Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

bore

/boɹ/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: 3.93 in modern English

Syllables
bore
IPA
/boɹ/
6
Scrabble Score
4
Letters
1
Syllables
4
Unique Chars

Meaning

verb

To inspire boredom in somebody.

Transitive verb

verb

To make a hole through something.

Transitive verb

verb

To make a hole with, or as if with, a boring instrument; to cut a circular hole by the rotary motion of a tool.

Intransitive verb

verb

To form or enlarge (something) by means of a boring instrument or apparatus.

Transitive verb

verb

To make (a passage) by laborious effort, as in boring; to force a narrow and difficult passage through.

Transitive verb

verb

To be pierced or penetrated by an instrument that cuts as it turns.

Intransitive verb

verb

To glare (as if to drill a hole with the eyes).

Intransitive verb

verb

To push or drive (a boxer into the ropes, a boat out of its course, etc.).

Slang; Transitive verb

Example Sentences

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *bʰerH-der. Proto-Germanic *burōną Proto-West Germanic *borōn Old English borian Middle English boren English bore From Middle English boren, from Old English borian (“to pierce”), from Proto-West Germanic *borōn, from Proto-Germanic *burōną. Compare Danish bore, Norwegian Bokmål bore, Dutch boren, German bohren, Old Norse bora. Cognate with Latin forō (“to bore, to pierce”), Latin feriō (“strike, cut”) and Albanian birë (“hole”). Sense of wearying may come from a figurative use such as "to bore the ears"; compare German drillen.

Origin

Word Breakdown

  • Root: boren, borian, *borōn, *burōną, *bore, bára

Regional Pronunciation

  • American English: /boɹ/
  • British English: /bɔː/

Usage

Inflected Forms

bores (present, singular) boring (participle, present) bored (participle, past) bored (past) bores (plural)

Derived Forms

boreable boree rebore unbore backbore Boraga borefest borefield boregasm borehole boreism boreless

Phrases

bore in bore off bore out boring clam tongue-boring wood-boring artesian bore bore draw

Frequently Paired Words

borer bored boredom boring tedium stroke

Synonyms

artesian bore artesian well bore banality snooze snoozer eagre tidal bore

Homonyms

boar Bohr boor (pour–poor merger) boer

Antonyms

interest thrillsville

Rhymes With

for or your more before four war d'or door store floor anymore

Questions

How do you pronounce bore?
The recorded pronunciation is /boɹ/.
What does bore mean?
To inspire boredom in somebody.
Where does bore come from?
It is traced to Middle English.

How to pronounce bore

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “bore”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/boɹ/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “bore”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “bore” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.