Bearer Meaning
/ˈbɛəɹə/Definition, CEFR level C1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
nounOne who, or that which, bears, sustains, or carries.
nounSomeone who helps carry the coffin or a dead body during a funeral procession.
Sentence Examples
This check is payable to the bearer.
The bearer of this letter is my friend Suzuki.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
None
CEFR Practice Quiz
The cheque must be signed by the ____ when presented at the bank.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The ____ of the message arrived at the castle early this morning today.
Word Origin & History
From Middle English berer, berere, from Old English berere (attested in Old English wæterberere (“waterbearer”)), equivalent to bear + -er.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"And he [Solomon] set threescore and ten thousand of them [the foreigners living in Israel] to be bearers of burdens,"
— 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, 2 Chronicles 2:18:
"Forgive the Bearer of unhappy news:
Your alter’d Father openly pursues
Your ruine;"
— 1675, John Dryden, Aureng-zebe: A Tragedy. […], London: […] T[homas] N[ewcomb] for Henry Herringman, […], published 1676, →OCLC, Act II, page 29:
"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."
— 1855, Frederick Douglass, My Bondage and My Freedom. […], New York; Auburn, N.Y.: Miller, Orton & Mulligan […], →OCLC:
"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."
— 1645, John Milton, “Another on the same”, in Poems of Mr. John Milton, both English and Latin, London: Humphrey Moseley, page 29:
"[…] the bare coffin having been screwed down, was hoisted on the shoulders of the bearers, and carried into the street."
— 1838, Boz [pseudonym; Charles Dickens], Oliver Twist; […], volume (please specify |volume=I, II, or III), London: Richard Bentley, […], →OCLC:
Explore More C1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The cheque must be signed by the ____ when presented at the bank.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The ____ of the message arrived at the castle early this morning today.