Adjective

1. Being behind, or in the hindmost part; hindmost; as, the rear rank of a company.

Adverb

1. early; soon

   • Then why does Cuddy leave his cot so rear! -- John Gay.

Noun

1. The back or hindmost part; that which is behind, or last on order; - opposed to front.

   • Nipped with the lagging rear of winter's frost. - Milton

2. Specifically, the part of an army or fleet which comes last, or is stationed behind the rest.

   • When the fierce foe hung on our broken rear. --Milton

3. The buttocks, a creature's bottom

Verb

1. To raise physically; to lift up; to cause to rise, to elevate.

   • In adoration at his feet I fell Submiss; he reared me. — Milton
   • Mine [shall be] the first hand to rear her banner. — Lord Lytton

2. To construct by building; to set up; as, to rear defenses or houses; to rear one government on the ruins of another.

   • One reared a font of stone. — Alfred Tennyson

3. To raise spiritually; to lift up; to elevate morally.

   • It reareth our hearts from vain thoughts. — Isaac Barrow

4. To lift and take up.

   • And having her from Trompart lightly reared, Upon his set the lovely load. — Edmund Spenser

5. To bring up to maturity, as offspring; to educate; to instruct; to foster.

   • He wants a father to protect his youth, and rear him up to virtue. — Thomas Southerne

6. To breed and raise; as, to rear cattle (cattle-rearing).
7. To rouse; to strip up.

   • And seeks the tusky boar to rear. — John Dryden

8. To rise up on the hind legs, as a bolting horse.

Synonyms

• prance

• build
• elevate
• erect
• establish
• lift
• raise