bearer

From Middle English berer, berere, from Old English berere (attested in Old English wæterberere (“waterbearer”)), equivalent to bear +‎ -er.

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈbɛəɹə/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈbɛɹɚ/
• Rhymes: -ɛəɹə(ɹ)
• Hyphenation: bear‧er

bearer (plural bearers)

1. One who, or that which, bears, sustains, or carries.

   Synonyms: carrier, -phore

   • 1611, The Holy Bible,  (King James Version), London: Robert Barker, , →OCLC, 2 Chronicles 2:18:

     And he [Solomon] set threescore and ten thousand of them [the foreigners living in Israel] to be bearers of burdens,

   • 1675, John Dryden, Aureng-zebe: A Tragedy. , London: T N for Henry Herringman, , published 1676, →OCLC, Act II, page 29:

     Forgive the Bearer of unhappy news:
     Your alter’d Father openly pursues
     Your ruine;

   • 1855, Frederick Douglass, My Bondage and My Freedom. , New York, Auburn, N.Y.: Miller, Orton & Mulligan , →OCLC:

     The slightest manifestation of sympathy or justice toward a person of color, was denounced as abolitionism; and the name of abolitionist, subjected its bearer to frightful liabilities.

2. Someone who helps carry the coffin or a dead body during a funeral procession.

   Synonym: pallbearer

   • 1645, John Milton, “Another on the same”, in Poems of Mr. John Milton, both English and Latin‎, London: Humphrey Moseley, page 29:

     Nay, quoth he, on his swooning bed outstretch’d,
     If I may not carry, sure Ile ne’re be fetch’d,
     But vow though the cross Doctors all stood hearers,
     For one Carrier put down to make six bearers.

   • 1838, Boz [pseudonym; Charles Dickens], Oliver Twist; or, The Parish Boy’s Progress. , volume (please specify |volume=I, II, or III), London: Richard Bentley, , →OCLC:

     […] the bare coffin having been screwed down, was hoisted on the shoulders of the bearers, and carried into the street.

   • 1934, Dorothy L. Sayers, “A Full Peal of Grandsire Triples”, in The Nine Tailors‎, London: Victor Gollancz, published 1975, Part 3:

     The deep shadows of the porch swallowed up priest, corpse and bearers […]

3. One who possesses a cheque, bond, or other notes promising payment.

   I promise to pay the bearer on demand.

4. A person employed or engaged to carry equipment on a safari, expedition, etc.
5. A person employed to carry a palanquin or litter.
   • 1886 October – 1887 January, H[enry] Rider Haggard, She: A History of Adventure, London: Longmans, Green, and Co., published 1887, →OCLC:

     Within an hour of our finally deciding to start five litters were brought up to the door of the cave, each accompanied by four regular bearers and two spare hands, also a band of about fifty armed Amahagger, who were to form the escort and carry the baggage.

6. (India, dated) A domestic servant in charge of household goods and clothing; a valet.

   Synonym: dressing-boy

   • 1888, Rudyard Kipling, “Watches of the Night”, in Plain Tales from the Hills, Folio, published 2005, page 60:

     The bar of the watch-guard worked through the buttonhole, and the watch—Platte's watch—slid quietly on to the carpet; where the bearer found it next morning and kept it.

7. (India) A waiter in a hotel or restaurant.
8. A tree or plant yielding fruit.

   a good bearer

   • 1791, William Gilpin, Remarks on Forest Scenery: and Other Woodland Views‎, London: R. Blamire, Volume 1, Book 1, Section 6, p. 149:

     In the common mode of pruning, this species of vine is no great bearer; but managed as it is here, it produces wonderfully.

9. (dated) Someone who delivers a letter or message on behalf of another (especially as referred to in the letter or message).
   • c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies  (First Folio), London: Isaac Iaggard, and Ed Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, :

     […] Wilt thou know
     Th’ effect of what I wrote? […]
     An earnest conjuration from the King,
     As England was his faithful tributary, […]
     That, on the view and knowing of these contents,
     Without debatement further, more or less,
     He should the bearers put to sudden death,

   • 1754 September 25, Jas MacGregor, “”, in K Macleay, Historical Memoirs of Rob Roy and the Clan Macgregor; , Glasgow: William Turnbull, , published 1818, pages 300–301:

     P. S. If you’d send your pipes by the Bearer […], I would put them in order, and play some Melancholy tunes, […]

   • 1784, Samuel Johnson, letter cited in James Boswell, The Life of Samuel Johnson, London: Charles Dilly, Volume 2, p. 487,

     Sir, The bearer is my godson, whom I take the liberty of recommending to your kindness

   • 1886 May – 1887 April, Thomas Hardy, chapter XIII, in The Woodlanders , volume I, London; New York, N.Y.: Macmillan and Co., published 1887, →OCLC, page 246:

     The message was brought, and Winterborne sent the bearer back to say that he begged the lady’s pardon, but that he could not do as she requested;

   • 1905 April–October, Upton Sinclair, chapter XXV, in The Jungle, New York, N.Y.: Doubleday, Page & Company, published 1906 February 26, →OCLC:

     […] he gave him a note to Mr. Harmon, one of the head managers of Durham’s—
     “The bearer, Jurgis Rudkus, is a particular friend of mine, and I would like you to find him a good place […]

10. (printing) A strip of reglet or other furniture to bear off the impression from a blank page.
11. (printing) A type or type-high piece of metal interspersed in blank parts to support the plate when it is shaved.

• → Bengali: বেয়ারা (beẏara), বেহারা (behara) (borrowed from sense 4)

• rebear

beārer

1. first-person singular imperfect passive subjunctive of beō