bare

comparative barer · superlative barest

1. Minimal; that is or are just sufficient.

   a bare majority

   1 more example

   Nature indeed furnishes us with the bare necessaries of life, but traffic gives us a great variety of what is useful

   1711 May 29 (Gregorian calendar), [Joseph Addison], “FRIDAY, May 19, 1711”, in The Spectator, number 69; republished in Alexander Chalmers, editor, The Spectator; a New Edition, […], volume I, New York, N.Y.: D[aniel] Appleton & Company, 1853, →OCLC

   Synonyms: mere, minimal · Antonyms: ample, plentiful, sufficient

2. Naked, uncovered.

   "I refuse to show myself out of doors in my bare feet," the Centipede said. "I have to get my boots on again first."

   1961, Roald Dahl, James and the Giant Peach, Knopf, page 46

   Synonyms: exposed, naked, nude, uncovered, undressed · Antonyms: covered, covered up, dressed, unexposed

3. Having no supplies.

   The cupboard was bare.

   2 more examples

   a room bare of furniture

   Localities across New Jersey imposed curfews to prevent looting. In Monmouth, Ocean and other counties, people waited for hours for gasoline at the few stations that had electricity. Supermarket shelves were stripped bare.

   2012 October 31, David M. Halbfinger, New York Times, retrieved 31 Oct 2012

   Synonyms: empty, unfurnished, unstocked, unsupplied · Antonyms: full, furnished, stocked, supply, supplied, well-stocked

4. Having no decoration.

   The walls of this room are bare — why not hang some paintings on them?

   Synonyms: empty, plain, unadorned, undecorated, austere, chaste, inornate, modest · Antonyms: adorned, decorated, ornate, bedizened, blatant, blingish, brash, campy

5. Having had what usually covers (something) removed.

   The trees were left bare after the swarm of locusts devoured all the leaves.

   Synonyms: despoiled, stripped, uncovered · Antonyms: covered

6. Multicultural London EnglishYorkshirenot comparableslangA lot or lots of.

   It's taking bare time.

   3 more examples

   The phone would answer, we'd go round the corner, pass something to someone, go back and we'd have bare dough, we'd have bare money in our pocket.

   2005 July 13, Ryan, quotee, “‘We like the easy money. We like the lifestyle’”, in The Guardian

   You shagged bare lads, you're a little sket / Have you heard your bars? They're fucking pept

   2016 December 3, Millie B, “Soph Aspin Send”, performed by Millie B

   Oh, come on. Help a brother out. People see you coppin', might inspire them. Look, I know you ain't payin' bills right now. Man must have bare peas saved up.

   2023, Nathan Bryon, Tom Melia, directed by Raine Allen-Miller, Rye Lane, spoken by Nathan (Simon Manyonda)

7. With head uncovered; bareheaded.

   When once thy foot enters the church, be bare. / God is more there, then thou: for thou art there / Onely by his permiſſion.

   [1633], George Herbert, “The Church-porch”, in [Nicholas Ferrar], editor, The Temple. Sacred Poems, and Private Ejaculations, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire: […] Thomas Buck and Roger Daniel; and are to be sold by Francis Green, […], →OCLC, page 14

   Synonyms: uncovered

8. Without anything to cover up or conceal one's thoughts or actions; open to view; exposed.

   Bare in thy guilt how foul muſt thou appear?

   1671, John Milton, “Samson Agonistes, […].”, in Paradise Regain’d. A Poem. In IV Books. To which is Added, Samson Agonistes, London: […] J[ohn] M[acock] for John Starkey […], →OCLC, page 56, line 903

   Synonyms: apparent, displayed, apparent, displayed, distinct, evident, exposed, certain · Antonyms: concealed, obscured, covered, concealed, dark, dern, hidden, invisible

9. figurativelyMere; without embellishment.

   bare essentials; bare necessities

   1 more example

   Those who lent him money lent it on no security but his bare word.

   1848, Thomas Babington Macaulay, The History of England from the Accession of James the Second, Chapter XII

   Synonyms: alone, simple, only, very, alone, just, mere, only

10. Threadbare, very worn.

    for it appears, by their bare liveries, that they live by your bare words.

    c. 1590–1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Two Gentlemen of Verona”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene iv]

    Synonyms: shabby, worn-out

11. Not insured.

    That a firm chooses to go bare has no effect on whether it gets sued or not.

    1994, David S. Haviland, The Architect's Handbook of Professional Practice, page 310

    1 more example

    Before the company was formed, the firm went bare for about three months in 1985, but it now has prior acts coverage for that time.

    1987 December 1, ABA Journal, page 86

    Synonyms: noninsured, uninsured

1. dialectalBarely.

   “I've bare enough for these two, much less fill your belly.”

   2011, Elizabeth Vaughan, Warprize

   2 more examples

   The fiend had bare departed when Ailie came over the threshold to find the auld carline glunching over the fire.

   1902, John Buchan, The Outgoing of the Tide

   He finally came back to himself and asked why the furor. "Why," Lucy said, "because this is Christmas Eve. We have bare enough time to get ready for the ball, after dinner, as it is."

   2009, Allan Cole with Chris Bunch, The Wars of the Shannons

2. Multicultural London EnglishslangVery; significantly.

   That's bare stupid.

   1 more example

   That pissed me off bare.

3. slangWithout a condom.

   It would be fine to have these women bare, without condoms.

   2002, The Society of Malawi Journal - Volumes 55-58, page 70

   2 more examples

   While none of the participants had complete confidence in condoms, they continued to use them as a better alternative than “going in bare".

   2000, Northeast African Studies - Volume 7, page 119

   I like to go bare. I don't like wearing condoms, actually I hate 'em.

   2010, M. L. Matthews, I Am Not the Father: Narratives of Men Falsely Accused of Paternity, →ISBN

plural bares

1. The surface, the (bare) skin.

   Vancha clasped the bare of my neck and squeezed amiably.

   2002, Darren Shan, Hunters of the dusk: 7

   1 more example

   In sad good earnest, sir, you have toucht the very bare of naked truth [...]

   1599, John Marston, Antonio and Mellida

2. Surface; body; substance.

   You have touched the very bare of naked truth.

   c. 1599 (date written), I. M. [i.e., John Marston], The History of Antonio and Mellida. The First Part. […], London: […] [Richard Bradock] for Mathewe Lownes, and Thomas Fisher, […], published 1602, →OCLC, (please specify the page)

3. architectureThat part of a roofing slate, shingle, tile, or metal plate, which is exposed to the weather.

present singular third person bares · participle present baring · participle past bared · past bared

1. figurativelysometimestransitiveTo uncover; to reveal.

   She bared her teeth at him.

   1 more example

   The tabloid newspaper promised to bare all.

   Synonyms: expose, lay bare, reveal, show, uncover

1. obsoletepastsimple past of bear

   And the children of the Levites bare the ark of God upon their shoulders with the staves thereon

   1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, 1 Chronicles 15:15

   1 more example

   And so I put thee on my shoulder and bare thee back, and here thou art in David's room, and shalt find board and bed with me as long as thou hast mind to

   [1898], J[ohn] Meade Falkner, Moonfleet, London; Toronto, Ont.: Jonathan Cape, published 1934, →OCLC

plural Bares

1. countableuncountableA surname.
2. countableuncountableA suburb of Morecambe, Lancaster district, Lancashire, England, served by Bare Lane railway station (OS grid ref SD4564).