BEAR DOWN ON

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does bear down on mean? 

• BEAR DOWN ON (verb)
  The verb BEAR DOWN ON has 2 senses:

1. sail towards another vessel, of a ship

2. exert a force with a heavy weight

  Familiarity information: BEAR DOWN ON used as a verb is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• BEAR DOWN ON (verb)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Sail towards another vessel, of a ship

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Synonyms:

bear down on; bear down upon

Hypernyms (to "bear down on" is one way to...):

approach; come near; come on; draw close; draw near; go up; near (move towards)

"Bear down on" entails doing...:

sail (travel on water propelled by wind)

Domain category:

navigation; pilotage; piloting (the guidance of ships or airplanes from place to place)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

Sense 2

Meaning:

Exert a force with a heavy weight

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

bear down; bear down on; drag down; press down on; weigh down

Context example:

The snow bore down on the roof

Hypernyms (to "bear down on" is one way to...):

press (exert pressure or force to or upon)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s something