ENGLISH
REFERENCE

rear

n. · v. · adj.
US //ˈɹɪɹ// UK //ɹˈiə// rear
  1. 1 the back part (n.)
    B1 Intermediate

    the back part of something, such as a car, a building, or a line of people.

    the back or hindmost part of an object, structure, or formation.

    Example

    The garden is located at the rear of the house, away from the noisy street.

    Example

    The delivery truck was forced to park at the rear of the warehouse because the main entrance was blocked by construction equipment.
  2. 2 the buttocks (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Formal Medicine

    a polite or slightly formal word for a person's bottom.

    the buttocks or posterior of a human body; often used as a euphemism in medical or formal contexts.

    Example

    The doctor asked the patient to lie on their side and relax their rear.

    Example

    He slipped on the icy pavement and landed squarely on his rear, much to the amusement of the passing commuters.
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  1. 3 military tail (n.)
    C1 Advanced Formal Military

    the part of an army or a group of ships that is at the very back.

    the section of a military force or fleet that is stationed furthest from the enemy or at the end of a column.

    Example

    The supply wagons were kept in the rear to protect them from the attack.

    Example

    The general ordered the cavalry to protect the rear of the column while the infantry advanced through the narrow mountain pass.
  2. 4 to raise children or animals (v.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    to care for and help a child or a young animal grow up.

    to bring up and care for offspring until they are fully grown; often used for livestock or in formal discussions of parenting.

    Example

    She was born in the city but reared in a small village by the sea.

    Example

    The farmer had spent his entire life rearing prize-winning cattle for the regional agricultural shows.
  3. 5 located at the back (adj.)
    B1 Intermediate

    describing something that is at the back.

    positioned at or towards the back of something; non-gradable adjective.

    Example

    The car has rear doors that open in a special way.

    Example

    The vehicle was equipped with rear sensors to assist the driver when reversing into tight parking spaces.
Etymology 1

From Middle English reren (“to raise”), from Old English rǣran (“to raise, set upright, promote, exalt, begin, create, give rise to, excite, rouse, arouse, stir up”), from Proto-West Germanic raiʀijan, from Proto-Germanic raizijaną, raisijaną (“to cause to rise, raise”), from Proto-Indo-European h₁rey- (“to lift oneself, rise”). Cognate with Scots rere (“to construct, build, rear”), Icelandic reisa (“to raise”), Gothic 𐍂𐌰𐌹𐍃𐌾𐌰𐌽 (raisjan, “to cause to rise, lift up, establish”), German reisen (“to travel”, literally “to rear up and depart”); and a doublet of raise. More at rise. Related to rise and raise, which is used for several of its now archaic or obsolete senses and for some of its senses that are currently more common in other dialects of English.

Etymology 2

From Middle English rere, from Anglo-Norman rere, ultimately from Latin retro. Compare arrear. Doublet of retro.

Etymology 3

From Middle English reren, from Old English hrēran (“to move, shake, agitate”), from Proto-Germanic hrōzijaną (“to stir”), from Proto-Indo-European ḱroHs- (“to mix, stir, cook”). Cognate with Dutch roeren (“to stir, shake, whip”), German rühren (“to stir, beat, move”), Swedish röra (“to touch, move, stir”), Icelandic hræra (“to stir”).

Etymology 4

From Middle English rere, from Old English hrēr, hrēre (“not thoroughly cooked, underdone, lightly boiled”), from hrēran (“to move, shake, agitate”), from Proto-Germanic hrōzijaną (“to stir”), from Proto-Indo-European ḱroHs- (“to mix, stir, cook”). Related to Old English hrōr (“stirring, busy, active, strong, brave”), Dutch roeren (“to stir, shake, whip”), German rühren (“to stir, beat, move”), Swedish röra (“to touch, move, stir”), Icelandic hræra (“to stir”).

Idioms2 entries

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