How to pronounce rear

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What rear means

verb

Most people know rear in its everyday sense. Here's its other meaning.

To rise up on the back legs, as a horse does

In a sentence: The frightened horse began to rear and kicked its front hooves in the air.

Where it comes from: It comes from an Old English word, raeran, meaning to raise, and is related to rise and raise. It is a different word from rear meaning the back, which came from French.

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