bore
verb · noun
Simple meaning
To make a hole through something.
Pronunciation
Say it like this:
bawrIPA pronunciation (US)
ˈbɔɹ
This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.
IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.
Definition
Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.
verb
transitive
To make a hole through something.
Make a hole, especially with a pointed power or hand tool
intransitive
To make a hole with, or as if with, a boring instrument; to cut a circular hole by the rotary motion of a tool.
transitive
To form or enlarge (something) by means of a boring instrument or apparatus.
transitive
To make (a passage) by laborious effort, as in boring; to force a narrow and difficult passage through.
intransitive
To be pierced or penetrated by an instrument that cuts as it turns.
noun
A person who evokes boredom
One who inspires boredom or lack of interest; an uninteresting person.
Something dull or uninteresting.
Diameter of a tube or gun barrel
A hole drilled or milled through something, or (by extension) its diameter.
A tool, such as an auger, for making a hole by boring.
Word at a Glance
- Difficulty
- B1 · Intermediate (estimated)
- Frequency
- Moderately Common
- Typical Use
- Neutral / general English
Word Aura™
How this word commonly comes across.
Word Aura is being prepared for this meaning.
More ways to use bore
- “The long, dull lecture began to bore the students.”
Share your sentence
Common Patterns and Combinations
How this word naturally appears with others.
Word Family
Related forms, grouped by how they connect.
Inflected forms
Grammatical variations of the same word.
A drill for penetrating rock.
Word family
Words built from the same root.
The feeling of being bored by something tedious.
Related to To make a hole through something.
Compound terms
Established multiword terms.
A hole or passage made by a drill.
A drill for penetrating rock.
Larva of the European corn borer moth.
Native to Europe.
Ask Vocabaura
Understand the word your way.
What Does It Mean Here?
Words can change meaning depending on context.
Use it yourself
Knowing “bore” starts when you use it. Pick a next step, all free.
Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.