Phrasal verb
bear down on
Definition
phrasal verb. to move quickly and in a threatening way toward someone or something.
phrasal verb. to approach someone or something rapidly and with a sense of menace or overwhelming force; can also describe the application of pressure or effort.
Examples
“The large truck began to bear down on our small car.”
“As the deadline started to bear down on the team, everyone worked late into the night.”
“The storm clouds began to bear down on the coastal village, threatening to unleash a torrent of rain and wind upon the residents.”
Examples
simple
“The large truck began to bear down on our small car.”
contextual
“As the deadline started to bear down on the team, everyone worked late into the night.”
complex
“The storm clouds began to bear down on the coastal village, threatening to unleash a torrent of rain and wind upon the residents.”
Usage
usually implies a sense of physical or psychological pressure from the approaching object.
Teaching tip
highlight the physical sense of a large object (like a ship or truck) moving toward you to help students visualize the metaphorical sense of a deadline or responsibility.
Pitfall
The car bore down to us.
The car bore down on us.
the preposition 'on' is required to indicate the target of the movement.
Phrasal verb
Particles
down on
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
bear + down + on + object
Synonyms
Antonyms
Grammar
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/bear-down-on