Forms: 1 bær, 3 bar, 4–5 baar (5–8 Sc. bair), 2– bare. [Common Teut.: OE. bær (= OS., OHG., MHG. bar, MDu. baer, G. and Du. baar, ON. berr, Da., Sw. bar):—OTeut. *baz-oz, cogn. w. Lith. basas, OSlav. bosŭ barefoot; Aryan *bhos-ós. The original short vowel is lengthened in mod.Eng. Du. and Ger.]
A. adj. I. Without covering.
1. Of the body or its parts: Unclothed, naked, nude.
a. 1000. Cædmon’s Gen. (Grein), 783. Bare hie ʓesáwon heora lichoman.
1297. R. Glouc., 514. Manie in hor bare fless hom late croici vaste.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Knt.’s T., 900. On hir bare knees adoun they falle.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, XXX. 12269. Founden bare in his bed.
1596. Shaks., Merch. V., IV. i. 252. Lay bare your bosome.
1611. Bible, Isa. xlvii. 2. Make bare the legge, vncouer the thigh, passe ouer the riuers.
1723. Steele, Englishm., No. 1. 2. He filled my Hat … and then put it upon my bare Head.
1853. Arab. Nts. (Rtldg.), 229. Robbers, who stripped him as bare as my hand.
b. Stripped to the shirt or other under-garment; cf. naked, Gr. γυμνός.
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron., 161. Bare in serke and breke Isaac oway fled.
1866. Kingsley, Herew., xiv. 181. You bid him go and fight in his bare shirt.
† c. Bare eye: cf. ‘naked eye.’ Obs.
1664. Power, Exp. Philos., I. 18. Whose whole bulk to the bare eye is quite indiscernable.
c. 1790. Imison, Sch. Art, I. 263. Holds his finger … between his bare eye and an object.
2. With the head uncovered. arch. = BARE-HEADED.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Prol., 685. Dischevele, sauf his cappe, he rood al bare.
1596. Shaks., Merch. V., II. ix. 44. How many then should couer that stand bare?
1633. G. Herbert, Ch. Porch, lxviii. When once thy foot enters the church, be bare.
a. 1674. Clarendon, Hist. Reb., III. XVI. 594. They all stood bare, whilst the Heraulds proclaim’d the King.
3. fig. Unconcealed, undisguised, open to view.
c. 950. Lindisf. Gosp., Matt. v. 46. Ah ne & bær-suinniʓo ðis doas?
1526. Tindale, Heb. iv. 13. All thynges are naked and bare unto the eyes off hym.
1671. Milton, Samson, 902. Bare in thy guilt how foul must thou appear!
1781. Cowper, Charity, 494. He hides behind a magisterial air His own offences, and strips others bare.
1827. Keble, Chr. Y., 4 S. Lent, xii. Bare to the rude world’s withering view.
4. Of natural objects, as earth, heavens, trees: Without such covering as they have at other times, e.g., without vegetation, clouds, bark, foliage, etc.
c. 885. K. Ælfred, Boeth., xxxiv. § 10. Sumna on cluðum, sumne on barum sondum.
c. 1175. Lamb. Hom., 181. Ðurh ane godliese wude in-to ane bare felde.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 1321. Braunches … o bark al bare.
1523. Fitzherb., Surv., xxxv. (1539), 54. They wylle eate the grounde moste barest.
1611. Bible, Joel i. 7. He hath … barked my figge tree: he hath made it cleane bare.
1720. Lond. Gaz., No. 5827/1. The Country between the two Armies being eaten bare.
1806. Wordsw., Ode Immort., 13. The Moon doth with delight Look round her when the heavens are bare.
1862. Stanley, Jew. Ch. (1877), I. ii. 22. Hills which are now bare were then covered with forest.
5. Of persons and animals: Stripped of a natural covering; deprived of hair, wool, flesh, etc.; bald.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 5165. His heued it was all bar for eild.
1387. Trevisa, Higden, I. 115. Golgotha is to menynge a baar scolle.
c. 1450. Henryson, Tale of Dog, 112. The Scheip … Nakit and bair, syne to the feild couth pas.
1591. Shaks., Two Gent., IV. i. 36. The bare scalpe of Robin Hoods fat Fryer.
1783–94. Blake, Chimney-sw., 7. When your head’s bare, You know that the soot cannot spoil your white hair.
