(~s, ~ing, ~ed)
Frequency: The word is one of the 3000 most common words in English.
1.
The ~ of something such as a building or vehicle is the back part of it.
He settled back in the ~ of the taxi.
...a stairway in the ~ of the building.
= back
? front
N-SING: the N, usu N of n
•
Rear is also an adjective.
Manufacturers have been obliged to fit ~ seat belts in all new cars.
ADJ: ADJ n
2.
If you are at the ~ of a moving line of people, you are the last person in it. (FORMAL)
Musicians played at the front and ~ of the procession...
= back
? front
N-SING: the N, usu N of n
3.
Your ~ is the part of your body that you sit on. (INFORMAL)
I turned away from the phone to see Lewis pat a waitress on her ~.
= behind
N-COUNT: usu poss N
4.
If you ~ children, you look after them until they are old enough to look after themselves.
She ~ed sixteen children, six her own and ten her husband’s...
= bring up, raise
VERB: V n
5.
If you ~ a young animal, you keep and look after it until it is old enough to be used for work or food, or until it can look after itself. (mainly BRIT; in AM, usually use raise )
She spends a lot of time ~ing animals.
VERB: V n
6.
When a horse ~s, it moves the front part of its body upwards, so that its front legs are high in the air and it is standing on its back legs.
The horse ~ed and threw off its rider.
VERB: V
7.
If you say that something such as a building or mountain ~s above you, you mean that is very tall and close to you.
The exhibition hall ~ed above me behind a high fence...
= loom
VERB: V prep/adv
8.
If a person or vehicle is bringing up the ~, they are the last person or vehicle in a moving line of them.
...police motorcyclists bringing up the ~ of the procession.
PHRASE: V inflects
9.
If something unpleasant ~s its head or ~s its ugly head, it becomes visible or noticeable.
The threat of strikes ~ed its head again this summer...
PHRASE: V and N inflect