Where Does the Phrase 'Bear With Me' Come From?

The intended meaning of this phrase is "be patient with me."

Grammar is a complex topic, and even native English speakers who are familiar with an expression can commonly confuse words when spelling it out in a sentence. Take bear and bare for example.

These words are homonyms (words with similar pronunciations but different meanings) and homophones (words with similar sounds but varying definitions). Even though they sound the same, the two sentences have distinct meanings.

The correct expression is "bear with me" because the verb "bear" means to stand, carry or endure. In this sense, you are asking someone to support you and endure waiting patiently.

The word "bare" means to uncover, expose or reveal — an appropriate request for a nudist couple's retreat, but an uncomfortable miscommunication in almost every other situation.

The expression "bear with me" likely originated from 14th-century Middle English, a confusing linguistic era when several words were spelled differently based on region, educational level and personal preference. It is likely also a shortened version of the antiquated idiom "bear and forebear."

Either way, the speaker is asking someone to bear the burden of waiting or forbearing.

B-a-r-e is a common misspelling of the word bear and this incorrect spelling will produce the wrong context. A simple trick to remember the correct spelling when writing is to visualize the difference between "bear" and "bare."

Picture a grizzly bear and think about its characteristics and temperament. Bears are strong, patient creatures that will wait in raging rapids for unsuspecting salmon to swim upstream and leap into their mouths. Painting a story like this in your mind will create an instant connection with the correct spelling.

Here are some simple examples to explain the many ways this saying can be used in everyday speech.