6. Wanting appropriate covering, equipment or array; unfurnished, uncovered.
c. 1200. Trin. Coll. Hom., 139. Bare eorð to bedde, and hard ston to bolstre.
c. 1420. Sir Amadace, xiv. For his mete he wold not spare, Burdes in the halle were neuyr bare.
c. 1600. Rob. Hood (Ritson), xvi. 44. When others cast in their bated hooks, The bare lines into the sea cast he.
1607. Topsell, Four-f. Beasts, 240. It is good to use your horse to backing both saddled and bare.
1722. Sewel, Hist. Quakers (1795), I. IV. 254. Fain to lie upon the bare boards.
1810. Scott, Lady of L., I. xi. Nor were these earth-born Castles bare, Nor lacked they many a banner fair.
b. Without armor or weapons, unarmed. ? Obs.
c. 1205. Lay., 17346. Þa Irisce weoren bare.
c. 1340. Gaw. & Gr. Knt., 277. If þou craue batayl bare, Here faylez þou not to fyȝt.
1549. Cheke, Hurt. Sedit. (1641), 25. Yee … hewed him bare, whom yee could not hurt armed.
1604. Shaks., Oth., I. iii. 175. Men do their broken Weapons rather vse, Then their bare hands.
c. Of cloth: Napless, threadbare. Of weapons: Unsheathed. Bare poles in Naut.: masts with no sails set.
[c. 1386. Chaucer, Prol., 260. With thredbare cope, as is a poure scolere.]
1483. Act 1 Rich. III., viii. Pream., Course Clothes … bare of Threde.
1591. Shaks., Two Gent., II. iv. 45. Their bare Liueries. Ibid. (1604), Oth., V. i. 3. Weare thy good Rapier bare.
1753. Chambers, Cycl. Supp., s.v., A cloth is said to be bare or naked, when the nap is too short.
1780. Coxe, Russ. Disc., 130. Wind being W. S. W. drove 24 hours under bare-poles.
1855. Tennyson, Lt. Brigade. Flash’d all their sabres bare.
II. Stripped of surroundings, contents, property.
† 7. Defenceless, unprotected, deserted. Obs.
1297. R. Glouc., 388. Þe wule hii were in Normandye & Engelond so bare.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, IV. 1320. So bare leuyt, Vmfoldyng with his fos þat he ne fle might.
1551. Edw. VI., Lit. Rem. (1858), II. 353. If he found a bare company … to set upon them.
† 8. Laid waste, desolate. Obs.
c. 1305. St. Edm. King, 20, in E. E. P. (1862), 87. Robbede al þat he fond & makede þane toun bar.
c. 1374. Chaucer, Anel. & Arc., 62. So desolate stode Thebes and so bare.
1593. Shaks., Lucr., 1741. Like a late-sack’d island … Bare and unpeopled.
1642. Milton, Sonn., viii. To save the Athenian walls from ruin bare.
9. Without possessions, destitute, indigent, needy; scantily furnished. Const. of, rarely in: see b.
c. 1205. Lay., 3420. Þat ich bare sitte, wunnen biræued.
c. 1280. Sarmun, 44, in E. E. P. (1862), 5. He nel noȝt leue his eir al bare.
c. 1480. Childe Bristowe, 554, in Hazl., E. P. P. (1864), 131. First was riche and sitthen bare.
1538. Bale, Thre Lawes, 1084. As bare as Job.
1755. Smollett, Quix. (1803), I. 233. Bare I was born, and bare I remain.
1827. Keble, Chr. Y., Sexages. ix. Yet mercy hath not left us bare.
b. c. 1220. Bestiary, 144, in O. E. Misc., 5. Ðanne ðe neddre is … bare of his brest atter.
c. 1380. Sir Ferumb., 1641. Of blisse y am al bare.
1658. Sir T. Browne, Hydriot., i. (1736), 16. We are bare in Historical Particulars.
1865. Carlyle, Fredk. Gt., III. IX. vii. 127. Old Father Margraf … does always keep us frightfully bare in money.
1883. Ch. Times, 9 Nov., 813/2. Lutheranism is more bare of the attribute of saintliness than any other creed held by a large body of Christians.
