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Glite Dictionary
😠 To react strongly 🐎 To stand up (animal)
to rear back

to rear back

2 7.4
Move back suddenly in anger or protest
  • phrasal verb
  • /rɪr bæk/
  • Informal
translation icon : retroceder
  • He reared back at the criticism, visibly upset by the harsh words.
  • reared back and threw
  • reared back to kick
  • reared back, laughing

Examples

  • When the dog growled, she instinctively reared back in fear.

  • The vampire rears back its head, jaws stretching wide.

    Fiction book (1998)

  • In the last letter, you called me a "writer," and I reared back upon reading the word.

    Fiction book (2001)

  • I reared back and threw it at him as hard as I could.

    Fiction book (1998)

  • All of a sudden, he rears back and laughs as loud as his old dry throat will allow him.

    Fiction book (1990)

  • The monster rears back in pain and runs away, yipping!

    Fiction book (1998)

  • While Andy tries to pull his hand free, Amy rears back and kicks him in the balls.

    Fiction book (1997)

  • Yes, she said, and she reared back and cackled as if a joke had been cracked.

    Fiction book (1997)

  • "I see," an unruffled Mr. Archy said, and then reared back in the weak-backed chair thoughtfully.

    Fiction book (1996)

  • Yamashita reared back in his chair, and the boyish grin returned to his usually stolid face.

    Fiction book (2000)

Synonyms

to move back
vsto rear back
283 1.7

To step away to an earlier place

react suddenly and strongly instead of retreating slowly or by order
to pull back
vsto rear back
162 3.4

To move yourself and things backward from a place, person, or situation

react suddenly and strongly rather than withdraw calmly or deliberately
to stand back
vsto rear back
159 1.6

Move away and keep a safe distance from something or someone for safety

react suddenly and strongly instead of stepping away for safety reasons
to rear
vsto rear back
28 4.9

To rise up on the back legs, often when frightened

react suddenly and strongly by moving away or recoiling in anger
to draw back
vsto rear back
4 4.1

To move backwards away from something because of fear or surprise

react suddenly and strongly from anger or protest
to hotstep back
vsto rear back
  • Archaic
8.4

Move quickly backward because you are surprised or afraid

react suddenly and strongly from anger or protest

Antonyms

to approach
532 2.1

To move closer in space to a person or thing

to advance
417 3.4

To help something move forward or become better

How Strong

to rear back
  • Informal
2 7.4
to bristle
19 7.0
to recoil
19 4.9
to pull back
162 3.4
to flinch
71 4.1

Surface Forms

rear back infinitive
reared back past
reared back past participle
rearing back present participle
rears back third person singular

Morphology

rear + back

The meaning is directly and transparently derived from combining 'rear' (to rise up on the hind legs) with 'back' (indicating a backward/directional movement or emphasis). The particle-like use of 'back' reinforces the motion and this verb + particle/directional pattern is common and predictable, so a B1 learner who knows both words would readily infer the MWE meaning.

Etymology

Rear back comes from the image of a person or animal suddenly pulling away; rear means to lift and back shows moving away. So it now means 'to react suddenly and strongly', often in anger or protest.