Noun

(en noun)

One who, or that which, bears, sustains, or carries.

* Bible, 2 Chron. ii. 18

Bearers of burdens.

* Dryden

The bearer of unhappy news.

Someone who helps carry the coffin or a dead body during a funeral procession; pallbearer.

(Milton)

One who possesses a cheque, bond, or other notes promising payment.

I promise to pay the bearer on demand.

(India, dated) A domestic servant or palanquin carrier.

* 1888 , Rudyard Kipling, ‘Watches of the Night’, Plain Tales from the Hills , Folio 2005, p. 60:

The bar of the watch-guard worked through the buttonhole, and the watch—Platte's watch—slid quietly on to the carpet; where the bearer found it next morning and kept it.

A tree or plant yielding fruit.

a good bearer

(printing) A strip of reglet or other furniture to bear off the impression from a blank page.

(printing) A type or type-high piece of metal interspersed in blank parts to support the plate when it is shaved.

Noun

(en noun)

One who keeps something.

Finders keepers ; losers weepers.

(slang) A person or thing worth keeping.

You can throw out all the blurry photos, but the one with her and her daughter is certainly a keeper .

* 2005 , , Volume 122, Issues 7-12, page 101,

When he brought me home and volunteered to come with me while I walked my dog, Max, I knew he was a keeper .

* 2008 , Jennifer Zomar, A Candle for the Children , page 28,

We hadn't dated for long when he said those three magic words: "I'll cook tonight." I knew he was a keeper .

* 2008 , Sherri Erwin, Naughty Or Nice , page 247,

"Fine," I agreed. “But, Josh, my sister and I can handle it. You sit, watch football with the guys.”

“I would rather stick close to you. Besides, I love cleaning up.”

“I knew he was a keeper ,” Gran said.

A person charged with guarding or caring for, storing, or maintaining something; a custodian, a guard; sometimes a gamekeeper.

* Bible

And the Lord said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother's keeper ?

* {{quote-book, year=1907, author=

, title=The Dust of Conflict , chapter=4 citation , passage=The inquest on keeper Davidson was duly held, and at the commencement seemed likely to cause Tony Palliser less anxiety than he had expected.}}

(sports) The player charged with guarding a goal or wicket. Short form of goalkeeper, wicketkeeper.

* {{quote-news

, year=2011 , date=June 4 , author=Phil McNulty , title=England 2 - 2 Switzerland , work=BBC citation , page= , passage=England should have capitalised on their growing momentum to win, but Darren Bent failed to reproduce the finishing touches that have brought him goals in three successive appearances. He was blocked by Diego Benaglio when he was played in by Wilshere then blazed over the top of an open goal late on after Young's shot was saved by Switzerland's keeper .}}

A part of a mechanism that catches or retains another part, for example the part of a door lock that fits in the frame and receives the bolt.

(American football) An offensive play in which the quarterback runs toward the goal with the ball after it is snapped.

One who remains or keeps in a place or position.

* Bible, Titus ii. 5

discreet; chaste; keepers at home

* 1971 , H. R. F. Keating, The Strong Man

I was not altogether surprised: they seemed to be, even more than people in the surrounding wolds, stolid keepers -to-themselves, impossible to stir, dourly determined to stick to the firm routine of their lives

A fruit that keeps well.

* Downing

The Roxbury Russet is a good keeper .