10. Destitute or defective in various other respects: a. Without contents, empty.
1399. Langl., Rich. Redeless, IV. 21. No þing y-lafte but the bare baggis.
1692. Dryden, Cleomenes, Ep. Ded. in Dram. Wks. 1735, VI. (J.). And even from a bare Treasury, my Success has been contrary to that of Mr. Cowley.
Nursery Rhyme, Mother Hubberd. When she got there the cupboard was bare.
† b. Poor in quality, paltry, worthless. Obs.
1399. Langl., Rich. Redeless, IV. 70. So blynde and so ballid and bare was þe reson.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, VI. 2502. Soche bargens are bytter, þat hafe a bare end.
1592. Shaks., Ven. & Ad., 188. What bare excuses makest thou to be gone. Ibid. (1596), 1 Hen. IV., III. ii. 13. Such poore, such bare … attempts.
c. Without literary or artistic effect; bald, meager, unadorned.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, Prol. 74. Cornelius translated it … but he brought it so breff, and so bare leuyt, þat no lede might have likyng to loke þerappon.
1597. Morley, Introd. Mus., 84. In long resting the harmonie seemeth bare.
1798. Ferriar, Eng. Histor., in Illustr. Sterne, 248. The bare line of general narration is so happily ornamented.
† d. Simple, without luxury; unpolished, rude.
1583. Stubbes, Anat. Abus., II. 72. Better it is to haue bare feeding than none at all.
1590. Spenser, F. Q., I. xii. (J.). Yet was their manner then but bare and playne.
1603. Knolles, Hist. Turks (1621), 76. This bare Northren people [the Tartars].
† e. Bare wind in Naut.: one too much ahead to fill the sails well; scant. Obs.
1682. Lond. Gaz., No. 1744/4. This morning sailed the whole Fleet … with a bare Wind at N.W. and by N. Ibid. (1691), No. 2671/4. Having but a bare Wind, and little of it.
1694. Luttrell, Brief Rel., III. 320. The whole fleet was out of sight, with a bare wind at North.
III. Without anything of the nature of addition.
11. Without addition, mere, simple; — and nothing else,—only. Bare contract in Law: an unconditional promise or surrender.
c. 1200. Moral Ode, 137, in Lamb. Hom., 167. Hefde he bon þer enne dei oðer twa bare tide.
c. 1315. Shoreham, 35. Man moȝe isaued be Thorȝ bare repentaunce.
1393. Gower, Conf., II. 286. I set it at no more accompt, Than wolde a bare straw amount.
1577. Hanmer, Anc. Eccl. Hist. (1619), 104. They taught Christ to be … but a bare Man.
1633. G. Herbert, Love Unkn., 40, in Temple, 122. Many drunk bare wine.
1641. Termes de la Ley, 21. Bare contract, or naked promise, is where a man bargaineth or selleth his lands, or goods … and there is no recompence appointed to him for the doing thereof … This is a naked contract, and voyd in Law.
1697. C’tess. D’Aunoy’s Trav. (1706), 109. Who can do you hurt by bare looking on you.
1711. Addison, Spect., No. 69. 5. Nature indeed furnishes us with the bare Necessaries of Life.
1769. Junius Lett., xiii. 56. A bare contradiction will have no weight.
1844. Ld. Brougham, Brit. Const., xix. § 6 (1861), 373. If there be only a bare majority of seven to five, the case is reconsidered by the judges.
† 12. From the idea of completeness in itself; Sheer, absolute, very, actual. Obs.
c. 1205. Lay., 20876. Ich habbe hine idriuen; to þan bare dæðe.
c. 1330. Sire Degarré, 561. Thei he be the bare qued, He schal a-doune.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, XXIV. 9682. With strong batell & brem till the bare night. Ibid., 10805. Born to þe burghe in the bare tyme, Honerable Ector in armes to helpe.
IV. Comb. a. specially bare-arse, dial. name of the Little Grebe; to go on bare-board, to play without a stake on the gaming-table; bare-bone, a lean, skinny person; bare-man, obs. term in Sc. Law for a bankrupt or ‘broken’ man.
b. adjs. formed by bare qualifying a sb., as bare-breech, -leg, -limb, bare-weight (also adv.: see 11), BARE-FOOT, -HEAD, equivalent in sense to c. parasynthetic adjs. formed on prec. + -ED, as bare-armed, (having the arms bare), bare-breeched, -chested, legged, -throated, -walled. d. ppl. adjs. in which bare acts as a verbal complement, as bare-bitten, -eaten, -gnawn, -worn.
a. 1655. Fuller, Ch. Hist., VI. vii. § 3. III. 493. To vye ready silver with the King of Spaine, when he … was fain to go on bare-board.
