bear someone or something up
to hold someone or something up; to support someone or something. Will this bench bear me up? This bench is so sturdy it would bear up an elephant.
bear someone up*
to sustain or encourage someone. Your encouragement bore me up through a very hard time. I will bear up the widow through the funeral service as well as I can.
bear up (under something)
1. Lit. to hold up under something; to sustain the weight of something. How is the new beam bearing up under the weight of the floor? It isn't bearing up. It broke.
2. Fig. [for someone] to remain brave under a mental or emotional burden. Jill did not bear up well under problems with her family. Jill bore up quite well amid serious difficulties.
bear up
(under something) 1. Lit. to hold up under something; to sustain the weight of something. How is the new beam bearing up under the weight of the floor? It isn't bearing up. It broke.
2. Fig. [for someone] to remain brave under a mental or emotional burden. Jill did not bear up well under problems with her family. Jill bore up quite well amid serious difficulties.