'Great Bear' definitions:

Definition of 'Great Bear'

From: WordNet
noun
A constellation outside the zodiac that rotates around the North Star [syn: Great Bear, Ursa Major]

Definition of 'Great Bear'

From: GCIDE
  • Bear \Bear\ (b[^a]r), n. [OE. bere, AS. bera; akin to D. beer, OHG. bero, pero, G. b[aum]r, Icel. & Sw. bj["o]rn, and possibly to L. fera wild beast, Gr. fh`r beast, Skr. bhalla bear.] [1913 Webster]
  • 1. (Zool.) Any species of the genus Ursus, and of the closely allied genera. Bears are plantigrade Carnivora, but they live largely on fruit and insects. [1913 Webster]
  • Note: The European brown bear (Ursus arctos), the white polar bear (Ursus maritimus), the grizzly bear (Ursus horribilis), the American black bear, and its variety the cinnamon bear (Ursus Americanus), the Syrian bear (Ursus Syriacus), and the sloth bear, are among the notable species. [1913 Webster]
  • 2. (Zool.) An animal which has some resemblance to a bear in form or habits, but no real affinity; as, the woolly bear; ant bear; water bear; sea bear. [1913 Webster]
  • 3. (Astron.) One of two constellations in the northern hemisphere, called respectively the Great Bear and the Lesser Bear, or Ursa Major and Ursa Minor. [1913 Webster]
  • 4. Metaphorically: A brutal, coarse, or morose person. [1913 Webster]
  • 5. (Stock Exchange) A person who sells stocks or securities for future delivery in expectation of a fall in the market. [1913 Webster]
  • Note: The bears and bulls of the Stock Exchange, whose interest it is, the one to depress, and the other to raise, stocks, are said to be so called in allusion to the bear's habit of pulling down, and the bull's of tossing up. [1913 Webster]
  • 6. (Mach.) A portable punching machine. [1913 Webster]
  • 7. (Naut.) A block covered with coarse matting; -- used to scour the deck. [1913 Webster]
  • Australian bear. (Zool.) See Koala.
  • Bear baiting, the sport of baiting bears with dogs.
  • Bear caterpillar (Zool.), the hairy larva of a moth, esp. of the genus Euprepia.
  • Bear garden. (a) A place where bears are kept for diversion or fighting. (b) Any place where riotous conduct is common or permitted. --M. Arnold.
  • Bear leader, one who leads about a performing bear for money; hence, a facetious term for one who takes charge of a young man on his travels. [1913 Webster]

Definition of 'Great bear'

From: GCIDE
  • Great \Great\ (gr[=a]t), a. [Compar. Greater; superl. Greatest.] [OE. gret, great, AS. gre['a]t; akin to OS. & LG. gr[=o]t, D. groot, OHG. gr[=o]z, G. gross. Cf. Groat the coin.]
  • 1. Large in space; of much size; big; immense; enormous; expanded; -- opposed to small and little; as, a great house, ship, farm, plain, distance, length. [1913 Webster]
  • 2. Large in number; numerous; as, a great company, multitude, series, etc. [1913 Webster]
  • 3. Long continued; lengthened in duration; prolonged in time; as, a great while; a great interval. [1913 Webster]
  • 4. Superior; admirable; commanding; -- applied to thoughts, actions, and feelings. [1913 Webster]
  • 5. Endowed with extraordinary powers; uncommonly gifted; able to accomplish vast results; strong; powerful; mighty; noble; as, a great hero, scholar, genius, philosopher, etc. [1913 Webster]
  • 6. Holding a chief position; elevated: lofty: eminent; distinguished; foremost; principal; as, great men; the great seal; the great marshal, etc. [1913 Webster]
  • He doth object I am too great of birth. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
  • 7. Entitled to earnest consideration; weighty; important; as, a great argument, truth, or principle. [1913 Webster]
  • 8. Pregnant; big (with young). [1913 Webster]
  • The ewes great with young. --Ps. lxxviii. 71. [1913 Webster]
  • 9. More than ordinary in degree; very considerable in degree; as, to use great caution; to be in great pain. [1913 Webster]
  • We have all Great cause to give great thanks. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
  • 10. (Genealogy) Older, younger, or more remote, by single generation; -- often used before grand to indicate one degree more remote in the direct line of descent; as, great-grandfather (a grandfather's or a grandmother's father), great-grandson, etc. [1913 Webster]
  • Great bear (Astron.), the constellation Ursa Major.
  • Great cattle (Law), all manner of cattle except sheep and yearlings. --Wharton.
  • Great charter (Eng. Hist.), Magna Charta.
  • Great circle of a sphere, a circle the plane of which passes through the center of the sphere.
  • Great circle sailing, the process or art of conducting a ship on a great circle of the globe or on the shortest arc between two places.
  • Great go, the final examination for a degree at the University of Oxford, England; -- called also greats. --T. Hughes.
  • Great guns. (Naut.) See under Gun.
  • The Great Lakes the large fresh-water lakes (Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario) which lie on the northern borders of the United States.
  • Great master. Same as Grand master, under Grand.
  • Great organ (Mus.), the largest and loudest of the three parts of a grand organ (the others being the choir organ and the swell, and sometimes the pedal organ or foot keys), It is played upon by a separate keyboard, which has the middle position.
  • The great powers (of Europe), in modern diplomacy, Great Britain, France, Germany, Austria, Russia, and Italy.
  • Great primer. See under Type.
  • Great scale (Mus.), the complete scale; -- employed to designate the entire series of musical sounds from lowest to highest.
  • Great sea, the Mediterranean sea. In Chaucer both the Black and the Mediterranean seas are so called.
  • Great seal. (a) The principal seal of a kingdom or state. (b) In Great Britain, the lord chancellor (who is custodian of this seal); also, his office.
  • Great tithes. See under Tithes.
  • The great, the eminent, distinguished, or powerful.
  • The Great Spirit, among the North American Indians, their chief or principal deity.
  • To be great (with one), to be intimate or familiar (with him). --Bacon. [1913 Webster]