1596. Shaks., 1 Hen. IV., II. iv. 358. Heere comes leane Jacke, heere comes bare-bone.
1581. Acts Jas. VI. (1597), § 110. To hound out bair-men and vagabounds, to the attempting of sik foull … enormities.
1609. Skene, Reg. Maj., Table 66. Bairman … is he quha makes cession of his gudes and geir to his creditours.
a. 1763. Shenstone, Ess., Wks. (1765), 172. A Miser, if honest, can be only honest bare-weight.
1801. Han. More, Wks., VIII. 248. Such bare-weight protestants prudently condition for retaining the Popish doctrine of indulgences.
b. 1205. [see BAREFOOT].
1483. Cath. Angl., 21/1. Barlege, incaligatus.
1577. Stanyhurst, Descr. Irel., in Holinsh., VI. 51. Such barebreech brats as swarme in the English pale. Ibid. (1583), Æneid, 137. Baerlym swartye Pyracmon.
1587. Cens. Loyall Subj. (Collier), 25. Bareleg and barefoot they wandred.
c. c. 1350. Will. Palerne, 2767. A barlegged bold boie.
1562. J. Heywood, Prov. & Epigr. (1867), 16. To beg a breeche of a bare arst man.
1580. North, Plutarch (1676), 289. He would go out bare-necked to the waste.
1595. Shaks., John, V. ii. 177. In his fore-head sits A bare-rib’d death.
1647. R. Stapylton, Juvenal, 209. Then must bare-finger’d [= ringless] Pollio beg or fast.
1814. Scott, Wav., xv. Four bare-legged dairy-maids. Ibid. (1828), F. M. Perth, vi. These bare-breeched Dunniewassals.
1873. Symonds, Grk. Poets, xii. 403. Stately maidens and bare-chested youths.
d. 1577. trans. Bullinger’s Decades, Pref. Ministers … bare bitten of their Patrons.
1603. Florio, Montaigne, I. xxvii. (1632), 96. A subject, common, bare-worne, and wyer-drawne.
1605. Shaks., Lear, V. iii. 122. By Treasons tooth bare gnawne.
1627. May, Lucan, IX. 7. On their bare-eaten ground.
1770. Goldsm., Des. Vill., 308. Ev’n the bareworn common is denied.
B. adv. [cf. Sw. bara only, Ger. baar.]
† 1. Thoroughly, completely. (Cf. A 12.) Obs. rare.
c. 1340. Gaw. & Gr. Knt., 465. Ȝet breued watz hit ful bare, A meruayl among þo menne.
2. With numeral adjs.: No more than, at most; scarcely, BARELY. arch. or Obs.
c. 1325. E. E. Allit. P., B. 1573. Out-taken bare two & þenne he þe þrydde.
1597. J. Payne, Royal Exch., 46. Errors … of bare 80 yeres continuans.
1678. Otway, Friendsh. in F., 24. As hot-headed with my bare two Bottles, as a drunken Prentice.
1716. Lond. Gaz., 5410/4. Weighs bare ten Grains.
† C. sb. [the adj. used absol.] Obs.
† 1. A naked part of the body; the bare skin.
c. 1300. St. Brandan, 612. And helede al aboute his bodi, nas ther no bar on him bileved.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, XIV. 5821. Hit shot þrough … þe shire maile, to þe bare of þe body.
1526. Tindale, Mark xiv. 51. Cloothed in linnen apon the bare.
1611. Beaum. & Fl., King & No K., II. 45. If ever I touch’d any bare of her above her knee.
fig. 1602. Marston, Ant. & Mel., II. Wks. 1856, I. 22 (in Webster). You have toucht the very bare of naked truth.
† 2. A bare space or place. Obs.
1683–4. Gt. Frost (1844), Introd. 19. Her [Thames’] watry green [shou’d] be turn’d into a bare.
1706. Phillips, Bare, a Place without Grass, made smooth to Bowl in.
