rear

rear¹ [rıə US rır] n

[Date: 1500-1600; Origin: Probably from rear- (in words such as rearguard)]

1.) formal the rear

the back part of an object, vehicle, or building, or a position at the back of an object or area

≠ ↑front at/to the rear (of sth)

▪ a garden at the rear of the house

▪ The hotel overlooks the river to the rear.

in the rear (of sth)

▪ a passenger travelling in the rear of a car

2.) also rear end

informal the part of your body which you sit on

= ↑bottom

3.) bring up the rear

to be at the back of a line of people or in a race

▪ Carole was left to bring up the rear.

rear ²

rear² v

[: Old English; Origin: rAran]

1.) [T]

to look after a person or animal until they are fully grown

= ↑raise

▪ It's a good place to rear young children.

▪ The birds have been successfully reared in captivity.

2.) also rear up

if an animal rears, it rises up to stand on its back legs

→↑buck

▪ The horse reared and threw me off.

3.) [i]also rear up

if something rears up, it appears in front of you and often seems to be leaning over you in a threatening way

▪ A large rock, almost 200 feet high, reared up in front of them.

4.) be reared on sth

to be given a particular kind of food, books, entertainment etc regularly while you are a child

▪ children reared on TV and video games

5.) rear its ugly head

if a problem or difficult situation rears its ugly head, it appears and is impossible to ignore

▪ The problem of drug-taking in sport has reared its ugly head again.

rear ³

rear³ [i]adj [only before noun]

at or near the back of something, especially a vehicle

≠ ↑front

▪ the rear door of the car

▪ Knock at the rear entrance.