bear-ward

A form of bearward — Someone who handles and keeps bears (and sometimes other animals such as apes and bulls), especially for use in public entertainments such as baiting or dancing displays; a bearherd.

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Meanings

nounbear-ward (plural bear-wards)

plural bear-wards

  1. alternativeAlternative form of bearward.

    The ruder amusements of the age lost their attractions; and the royal bear-ward of Queen Elizabeth lodged a formal complaint at the feet of her majesty, that the play-houses had seduced the audience from his periodical bear-baitings!

    1828, Sir Walter Scott, Essays: Volume 2: The Drama
Cite this entry
APA

bear-ward. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/bear-ward

MLA

“bear-ward.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/bear-ward. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “bear-ward,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/bear-ward.

Source: bear-ward on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.