rear2

 
Pronunciation: /rɪə/

verb

  • 1 [with object] bring up and care for (a child) until they are fully grown: Nigel was born and reared in Bath I was reared on stories of collieries
  • (of an animal) care for (its young) until they are fully grown.
  • breed and raise (animals): the calves are reared for beef
  • grow or cultivate (plants): (as adjective, in combination -reared) laboratory-reared plantlets
  • 2 [no object] (of a horse or other animal) raise itself upright on its hind legs: the horse reared in terror a rattlesnake reared up at his elbow
  • [with adverbial of place] (of a building, mountain, etc.) extend or appear to extend to a great height: houses reared up on either side
  • (rear up) (of a person) show anger or irritation: if anyone said the wrong thing, I used to rear up
  • [with object] archaic set upright: at once the mast we rear, at once unbind the spacious sheet

Phrases

rear one's head

raise one’s head.
(rear its head) (of an unpleasant matter) present itself: elitism is rearing its ugly head again

Derivatives

rearer

noun

Origin:

Old English rǣran 'set upright, construct, elevate', of Germanic origin; related to raise (which has supplanted rear in many applications), also to rise