bear
/ˈbɛɹ/
verbnoun
Core
1.v.have
“bear a resemblance”
2.v.cause to be born
“My wife had twins yesterday!”
3.v.put up with something or somebody unpleasant
“I cannot bear his constant criticism”
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bear and behave share a recorded sense, so the question is not what they mean but which one fits. bear means “have”. behave means “behave in a certain manner; show a certain behavior; conduct or comport oneself”. bear is the more common of the two in everyday English.
/ˈbɛɹ/
1.v.have
“bear a resemblance”
2.v.cause to be born
“My wife had twins yesterday!”
3.v.put up with something or somebody unpleasant
“I cannot bear his constant criticism”
/bɪˈheɪv/
1.v.behave in a certain manner; show a certain behavior; conduct or comport oneself
“You should act like an adult”
2.v.behave in a certain manner
“She carried herself well”
3.v.behave well or properly
“The children must learn to behave”
| bear | behave | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ˈbɛɹ/ | /bɪˈheɪv/ |
| Said | ber | bi-HAYV |
| Syllables | 1 | 2 |
| Letters | 4 | 6 |
| Parts of speech | verb, noun | verb |
| Senses | 15 | 3 |
| How common | Core | Common |
| Synonyms | none recorded | act, do |
Full entry for bear · Full entry for behave · More comparisons