Definition of 'bore'

Word Frequency

bore

(bɔːʳ )

Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular present tense bores , present participle boring , past tense, past participle bored

1. verb

If someone or something bores you, you find them dull and uninteresting.

Dickie bored him all through the meal with stories of the Navy. [VERB noun + with]

Life in the country bores me. [VERB noun]

Synonyms: tire, exhaust, annoy, fatigue More Synonyms of bore

See bore to tears/bore to death/bore stiff

3. countable noun

You describe someone as a bore when you think that they talk in a very uninteresting way.

There is every reason why I shouldn't enjoy his company–he's a bore and a fool.

Synonyms: nuisance, pain [informal], drag [informal], headache [informal] More Synonyms of bore

4. singular noun

You can describe a situation as a bore when you find it annoying.

It's a bore to be sick, and the novelty of lying in bed all day wears off quickly.

5. verb

If you bore a hole in something, you make a deep round hole in it using a special tool.

Get the special drill bit to bore the correct-size hole for the job. [VERB noun]

Synonyms: drill, mine, sink, tunnel More Synonyms of bore

6. verb

If someone's eyes bore into you, they stare intensely at you.

[written]

Her eyes seemed to bore a hole in mine. [V n in n]

7. countable noun [usually supplement NOUN]

A bore is a very large wave that moves quickly up certain rivers from the sea at particular times of the year as a result of unusual tides.

Bore is the past tense of bear1.

9. See also bored, boring

More Synonyms of bore

Word Frequency

-bore

(-bɔːʳ )

combining form [ADJECTIVE noun]

-bore combines with numbers to form adjectives which indicate the size of the barrel of a gun.

He had a 12-bore shotgun.

Video: pronunciation of
bore

bore in British English 1

(bɔː )

verb

to produce (a hole) in (a material) by use of a drill, auger, or other cutting tool

to increase the diameter of (a hole), as by an internal turning operation on a lathe or similar machine

3. (transitive)

to produce (a hole in the ground, tunnel, mine shaft, etc) by digging, drilling, cutting, etc

4. (intransitive) informal

(of a horse or athlete in a race) to push other competitors, esp in order to try to get them out of the way

noun

a hole or tunnel in the ground, esp one drilled in search of minerals, oil, etc

a circular hole in a material produced by drilling, turning, or drawing

the diameter of such a hole

the hollow part of a tube or cylinder, esp of a gun barrel

the diameter of such a hollow part; calibre

8. Australian

an artesian well

Word origin

Old English borian; related to Old Norse bora, Old High German borōn to bore, Latin forāre to pierce, Greek pharos ploughing, phárunx pharynx

Word Frequency

bore in British English 2

(bɔː )

verb

1. (transitive)

to tire or make weary by being dull, repetitious, or uninteresting

noun

a dull, repetitious, or uninteresting person, activity, or state

Derived forms

bored

adjective

Word origin

C18: of unknown origin

Word Frequency

bore in British English 3

(bɔː )

noun

a high steep-fronted wave moving up a narrow estuary, caused by the tide

Word origin

C17: from Old Norse bāra wave, billow

Word Frequency

bore in British English 4

(bɔː )

verb

the past tense of bear1

Word Frequency

bore in American English 1

(bɔr )

verb transitiveWord forms: bored or ˈboring

to make a hole in or through with a drill or other rotating tool

to make (a hole, tunnel, well, etc.) by or as by drilling

to force (one's way), as through a crowd

to weary by being dull, uninteresting, or monotonous

verb intransitive

to bore a hole or passage

to be drilled by a tool

soft materials bore easily

to move forward slowly but steadily, as if by boring

to become weary and disinterested

noun

a hole made by or as by boring

10.

the hollow part inside a tube, pipe, or cylinder, as of a gun barrel

the inside diameter of such a hollow part; gauge; caliber

11.

a tiresome, dull person or thing

Word origin

ME boren < OE borian, to bore < bor, auger < IE base *bher-, to cut with a sharp point > Gr *pharein, to split, L forare, to bore, ferire, to cut, kill

Word Frequency

bore in American English 2

(bɔr )

noun

a high wall of moving water caused by a very rapid rise of the tide in shallow, narrow channels

Word origin

ME bare, a wave < ON bara, a billow < IE *bhoros < base *bher- > bear1

Word Frequency

bore in American English 3

(bɔr )

verb transitive, verb intransitive

pt. of

bear1

Word Frequency

bore in Automotive Engineering 1

(bɔr)

Word forms: (regular plural) bores

noun

(Automotive engineering: Vehicle components, Engine, transmission, and exhaust)

The bore is the internal diameter of the cylinder of an engine or pump.

The engine is a three-liter unit with an 83 x 90mm bore and stroke.

The four-cylinder, four-stroke engine has a bore of 80 mm.

The thin-wall cylinders were used to achieve the 2.8-liter displacement with a 92-mm bore.

Word Frequency

bore in Automotive Engineering 2

(bɔr)

Word forms: (regular plural) bores

noun

(Automotive engineering: Vehicle components, Engine, transmission, and exhaust)

The bore is the cylinder wall of an engine.

COLLOCATIONS: cylinder ~

The engine has new cylinder heads and pistons fitted to a smaller aluminum block with larger cylinder bores.

Lubricate the cylinder bores with a light spray of oil into each plug hole.

While removing the spring assembly, be careful not to scratch the bore of the cylinder.

Word Frequency

bore in Automotive Engineering 3

(bɔr)

Word forms: (present) bores, (past) bored, (perfect) bored, (progressive) boring

verb

(Automotive engineering: Vehicle components, Engine, transmission, and exhaust)

If you bore a hole in something, you make a deep round hole in it using a special tool.

COLLOCATIONS: ~ a hole

You'll have to bore a hole in the engine mounting.

“We bore a big hole, but drill a smaller one,” the machinist explained.

The machinist bored an 8cm hole.

Word Frequency

bore in Automotive Engineering 4

(bɔr)

Word forms: (present) bores, (past) bored, (perfect) bored, (progressive) boring

verb

(Automotive engineering: Vehicle components, Engine, transmission, and exhaust)

If you bore a cylinder in an engine, you increase the size of the cylinder bore to accept the piston, and so increase displacement.

COLLOCATIONS: ~ the cylinder

Next, bore the cylinder to fit the piston in.

Remove the cylinder and bore it to the precise dimensions to obtain proper piston clearance.

He had to bore the cylinder to accept the oversize piston.

Word Frequency

bore in Mechanical Engineering

(bɔr)

Word forms: (regular plural) bores

noun

(Mechanical engineering: Manufacturing and assembly)

A bore is a circular hole in a material produced by drilling, turning, or drawing.

Drill a bore of 100mm diameter into the workpiece.

The eyebolt is threaded into a bore in the metal.

A bore is a circular hole in a material produced by drilling, turning, or drawing.

boring

Examples of 'bore' in a sentence
bore

These examples have been automatically selected and may contain sensitive content. Read more…

He belongs to a generation that gets bored easily and has no interest in delayed gratification.Either he gets bored quickly or he has unending curiosity.That may have been true when most jobs were boring and tiring.There would be boring bits and ugly people with bad teeth.England players have become bored there.His job bored him, but left ample time for the writing he wanted to do.I am not one to talk all the time; people get bored and no one listens.I'm easily bored in relationships? Bosses today are hostages to the minuscule attention span of modern society, where fans get bored easily and often want change for change's sake.You are easily bored by the same routine and crave variety.