rear

A rearing horse (3).

Meanings

Verb

Adjective

Adverb

Noun

  • The back or hindmost part; that which is behind, or last on order; - opposed to front.
  • Specifically, the part of an army or fleet which comes last, or is stationed behind the rest.
  • The buttocks, a creature's bottom

Related

Similar words

Opposite words

Origin

  • From Middle English reren, from Old English rǣran ("to raise, set upright, promote, exalt, begin, create, give rise to, excite, rouse, arouse, stir up"), from Proto-Germanic *raizijaną, *raisijaną, from Proto-Indo-European *h₁rey- ("to lift oneself, rise").
  • Cognate with Scots rere ("to construct, build, rear"), Icelandic reisa ("to raise"), Gothic 𐍂𐌰𐌹𐍃𐌾𐌰𐌽 ("to cause to rise, lift up, establish"), German reisen ("to travel"); and a raise. More at rise.
  • Related to rise and raise, which is used for several of its now archaic or obsolete senses and for some of its senses that are currently more common in other dialects of English.
  • From Middle English reren, from Old English hrēran ("to move, shake, agitate"), from Proto-Germanic *hrōzijaną ("to stir"), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱroHs- ("to mix, stir, cook"). Cognate with Dutch roeren ("to stir, shake, whip"), German rühren ("to stir, beat, move"), Swedish röra ("to touch, move, stir"), Icelandic hræra ("to stir").
  • From Middle English rere, from Old English hrēr, hrēre, from hrēran, from Proto-Germanic *hrōzijaną ("to stir"), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱroHs- ("to mix, stir, cook"). Related to Old English hrōr ("stirring, busy, active, strong, brave"), Dutch roeren ("to stir, shake, whip"), German rühren ("to stir, beat, move"), Swedish röra ("to touch, move, stir"), Icelandic hræra ("to stir").
  • From Middle English rere, from Anglo-Norman rere, ultimately from Latin retro. Compare arrear. retro.

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