To bear a hand

Bear Bear (b[^a]r), v. t. [imp. {Bore} (b[=o]r) (formerly {Bare} (b[^a]r)); p. p. {Born} (b[^o]rn), {Borne} (b[=o]rn); p. pr. & vb. n. {Bearing}.] [OE. beren, AS. beran, beoran, to bear, carry, produce; akin to D. baren to bring forth, G. geb["a]ren, Goth. ba['i]ran to bear or carry, Icel. bera, Sw. b["a]ra, Dan. b[ae]re, OHG. beran, peran, L. ferre to bear, carry, produce, Gr. fe`rein, OSlav. brati to take, carry, OIr. berim I bear, Skr. bh[.r] to bear. [root]92. Cf. {Fertile}.] 1. To support or sustain; to hold up. [1913 Webster]

2. To support and remove or carry; to convey. [1913 Webster]

I 'll bear your logs the while. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

3. To conduct; to bring; -- said of persons. [Obs.] [1913 Webster]

Bear them to my house. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

4. To possess and use, as power; to exercise. [1913 Webster]

Every man should bear rule in his own house. --Esther i. 22. [1913 Webster]

5. To sustain; to have on (written or inscribed, or as a mark), as, the tablet bears this inscription. [1913 Webster]

6. To possess or carry, as a mark of authority or distinction; to wear; as, to bear a sword, badge, or name. [1913 Webster]

7. To possess mentally; to carry or hold in the mind; to entertain; to harbor --Dryden. [1913 Webster]

The ancient grudge I bear him. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

8. To endure; to tolerate; to undergo; to suffer. [1913 Webster]

Should such a man, too fond to rule alone, Bear, like the Turk, no brother near the throne. --Pope. [1913 Webster]

I cannot bear The murmur of this lake to hear. --Shelley. [1913 Webster]

My punishment is greater than I can bear. --Gen. iv. 13. [1913 Webster]

9. To gain or win. [Obs.] [1913 Webster]

Some think to bear it by speaking a great word. --Bacon. [1913 Webster]

She was . . . found not guilty, through bearing of friends and bribing of the judge. --Latimer. [1913 Webster]

10. To sustain, or be answerable for, as blame, expense, responsibility, etc. [1913 Webster]

He shall bear their iniquities. --Is. liii. 11. [1913 Webster]

Somewhat that will bear your charges. --Dryden. [1913 Webster]

11. To render or give; to bring forward. ``Your testimony bear'' --Dryden. [1913 Webster]

12. To carry on, or maintain; to have. ``The credit of bearing a part in the conversation.'' --Locke. [1913 Webster]

13. To admit or be capable of; that is, to suffer or sustain without violence, injury, or change. [1913 Webster]

In all criminal cases the most favorable interpretation should be put on words that they can possibly bear. --Swift. [1913 Webster]

14. To manage, wield, or direct. ``Thus must thou thy body bear.'' --Shak. Hence: To behave; to conduct. [1913 Webster]

Hath he borne himself penitently in prison? --Shak. [1913 Webster]

15. To afford; to be to; to supply with. [1913 Webster]

His faithful dog shall bear him company. --Pope. [1913 Webster]

16. To bring forth or produce; to yield; as, to bear apples; to bear children; to bear interest. [1913 Webster]

Here dwelt the man divine whom Samos bore. --Dryden. [1913 Webster]

Note: In the passive form of this verb, the best modern usage restricts the past participle born to the sense of brought forth, while borne is used in the other senses of the word. In the active form, borne alone is used as the past participle. [1913 Webster]

{To bear down}. (a) To force into a lower place; to carry down; to depress or sink. ``His nose, . . . large as were the others, bore them down into insignificance.'' --Marryat. (b) To overthrow or crush by force; as, to bear down an enemy.

{To bear a hand}. (a) To help; to give assistance. (b) (Naut.) To make haste; to be quick.

{To bear in hand}, to keep (one) up in expectation, usually by promises never to be realized; to amuse by false pretenses; to delude. [Obs.] ``How you were borne in hand, how crossed.'' --Shak.

{To bear in mind}, to remember.

{To bear off}. (a) To restrain; to keep from approach. (b) (Naut.) To remove to a distance; to keep clear from rubbing against anything; as, to bear off a blow; to bear off a boat. (c) To gain; to carry off, as a prize. (d) (Backgammon) To remove from the backgammon board into the home when the position of the piece and the dice provide the proper opportunity; -- the goal of the game is to bear off all of one's men before the opponent.

{To bear one hard}, to owe one a grudge. [Obs.] ``C[ae]sar doth bear me hard.'' --Shak.

{To bear out}. (a) To maintain and support to the end; to defend to the last. ``Company only can bear a man out in an ill thing.'' --South. (b) To corroborate; to confirm.

{To bear up}, to support; to keep from falling or sinking. ``Religious hope bears up the mind under sufferings.'' --Addison. [1913 Webster]

Syn: To uphold; sustain; maintain; support; undergo; suffer; endure; tolerate; carry; convey; transport; waft. [1913 Webster]