Refine this word faster

Stronger alternatives Opposite tone Use in context Cross-language nuance

Bore

//bɔː(ɹ)// name, noun, verb, slang

Definitions

Proper Noun

1
A surname.

Noun

1
A hole drilled or milled through something, or (by extension) its diameter.
"the bore of a cannon"
2
A sudden and rapid flow of tide occurring in certain rivers and estuaries which rolls up as a wave.
"In another moment a huge wave, like a muddy tidal bore, but almost scaldingly hot, came sweeping round the bend up-stream."
3
a hole or passage made by a drill; usually made for exploratory purposes wordnet
4
The tunnel inside of a gun's barrel through which the bullet travels when fired, or (by extension) its diameter.
5
diameter of a tube or gun barrel wordnet

Show 8 more definitions

6
A tool, such as an auger, for making a hole by boring.
7
a high wave (often dangerous) caused by tidal flow (as by colliding tidal currents or in a narrow estuary) wordnet
8
A capped well drilled to tap artesian water.
9
a person who evokes boredom wordnet
10
A capped well drilled to tap artesian water.; The place where such a well exists.
11
One who inspires boredom or lack of interest; an uninteresting person.
"My neighbour is such a bore when he talks about his coin collection."
12
Something dull or uninteresting.
"What a bore that movie was! There was no action, and the dialogue was totally uncreative."
13
Calibre; importance.
"Yet are they much too light for the bore of the matter."

Verb

1
To inspire boredom in somebody. transitive
"to bore someone to death"
2
simple past of bear form-of, past
3
make a hole, especially with a pointed power or hand tool wordnet
4
To make a hole through something. transitive
"I'll believe as soon this whole earth may be bored."
5
past participle of bear colloquial, form-of, participle, past
"Q. When the Fireſhip appeared to be going down towards the Real, do you think that the Dorſetſhire could have bore down in Time, to have covered and aſſiſted her?"

Show 10 more definitions

6
cause to be bored wordnet
7
To make a hole with, or as if with, a boring instrument; to cut a circular hole by the rotary motion of a tool. intransitive
"to bore for water or oil"
8
simple past of bare form-of, past, proscribed
9
To form or enlarge (something) by means of a boring instrument or apparatus. transitive
"to bore a steam cylinder or a gun barrel; to bore a hole"
10
To make (a passage) by laborious effort, as in boring; to force a narrow and difficult passage through. transitive
"to bore one’s way through a crowd"
11
To be pierced or penetrated by an instrument that cuts as it turns. intransitive
"This timber does not bore well."
12
To glare (as if to drill a hole with the eyes). intransitive
"Their eyes bore into my back."
13
To push or drive (a boxer into the ropes, a boat out of its course, etc.). slang, transitive
"The right hand of Curtis was open too much ; but he nevertheless had the best of the hitting in this round, till Inglis bored him down, out of the ropes."
14
To push forward in a certain direction with laborious effort. intransitive
"They take their flight […] boring to the west."
15
To fool; to trick. obsolete

Etymology

Etymology 1

From Middle English boren, from Old English borian (“to pierce”), from Proto-West Germanic *borōn, from Proto-Germanic *burōną. Compare Danish bore, Norwegian Bokmål bore, Dutch boren, German bohren, Old Norse bora. Cognate with Latin forō (“to bore, to pierce”), Latin feriō (“strike, cut”) and Albanian birë (“hole”). Sense of wearying may come from a figurative use such as "to bore the ears"; compare German drillen.

Etymology 2

Etymology 3

From Middle English *bore, bare, a borrowing from Old Norse bára (“billow, wave”), from Proto-Germanic *bērō (“that which bears or carries”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰer- (“to bear”). Cognate with Icelandic bára (“billow, wave”), Faroese bára (“billow, wave”). Doublet of bier.

Next best steps

Find stronger synonyms See usage examples Check pronunciation

Mini challenge

Unscramble this word: bore