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. b. Any of various other animals, such as the koala, that resemble a true bear. 2. A large, clumsy, or ill-mannered person. 3a. One, such as an investor, that sells securities or commodities in expectation of falling prices. b. A pessimist, especially regarding business conditions. 4. Slang Something that is difficult or unpleasant: The final exam was a bear. 5. Slang A highway patrol officer. | | ADJECTIVE: | Characterized by falling prices: a bear market. | | ETYMOLOGY: | Middle English bere, from Old English bera. See bher-2 in Appendix I. Sense 3, probably from proverb To sell the bear's skin before catching the bear.
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| The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Copyright © 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by the Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. |
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