# bear down

> English word · Verb

## Definitions
1. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see bear, down.
2. To steer away from the wind; to approach from windward.
3. To push (someone) to the ground; to defeat, overcome.
4. To maintain one's position against (someone) in a debate; to stand one's ground against.
5. To intensify one's efforts.
6. To approach in a determined manner.
7. To exert downward pressure on one's abdomen, as in giving birth, forcing out feces, and some similar bodily maneuvers.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/bear-down