Word Choice Bare vs. Bear - Proofread My Papers Academic Blog

Word Choice Bare vs. Bear - Proofread My Papers Academic Blog Word Choice: Bare vs. Bear Homophones – similar sounding words that differ in meaning – can cause a lot of confusion, especially if English isn’t your first language. The terms â€Å"bare† and â€Å"bear,† for example, are pronounced identically, yet mean completely different things. As such we’ve prepared this guide on how to use â€Å"bare† and â€Å"bear† correctly, helping to ensure your written work is always at its best. The Meaning of â€Å"Bare† The term â€Å"bare† can be used as either an adjective or a verb. As an adjective it has two main uses, meaning either uncovered or naked: Since going bald, Donald always hid his bare head with a wig. Or it can mean plain or simple: Hilary stuck to the bare facts. As a verb, â€Å"bare† means â€Å"uncover†: Terry bared his chest and show off his tattoos. The Various Meanings of â€Å"Bear† The word â€Å"bear† is a little more difficult to define as it has a number of meanings. The most simple of these is when it’s used as a noun, referring to the large, furry, ursine animal: The American black bear is native to many parts of the USA and Canada. As a verb, â€Å"to bear† has a number of different meanings: Carry or support (â€Å"the bus could bear up to fifty people†) Withstand or tolerate (â€Å"I can’t bear rude people†) Display a mark (â€Å"the letter would bear her signature†) Bring forth (â€Å"to bear children,† â€Å"to bear fruit†) Turn in a specific direction (â€Å"bear left at the end of the road†) Give testimony (â€Å"bear witness†) There are also a few technical meanings of the word â€Å"bear.†Ã‚   In finance, for instance, a â€Å"bear† is an investor who bases decisions upon the belief that a stock or the overall market will decline. Generally, though, you will only need to know these extra meanings when writing about particular subjects.