The word bear has several meanings:

1. To carry or support something, especially something heavy or difficult. A bridge must bear the weight of cars and trucks crossing it. When you bear responsibility for a task, you carry that duty on your shoulders. Students might bear the burden of a challenging homework assignment. The phrase bear in mind means to remember or keep something in your thoughts.
2. To endure or tolerate something difficult or unpleasant. When you bear pain bravely at the dentist, you withstand it without complaining. Someone might say they can't bear the thought of losing their pet, meaning the idea is too painful to accept. If a situation is unbearable, it's so difficult that it feels impossible to endure.
3. A large, powerful mammal with thick fur, sharp claws, and a strong build. Bears like grizzlies, polar bears, and black bears live in forests, mountains, and Arctic regions. Despite their fearsome appearance, most bears prefer to avoid humans. In finance, a bear market describes when stock prices fall, named because bears swipe their paws downward when attacking.