noun · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
Received-Pronunciation:/ˈbɛəˌliːdə/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
General-American:/ˈbɛəɹˌlidəɹ/
1
noun
Meaning 1
Someone who handles and keeps bears, especially for use in public entertainments such as bearbaiting or dancing displays; a bearward.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: historical
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: bearherd, bear warden
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
Someone acting as a chaperone and tutor to a wealthy young man travelling abroad, especially in Europe.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: broadly, historical
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
A captor; also, a guard, a jailer.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract