rear 
Charity, decent, modest, easy, kind, 
Softens the high, and ream the abject mind. 
Prior, Charity. 
4t. To lift or carry upward; give an upward 
bent or turn to. 
Up to a hill anon his steps he rear'd, 
From whose high top to ken the prospect round. 
Milton, P. R., ii. 285. 
5f. To cause to rise into view; approach (an 
object) so that it appears above the visible 
horizon. See raise 1 , 10. 
And in .xv. degrees, we dydc reere the crossiers ; and we 
myght haue rered them sooner if we had loked for theym. 
H. Eden. First three Eng. Books on America (ed. Arber), 
[p. 380. 
6f. To carry off, as by conquest; take away by 
or as if by lifting ; wrest. See raise 1 , 6. 
He, in an open Turney lately held, 
Fro me the honour of that game did ream. 
Spemer, F. Q., IV. vi. 6. 
It rereth our hearts from vain thoughts. 
Barrow. (Webster.) 
7t. To cause to rise to action ; stir up ; rouse. 
Item, the Kyng cometh to London ward, and, as it is 
seyd, rereth the pepyll as he come. Paston Letters, I. 506. 
Into the naked woods he goes, 
And seeks the tusky boar to rear, 
With well-mouthed hounds and pointed spear. 
Dryden, tr. of Horace's Epode ii. 
They were not in any hope that the citye wold hastelye 
consent to rcre war. Ooldiny, tr. of Ca>sar, fol. 201. 
The waves come rolling, and the billowes rore, 
For not one puffe of winde there did appeare. 
That all the three thereat woxe much afrayd, 
Unweeting what such horrour straunge did reare. 
Spenser, F. Q., II. xii. 22. 
8f. To raise in amount; make a rise in; in- 
crease. 
He stirs men up to outrageous rearing of rents. 
Latimer, 6th Sermon bef. Edw. VI. 
9. *To develop or train physically or mentally 
or both, as young; care for while growing up; 
foster; nurture; educate: used of human be- 
ings, and less frequently of animals and plants. 
See raise 1 . 
The pokok men may rere up esily 
Yf bestes wilde or theves hem ne greve. 
PaUadius, Husbondrie (E. E. T. S.), p. 23. 
She [Pharaoh's daughter] takes him vp, and rears him 
royal-like ; 
And his quick Spirit, train'd in good Arts, is like 
A wel breath'd Body, nimble, sound, and strong. 
Sylvester, tr. of Du Bartas's Weeks, ii., The Lawe. 
Delightful task ! to rear the tender Thought, 
To teach the young Idea how to shoot. 
Thomson, Spring, 1. 1150. 
10. To mock; gibe. Halliwell. [Prov. Eng.] 
= 6yn. 9. Bring up, etc. Seerotsei. 
II. intraiis. 1. To rise up; assume an ele- 
vated posture, as a horse or other animal in 
standing on its hind legs alone. 
Ofte hit [the ark] roled on-rounde, and rered on ende. 
Alliterative Poems (ed. Morris), ii. 423. 
Anon he rears upright, curvets, and leaps. 
SAa*., Venus and Adonis, 1. 279. 
2. To rise up before the plow, as a furrow. 
Halliwell. [Prov. Eng.] Rearing vein, in coal- 
mining, a vein that seems to rear like a horse or mule. 
See rearer, 3. 
rear 2 (rer), a. [Early mod. E. also reer, rere, 
also dial, (now in common use in the U. S.) 
rare; < ME. rere, < AS. hrer, underdone (said 
only of eggs) :_ iirer henne </,_' a rear hen's 
egg,' lirerenbrseden_ seg, hrerebrad leg, 'a rear 
roasted egg,' gebrseddan hrere segeran, 'roasted 
rear eggs'; appar. not an independent adj., but 
the stem of a verb, in comp. *hrer-seg (= G. 
riihr-ei, a scrambled egg, buttered egg; cf. eier 
riihren, beat eggs), < hreran, move, shake, stir, 
+ seg, egg: see rear*.] Underdone; nearlyraw; 
rare : formerly said of eggs, now (in the United 
States, in the form rare) of meats. Compare 
rear-boiled, rear-roasted. [Obsolete or provin- 
cial.] 
Rere, or nesche, as eggys. Mollis, sorbilis. 
Prompt. Pan., p. 430. 
If they [eggs] be rere, they do dense the throte and brest. 
Sir T. Elyot, Castle of Health, ii. 13. 
Maces and ginger, rere egges, and poched eggs not hard, 
theyr yolkes be a cordiall. Horde, Breviary of Health. 
Can a soft, rear, poor poach'd iniquity 
So ride upon thy conscience? 
Middleton, Game at Chess, iv. 2. 
rear 3 (rer), n. and a. [Early mod. E. also reer, 
rere; < ME. rere, in comp. rereward, rearward 
and arere, arrear (see arrear 2 , adv.), < OF. rere, 
riere, back, < L. retro, back, backward, < re, 
back, + compar. suffix (in abl.) -tro. But in 
ME. and mod. E. rear as a prefix is rather an 
aphetic form of amir, arrear: see arrear 2 , adv.] 
