bear a hand

See also: bear-a-hand

English

Alternative forms

• bear-a-hand

Pronunciation

• Audio (General Australian):

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Verb

bear a hand (third-person singular simple present bears a hand, present participle bearing a hand, simple past bore a hand, past participle borne a hand)

1. (nautical, idiomatic, chiefly imperative) To make haste; to help quickly.
   • 1883, Robert Louis Stevenson, Treasure Island:

     Hawkins, neither you nor I are much account at the shooting; we’ll stand by to load and bear a hand.

   • 1911, James George Frazer, The Golden Bough, volume 7:

     The Old Wife is ready to bear a hand in the work of harvesting.

See also

• give a hand