Rears

[reer] /rɪər/

noun
1.
the back of something, as distinguished from the front:
The porch is at the rear of the house.
2.
the space or position behind something:
The bus driver asked the passengers to move to the rear.
3.
the buttocks; rump.
4.
the hindmost portion of an army, fleet, etc.
adjective
5.
pertaining to or situated at the rear of something:
the rear door of a bus.
Idioms
6.
bring up the rear, to be at the end; follow behind:
The army retreated, and the fleeing civilian population brought up the rear.
[reer] /rɪər/
verb (used with object)
1.
to take care of and support up to maturity:
to rear a child.
2.
to breed and raise (livestock).
3.
to raise by building; erect.
4.
to raise to an upright position:
to rear a ladder.
5.
to lift or hold up; elevate; raise.
verb (used without object)
6.
to rise on the hind legs, as a horse or other animal.
7.
(of a person) to start up in angry excitement, hot resentment, or the like (usually followed by up).
8.
to rise high or tower aloft:
The skyscraper rears high over the neighboring buildings.
Idioms
9.
rear its (ugly) head. (def 85).
/rɪə/
noun
1.
the back or hind part
2.
the area or position that lies at the back: a garden at the rear of the house
3.
the section of a military force or procession farthest from the front
4.
the buttocks See buttock
5.
bring up the rear, to be at the back in a procession, race, etc
6.
in the rear, at the back
7.
(modifier) of or in the rear: the rear legs, the rear side
/rɪə/
verb
1.
(transitive) to care for and educate (children) until maturity; bring up; raise
2.
(transitive) to breed (animals) or grow (plants)
3.
(transitive) to place or lift (a ladder, etc) upright
4.
(transitive) to erect (a monument, building, etc); put up
5.
(intransitive) often foll by up. (esp of horses) to lift the front legs in the air and stand nearly upright
6.
(intransitive; often foll by up or over) (esp of tall buildings) to rise high; tower
7.
(intransitive) to start with anger, resentment, etc
n.

“hindmost part,” c.1600, abstracted from rerewarde “rear guard, hindmost part of an army or fleet” (mid-14c.), from Anglo-French rerewarde, Old French rieregarde, from Old French adverb riere “behind” (from Latin retro “back, behind;” see retro-) + Old French garde (see guard (n.)). Or the word may be a shortened form of arrear (see arrears).

As a euphemism for “buttocks” it is attested from 1796. Rear admiral is first attested 1580s, apparently so called from ranking “behind” an admiral proper. Rear-view (mirror) is recorded from 1926.
v.

Old English ræran “to raise, build up, create, set on end; arouse, excite, stir up,” from Proto-Germanic *raizijanau “to raise,” causative of *risanan “to rise” (see raise (v.)). Meaning “bring into being, bring up” (as a child) is recorded from early 15c.; that of “raise up on the hind legs” is first recorded late 14c. Related: Reared; rearing.

“attack in the rear,” 17c., from rear (n.).
adj.

c.1300, from Old French rere (see rear (n.)).