I. H. 1. The space behind or at the back; atract 
4989 
or a position lying backward ; the background 
of a situation or a point of view. 
Tom 1'ipes, knowing his distance, with great modesty 
took his station in the rear. Smollett, Peregrine Pickle, ii. 
Crook . . . conducted his command south in two paral- 
lel columns until he gained the rear of the enemy's works. 
P. II. Sheridan, Personal Memoirs, II. 37. 
2. The back or hinder part ; that part of any- 
thing which is placed or comes last in order or 
in position. 
His yeomen all, both comly and tall, 
Did quickly bring up the rear. 
Robin Hood, and Maid Marion (Child's Ballads, V. 375). 
Like a gallant horse fall'n in first rank, 
Lie there for pavement to the abject rear, 
O'er-run and trampled on. 
Shall., T. and C., iii. 3. 162. 
While the cock, with lively din, 
Scatters the rear of darkness thin. 
Milton, L'Allegro, 1. 60. 
Were they in the front or in the rear of their generation? 
Macaulay, Sir J. Mackintosh. 
3. In specific military use, the hindmost body 
of an army or a fleet ; the corps, regiment, 
squadron, or other division which moves or is 
placed last in order : opposed to van : as, the 
rear was widely separated from the main body. 
The Vanguard he commits to his Brother the Count de 
Alanson, the Seer to the Earl of Savoy. 
Baker, Chronicles, p. 121. 
To bring up the rear. See bring. [In comp. rear is 
practically a prefix. In older words it is always rere; for 
such words, see entries in rere-.] 
II. a. Pertaining to or situated in the rear ; 
hindermost; last: as, the rearrank Rear front, 
the rear rank of a company or body of men when faced 
about and standing in that position. Rear supper I. 
See rere-supper. Rear vault, in arch., a small vault 
over the space between the tracery or glass of a window 
and the inner face of the wall. 
rear 3 t (rer), v. t. [< rear 3 , v.] To send to or 
place in the rear. 
rear 4 t, v. t. [< ME. reren, < AS. hreran, move, 
shake, stir, = OS. hrorian, hrorien, hruorian, 
shake, = OHG. hruorjan, hrorjan, ruoran, MHG. 
rueren, G. riihren, shake, touch, = Icel. hrcera 
= Sw. riira = Dan. rore, move, stir ; perhaps = 
Goth, 'hrozjan (not recorded), akin to hrisjan, 
shake. Hence, in comp., rearmouse, reremouse, 
and uproar. Cf. rear 2 .] 1. To move; stir. 
2. To carve : applied to the carving of geese. 
Halliwell. 
Rere that goose. Babees Book (E. E. T. S.), p. 265. 
rear 5 t, adv. Same as rare 3 . 
O'er yonder hill does scant the dawn appear, 
Then why does Cuddy leave his cot so rear ? 
Gay, Shepherd's Week, Monday, 1. 6. 
rear-admiral (rer'ad'mi-ral), u. See admiral, 2. 
rearaget (rer'aj), n. [ME., by apheresis for 
arerage : see arrearage.'} Arrearage. 
Such dedes I did wryte, jjif he his day breke. 
I haue mo maneres [manors] thorw rerages than thorw 
miseretur et comodat. Piers Plowman (B), v. 246. 
ffor he wylle gyfe a rekenyng that rewe salle aftyre, . . . 
Or the rereage be requit of rentez that he claymez ! 
Morte Arthure (E. E. T. S.), 1. 1680. 
rear-boiledt (rer ' boild), a. [Formerly rere- 
boiled; < rear 2 + boiled.} Partly boiled. 
A rere-boiled egg, Een half gaar gekookt ey. 
Sewel, Eng.-Dutch Diet. 
reardt, n. [< ME. rerd, rend, reorde, rorde, rurd, 
< AS. reord (for *reard), voice, speech, language, 
= OHG.rarta= Icel. rodd (gen. raddar) = Goth. 
razda, a voice, sound.] A voice; sound. 
Ecko ... is the rearde thet ine the heje belles [high 
hills] comth ayen. Ayenbite of Inwit (E. E. T. S.), p. 60. 
reardorset, . [< ME. reredors: see rercdos.] 
1. An open fireplace against the rear wall of 
a room, without a chimney, the smoke rising 
and escaping through the louver. 
In their [the old men's] yoong dales there were not ahoue 
two or three [chimneys], if so manie, in most vplandish 
townes of the realme (the religious houses, manour places 
of their lords, alwaies excepted, and peraduenture some 
great personages), but ech one made his flre against a 
reredosse in the hall, where he dined and dressed his meat. 
Harrison, Descrip. of Eng., ii. 12. (Holinshed.) 
Also, you shall inquire of all armorers aud other artifi- 
cers using to work in mettal, which have or use any rear- 
dorses, or any other places dangerous or perillous for flre. 
Calthrop's Reports (1670). (Hares.) 
2. A piece of armor for the back. 
Ane hole brest-plate, with a rere-dors 
Behynde shet, or elles on the syde. 
