rear English · revision 5240
16 Oct 2026, 02:09 by bogdan “en10k b0196: pitch … horror” current version
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+ Rear, to raise, and rear, the back part, are different words, one Old English and the other from Old French.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986)^(MWU 2024)
+
+ ==Pronunciation==
+ * IPA: UK /rɪə/, US /rɪr/^(Roach et al. 2011)
+
+ {{homograph|1|raise}}
+
+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=a. 725|origins=gem-pro *raizjaną}}
+
+ ==Etymology==
+ The verb is [[inh|enm|reren]], [[inh|ang|rǣran|t=to raise, lift up]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024) from [[gem-pro|*raizjaną|alt=*raizjanan|t=to raise]], a causative of *rīsaną “to rise”, the source of [[rise]].^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986) Old Norse reisa, the source of [[raise]], is its cognate,^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986) and raise has taken over many of its senses.^(Hoad 1986) The second r is from rhotacism.^(Etymonline)
+
+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==
+ To raise, lift or build: before 725 in Old English, and in Middle English about 1150 in the sense “to bring about, cause”.^(Barnhart 1988)
+
+ ==Semantic evolution==
+ To bring up a child is from before 1200 in Barnhart, the early 15th century in Etymonline,^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) and to raise animals or persons by care and nourishment had developed by the late 16th century.^(Etymonline) Of a horse, to rise on its hind legs is from the late 14th century.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) In Middle English it was also used of setting fires, drawing blood, waging war and raising revenue.^(Etymonline) To raise the head is from 1667 in Milton,^(Etymonline) and ''rear its ugly head'' from 1851.^(Etymonline)
+
+ ==Timeline==
+ * a. 725 – to raise.^(Barnhart 1988)
+ * a. 1200 – to bring up a child.^(Barnhart 1988)
+ * 1375 – to rise on the hind legs.^(Barnhart 1988)
+ * 1851 – ''rear its ugly head''.^(Etymonline)
+
+ ==Modern meaning==
+ ===Verb===
+ # To bring up and care for children or young animals.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)
+ # To breed or grow animals or plants.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)
+ # Of a horse, to rise up on its hind legs.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)
+ # To lift up or raise something upright.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)
+
+ {{homograph|2|back part}}
+
+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=c. 1300|origins=la retrō}}
+
+ ==Etymology==
+ The back part is [[inh|enm|rere]], shortened from rerewarde “rear guard”,^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986) [[bor|xno|rerewarde]], Old French rieregarde, from [[m|fro|riere|t=behind]] and [[m|fro|garde|t=guard]];^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) riere is from [[la|retrō|t=back, behind]].^(Etymonline)^(SOED 2002) Some early uses may be a shortening of [[arrear]].^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) The spelling rear appears about 1557.^(Barnhart 1988) It is related to [[guard]] and [[retro-]].^(Etymonline)
+
+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==
+ The adjective, late or last, is from about 1303 in Barnhart and about 1300 in Etymonline.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) The noun, the back part of an army, is from before 1338.^(Barnhart 1988)
+
+ ==Semantic evolution==
+ Early uses are often military, the hindmost body of an army or fleet.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) The back part of anything is from 1641,^(OED 1989) and as a euphemism for the buttocks it is attested by 1796.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) To ''bring up the rear'' is from the 1640s,^(Etymonline) and a ''rear admiral'' from 1587 in Barnhart, the 1580s in Etymonline.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) A ''rear-view'' mirror is recorded from 1926.^(Etymonline)
+
+ ==Timeline==
+ * c. 1300 – adjective, last.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)
+ * a. 1338 – the back of an army.^(Barnhart 1988)
+ * 1580s – ''rear admiral''.^(Etymonline)
+ * 1640s – ''bring up the rear''.^(Etymonline)
+ * 1796 – the buttocks.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)
+ * 1926 – ''rear-view''.^(Etymonline)
+
+ ==Modern meaning==
+ ===Noun===
+ # The back part of something.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)
+ # The part of an [[army]] farthest from the front.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)
+ # ''(informal)'' The [[buttocks]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)
+
+ ===Adjective===
+ # At or in the back: ''the rear door''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)
+
+ ==Related words==
+ * [[raise]]
+ * [[rise]]
+ * [[arrear]]
+ * [[rearward]]
+
+ ==Usage notes==
+ A dialect adjective rear, of an egg “lightly cooked, underdone”, recorded from about 1000, is a different word of unknown origin; compare [[rare]] “underdone”.^(SOED 2002)^(OED 1989)
+
+ ==References==
+ {{reflist}}