bearing down
Pushing with force
Bearing down is applying concentrated pressure or effort.
In childbirth, it means pushing with the abdominal muscles during contractions: The midwife told her to start bearing down.
More broadly, it describes approaching with force or intensity: The storm was bearing down on the coast.
To bear down on a task is to focus hard on completing it.
- pressuringExerting influence to compel
- pushingApplying force to move
- pushing throughContinuing despite difficulty
- strainingExerting intense effort
- exertingApplying with effort
brute force · crowning · labor · final stretch · zeroing in · pelvic floor · dilation · intensity · crunch time · closing in · dead ahead · contraction · forcing · childbirth · home stretch · drive · squeezing · power
- approachingapproaching, nearing, coming, advancing, closing in
- intimidationthreats, threatening, menacing, intimidate, bullying
- childbirthcontractions, labor, pushing, dilation, birth
- coercionduress, coercing, compelling, threat, forcing
- pressureair pressure, blood pressure rise, blood pressure drop, barometric pressure, apply pressure
- labor painscontraction, contractions, back labor, afterpains, ring of fire
bearing downletting up
Decreasing in force
easing up · backing off · relenting · slacking off · lightening up
bearing downbacking away
Reverse movement from something
retreating · pulling away · withdrawing · falling back · pulling back
bearing downletting up
Decreasing in force
raising · releasing · unburdening · lightening · decompressing
bear, down, bearing, downtown, downfall, downhill, download, overbearing, downcast