Clariodes, MS. (HalKweU.) 
rear-eggt, An underdone egg. See rear 2 , a. 
rearer (rev'fer), n. 1. One who rears or raises ; 
one who brings up. 
Pholoe, . . . the rearer of the steed. 
Lewis, tr. of Statius's Thebaid, x. 
2. A rearing horse, ass, or mule; an animal 
that has a habit of rearing. 3. In coal-mining, 
Rearing-bit. 
rearward 
a seam of coal having an inclination of more 
than thirty degrees. 
rear-guard (rer'gard), w. [Early mod. E. rere- 
gtirtlt; for *areregarde, < OF. "ariere-garde, ar- 
riere-garde, F. arrieregarde, rear-guard ; as rear 3 
+ guard, n. Cf. rearward.] Part of an army 
detached during a march for the protection of 
the rear, especially in retreating when the at- 
tacks of a pursuing enemy are feared. 
We can nat se abonte vs, nor haue knoledge of your 
reregarde nor vowarde. 
Berners, tr. of Froissart's Chron., II. cxiii. 
reargue (re-iir'gu), v. t. [< re- + argue.'} To 
argue over again. 
reargument (re-ar'gu-ment), n. [< re- + ar- 
gument.} A renewed argumentation, as of a 
case in court; a new arguing or pleading upon 
the same matter. 
rear horse (rer'hors), . A gressorial and rap- 
torial orthopterous insect of the family Uanti- 
dee; a praying-mantis, camel-insect, or devil's 
coach-horse : so called from the way in which 
it rears upon its hind legs. 
The common rearhorse of the Unit- 
ed States is Phasmomantis Carolina. 
See Empusa, and cut under mantis. 
rearing-bit (rer'ing-bit), H. 
A bit intended to prevent a 
horse from lifting his head 
when rearing. In the accompa- 
nying cut, a, a are rings for cheek- 
straps, to which also the chain & is 
attached, in use passing under the 
horse's lower jaw ; c, c are rings for 
attachment of curb-reins. The side- 
pieces, d, d act as levers when the 
reins are pulled, and force open the 
horse's jaw, the curved part of the 
bit pressing forward and downward upon the tongue of 
the animal, thus causing him pain when he attempts to 
rear, 
rearing-box (rer'ing-boks), n. In fish-culture, 
ft fish-breeder. 
rearly (rer'li), adv. [< rear 6 + -fy 2 .] Early. 
[Prov. Eng.] 
Jailer's Brother. I'll bring it to-morrow. 
Jailer's Daughter. Do, very rearly, I must be abroad else, 
To call the maids. 
Fletcher (and another), Two Noble Kinsmen, iv. 1. 
rearmost (rer'most), a. superl. [< rear 3 + -most.} 
Furthest in the rear; last of all. 
The rest pursue their course before the wind, 
These of the rear-most only left behind. 
Bowe, tr. of Lucau's Pharsalia, iii. 
rearmouse, . See reremouse. 
rearrange (re-a-ranj'), . * [< re- + arrange.} 
To arrange anew; make a different arrange- 
ment of. 
rearrangement (re-a-ranj'ment), n. [< rear- 
range + -merit.} A new or different arrange- 
ment. 
rear-roastedt (rer'rdVted), a. Partly roasted. 
Compare rear 2 . 
There we complaine of one reare-roasted chick, 
Here meat worse cookt nere makes us sick. 
SirJ. Harington, Epigrams, iv, 6. (Nares.) 
reart (rert), v. t. [A corruption of rcet, a dial, 
var. of right, v.} To right or mend. Halliwell. 
[Local, Eng.] 
rearward 1 ! (rer'ward), 11. [Early mod. E. rere- 
ward; < ME. rcrewarde, short for arere-warde, 
< OF. arere-warde, < arere, back, + ward, garde, 
ward, guard: see arrear 2 and ward. Cf. dou- 
blet rear-guard.} 1. A rear-guard; a body or 
force guarding the rear. 
The standard of the camp of the children of Dan set 
forward, which was the rereward [rearward, R. V.] of all 
the camps. Num. x. 25. 
The God of Israel will be your rereward [rearward, E.V.]. 
Isa. Iii. 12. 
Because ... it was bootlesse for them [the Turks] to 
assaile the forefront of our battell, . . . they determined 
to set vpon our rereward. Hakluyt's Voyages, II. 20. 
Hence 2. Any company or body of persons 
bringing up the rear ; the rear. 
He . . . speaks to the tune of a country lady, that comes 
ever in the rearward or train of a fashion. 
B. Jonson, Cynthia's Revels, iv. 1. 
rearward 2 (rer'ward), adv. [< rearS + -ward.] 
At or to the rear ; toward the hinder part ; back- 
ward from anything. 
Rearward extended the curtain of mountains, back to 
the Wolkenburg. Longfellow, Hyperion, i. 1. 
rearward 2 (rer'ward), a. and n. [< rearward 1 *, 
adv.] I. a. Situated at or toward the rear; 
being or coming last. 
II. H. Place or position at the rear; the part 
that comes last ; rear; end; conclusion; wind- 
up. 
'A came ever in the rearward of the fashion. 
Shale., 2 Hen. IV., iii. 2. 389. 
