# bore

/ˈbɔɹ/ (US) · /bˈɔː/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/bore
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. to make someone lose interest

verb · CEFR A2

to make someone feel tired or unhappy because something is not interesting.

For teachers: to weary by tedious iteration or by lack of interesting detail. Transitive — takes a direct object.

- I hope I don't bore you with all these stories about my cat.
- The long, technical presentation began to bore the audience, many of whom started checking their phones before the halfway mark.

### 2. to make a hole

verb · CEFR B2 · Technical

to make a deep, round hole in a hard surface like wood or metal.

For teachers: to pierce or make a hole in a solid object by means of a rotary tool or steady pressure.

- They had to bore a hole through the thick stone wall for the pipe.
- Engineers used a massive machine to bore a tunnel through the mountain, connecting the two remote valleys for the first time.

### 4. a dull person or thing

noun · CEFR B1 · Informal

a person or situation that is very uninteresting.

For teachers: a person or thing that causes weariness or lack of interest.

- He is such a bore; he only ever talks about his car.
- The party turned out to be a total bore, as there was no music and very little conversation among the guests.

### 5. hole or diameter

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

the hollow inside of a pipe or tube, or how wide it is.

For teachers: the internal diameter or caliber of a cylinder, tube, or gun barrel.

- The mechanic checked the bore of the engine cylinders for any damage.
- The rifle's bore was meticulously cleaned to ensure that no residue would interfere with the bullet's trajectory.

### 6. tidal wave

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

a large wave that travels up a river from the sea.

For teachers: a high, often abrupt wave caused by the meeting of two tides or by a tide rushing up a narrow river estuary.

- People gathered by the riverbank to watch the tidal bore rush upstream.
- The Severn Bore is a natural phenomenon that attracts surfers from across the country due to its powerful, consistent wave.

## Examples

- The long meeting was such a bore.
- I tried to be polite, but my neighbor is such a bore when he starts talking about his stamp collection.
- Despite the host's efforts to liven up the evening, the guest of honor proved to be a complete bore, recounting every detail of his commute.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.