- 1[transitive] rear somebody/something [often passive] to care for young children or animals until they are fully grown synonym raise She reared a family of five on her own. Lions usually manage to rear about half the number of cubs born to them.
- 2[transitive] rear something to breed or keep animals or birds, for example on a farm to rear cattle
- 3[intransitive] rear (up) (of an animal, especially a horse) to raise itself on its back legs, with the front legs in the air The horse reared, throwing its rider.
- 4[intransitive] rear (up) (of something large) to seem to lean over you, especially in a threatening way The great bulk of the building reared up against the night sky. Idioms
rear
verbNAmE//rɪr//
Verb Forms present simple I / you / we / they rear he / she / it rears
past simple reared
-ing form rearing
if something unpleasant rears its head or rears its ugly head, it appears or happens Phrasal Verbsrear on
Check pronunciation: rear