bear down on
To move fast toward something in a scary or powerful way, or to put a lot of pressure on someone.
Meanings
To move quickly and forcefully toward someone or something, often in a threatening way.
"The truck suddenly bore down on the cyclists, forcing them to swerve off the road."
To apply heavy pressure, scrutiny, or criticism to someone or a problem.
"Regulators are bearing down on banks that failed to report suspicious transactions."
To focus intensely on a task or problem with greater effort.
"She bore down on the final chapters of her thesis and finished them in two days."
Used both literally (a vehicle or person approaching fast) and figuratively (pressure, scrutiny). In sailing, 'bear down on' means to approach another vessel by sailing toward it. The figurative use is the most common in general English.
Commonly used with
Forms
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