1 C1 neutral
In sailing, to steer toward the shore, a target, or another vessel.
"The captain ordered the crew to bear in toward the harbour as fog began to roll in."
bear in
C1 neutral intransitive
In sailing, to steer the vessel toward the shore, a target, or another vessel; to move inward.
In plain English
To steer a ship or boat toward something, like land or another ship.
What does "bear in" mean?
One main meaning — here's how to use it.
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To bear (steer) inward toward something.
Actually means
To steer a ship or boat toward something, like land or another ship.
Usage tip
Almost exclusively nautical in standard usage. Rarely encountered outside sailing or maritime contexts. Not to be confused with the extremely common fixed phrase 'bear in mind.'
Words that pair with "bear in"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
shore harbour coast vessel port headland
How to conjugate "bear in"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
bear in
I/you/we/they
3rd person
bears in
he/she/it
Past simple
bore in
yesterday
Past participle
born/borne in
have + pp
-ing form
bearing in
continuous
Hear "bear in" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "bear in" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Keep exploring
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