Grin and Bear It

I was recently asked by a co-worker the difference between bear and bare. We all know the noun form of the word bear, which, of course, refers to a particular grizzly mammal.

However, the word bear can also be used as a verb, and according to dictionary.com, has a variety of specific meanings. They range from "to hold up" (as in bear the weight of) to "to bring forth" or "give birth to" (as in bear a child). Bear is also used in such common phrases as "grin and bear it," "bear the sight of," "bear with me" - and in these cases, bear serves as a request for patience, and comes from the word forbearance (which means "patience").

Bare, however, has a very different meaning. The adjective form means "naked," while the verb form of the word means "to reveal."

In a characteristically funny post on Brian's Errors, the wordsmith writes:

The confusion between this latter verb and 'bear' creates many unintentionally amusing sentences; so if you want to entertain your readers while convincing them that you are a dolt, by all means mix them up. 'Bear with me,' the standard expression, is a request for forbearance or patience. 'Bare with me' would be an invitation to undress.

The moral of the story, then? Avoid the use of confusing homophones if you can't bear to take the time and double check their meanings.