verb
1. sail towards another vessel, of a ship (Freq. 2)
• Syn: ↑bear down upon
• Topics: ↑navigation, ↑pilotage, ↑piloting
• Hypernyms:
• Entailment: ↑sail
• Verb Frames:
-
Somebody ——s
2. exert a force with a heavy weight
-
The snow bore down on the roof
• Syn: ↑drag down, ↑bear down, ↑press down on, ↑weigh down
• Hypernyms: ↑press
• Verb Frames:
-
Something ——s something
* * *
ADVANCE ON, close in on, move in on, converge on.
→ bear
* * *
phrasal or bear down upon1. : to sail toward often in force or with hostile intent
an enemy frigate bearing down on the sloop
: proceed toward especially impressively, awesomely, or forcibly
2. : to give major attention to : stress
a lecture that bore down on economic causes
a tax that bore down on the poorer groups
bear down on a man whose work has fallen off
* * *
move quickly toward someone, in a purposeful or an intimidating manner
■ take strict measures to deal with
a commitment to bear down on inflation
* * *
bear down on [phrasal verb]
The old man bore down heavily on his cane.
She bore down hard on her pencil.
3 bear down on (someone or something) : to approach or move toward (something or someone) quickly and in a frightening or impressive way
The enemy battleship bore down on us.
• • •
Main Entry: ↑bear
Useful english dictionary. 2012.