‘I’ll bare that in mind’. Or will I? Is it bare or bear?
There are some words which get even the most competent writers in a twist. I always struggle to spell the town Grimsby (luckily it’s not a word I have to type often). And I have to really think about the homonyms bear and bare. Is it ‘bare that in mind’ or ‘bear that in mind’?
So this post is for me as much as it is for you.
Bare means lacking a natural, usual or appropriate covering i.e. butt naked. It also means exposed, unfinished, empty, lacking, having nothing left or added, or not being disguised or embellished in any way. And it means reveal or uncover.
So anything to do with nakedness, uncovering or revealing is bare:
- She was completely bare faced
- Bare as the day he was born
- With my bare hands
- He bared his teeth
- Riding barebacked
- Bare one’s soul
- The house was stripped back to its bare bones
- The top revealed a bare midriff
Whereas bear (as well as those big furry things) means to carry or transport, to show a feeling, to have a name, to give birth, to produce fruit or flowers, to support weight, to go in a certain direction, to show patience and to aim a gun.
- Can you bear with me a moment?
- At the next turning bear right
- To bear the cost
- He’ll bear the scars for years
- Will it bear the weight?
- She’ll bear the brunt of that
- Bear down
- I think it will bear fruit every year
- They’ve been ordered to bear arms
- I’ll bear that in mind
So if it’s not anything to do with nakedness, uncovering or revealing – it’s bear.
For more tips on grammar and punctuation download the ebook.
Hippo’s Handy Hint for remembering this one:
Bears are a bore.
Thus, “I bore it in mind” -> “I’ll bear it in mind”.
Of course, it only works if you remember which spelling applies to the big furry-growly things…
The great stand-up comic, Reginald D Hunter, does a sketch where he admits that he can’t avoid holding his hands up in a bear-like fashion and making a growling noise every time anyone uses the word ‘bear’. I believe it began at a hotel reception when the staff told him to ‘bear with us’.
Grrrrr.
I then told this tale to my six year old daughter, and she now does the action and growls every time I say ‘bear’ or ‘bare’.
That’s a long and, reading it back, quote dull tale. Sorry…
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So; is a bear ever bare?
Useful article thank you; I get the feeling it will be a more reliable rule than “i before e excepet… etc etc ” Cant bare that one…. harrrr
Some bare facts (which are also bear facts)…
It was Rupert’s 90th birthday in November this year – that’s Rupert BEAR of red jumper fame. ‘Rupert Bare’, as we all know, is the star of a dodgy Russian porn movie – a different kind of Red Jumper altogether (and indeed, in the altogether).
The guy responsible for most of the RB strips (cartoon variety) drew them in Surbiton – http://bit.ly/gqGxcG
One of these bear facts is completely untrue (clue: it’s the bare one).
Hope that helps… :0)
Thanks Keith. I love Ruper Bear. Not sure about the other one. Although I did meet some strange people when I worked in Moscow!
I’ll bear this in mind, thanks.
Thanks for this. I have the same problem.
I think it must be our childhood teddy bears which throw our brains back and so we think that ‘bear’ can’t possibly be the right word.
But ‘bear’ it is.
I’m curious… how do you mispell ‘Grimsby’?
Without fail I always type Gribsmy. Luckily, it’s not a word I often have to type!