Bear — Figures of Speech 1–20

1. bear (noun)  =  an ill-mannered, ill-tempered and rough man with a heavy hairy body; a stock-exchange speculator who waits for a fall in prices so that he can buy stocks cheaply and make a lot of profit by selling them when the prices rise; a term used by or related to homosexuals

2. bearish  =  (a) (of a person) like a bear in behaviour  — ill-tempered and rude

(b) (in business/commerce) causing or linked with a fall in prices (c) negative activity or saying something about future with doubt (pessimistic forecasting)

3. bear’s service  =  (of someone) trying to help others but in reality doing more harm than good

4. a bear-leader  =  a rough teacher (tutor) who went from place to place in olden days

5. bear-garden  =  a place of noisy quarrels

6. bear’s muck  =  a mixture of peat and clay

7. bear hug  =  a very tight hug – holding somebody tightly in one’s both arms so that they cannot move their arms

8. a long tailed bear  =  a lie  (bears have very short tails, so when you say ‘a long tailed bear’, it means it is a lie)

9. loaded for bear  =  ready for a tough argument or fight

10. to try like a bear  =  to try very hard, not caring for the troubles, to get the attention of a lady

11. to bring on (your) bears  =  to do (one’s) worst – do things very badly

12. Only buns to a bear! [said of a small or meagre amount or quantity of something]

13. to have (get) a bear by the tail  =  to be in a difficult or trying situation; a situation that can only end badly

14. to take the bear by the tooth  =  to take some activity that is dangerous; to run into danger or difficulties unnecessarily

15. the black bear of Arden [said of an object that causes great fear]

16. as gruff as a bear [said of an ill-tempered and ill-mannered person]

17. as rough as a bear/as rough as a bear’s arse  =  a very rough thing or situation {not to be used in formal situations}

18. as clumsy as a cub-bear handling his prick  =  doing things badly {not to be used in formal situations}

19. as surly as a bear   (‘surly’ = angry or bad tempered by nature)

20. (a) cross like a bear with a sore head/leg/ear

(b) as a mad as a bear with a sore head/leg/ear = very angry or crazy