bear down
phrasal verb·1 sense·particle down
Meanings
Move quickly and threateningly toward someone
Why “down”? Movement goes from high to low.
“The truck bore down on us.”
“The horse bore down on the gate.”
Don't confuse with
Bear down means move quickly and threateningly toward someone. Bear out means provide evidence that confirms what someone has said.
Test yourself
“The truck bore down on us.” What does it mean?
Nearby in the meaning map
Sink In connects verbs by particle pattern, contrast pairs, and shared base verbs.
bear out
A contrast learners often mix up
Provide evidence that confirms what someone has said
beat down
Same down pattern: downward
(of sun or rain) fall strongly and steadily
bend down
Same down pattern: downward
Lean the upper body downward
blow down
Same down pattern: downward
Cause something to fall by blowing
break down
Same down pattern: downward
(of a vehicle or machine) stop working; Lose emotional control and start crying; Separate something into smaller parts to understand it; (of negotiations or relationships) fail or end; Force a door open by hitting it; Decompose into simpler chemical substances
bring down
Same down pattern: downward
Cause something to fall or land; Make something lower in level or amount; Cause a government or leader to lose power; Make someone feel sad or depressed
climb down
Same down pattern: downward
Descend by gripping or stepping
come down
Same down pattern: downward
Drop from a high level it has been at; Have been passed down from earlier generations; Decide in favour of one side after consideration; Become ill with a particular illness; (of rain, snow or hail) fall
Sink In — iOS & Android
Practice “bear down” in Sink In
Drill “bear down” and 1,300+ other phrasal verbs with spaced repetition, organised by the particle patterns that connect them.
- Learn the pattern behind dozens of verbs at once — not one-off translations.
- Spaced repetition (SM-2) brings each meaning back right before you forget.
- Four practice modes train recall and discrimination, not just recognition.
