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If social stability goes pear-shaped, you have a choice between anarchy and dictatorship. Most people will opt for more security, even if they have to give up some personal freedom.
Margaret Atwood

Meaning of "pear-shaped" in the English dictionary

Dictionary
DICTIONARY
section

PRONUNCIATION OF PEAR-SHAPED

pear-shaped  [ˈpɛəʃeɪpt] play
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GRAMMATICAL CATEGORY OF PEAR-SHAPED

noun
adjective
verb
adverb
pronoun
preposition
conjunction
determiner
exclamation
Pear-Shaped is an adjective.
The adjective is the word that accompanies the noun to determine or qualify it.

WHAT DOES PEAR-SHAPED MEAN IN ENGLISH?

Pear-shaped

Pear-shaped is a metaphorical term with several meanings, all in reference to the shape of a pear, i.e. tapering towards the top. The comparison is less literal when the term is applied to people, where it means narrow at the shoulders and wide at the hips, a use that goes back to at least 1815, and one that can have either positive connotations or negative, depending upon the context. In the 20th century, another, more abstract use of the term evolved. When said of someone's voice, "pear-shaped" means rich and sonorous. The Oxford English Dictionary dates this use to 1925. The third meaning is mostly limited to the United Kingdom, Ireland and Australasia. It describes a situation that went awry, perhaps horribly wrong. A failed bank robbery, for example, could be said to have "gone pear-shaped". The origin for this use of the term is in dispute. The OED cites its origin as within the Royal Air Force; as of 2003 the earliest citation there is a quote in the 1983 book Air War South Atlantic. Others date it to the RAF in the 1940s, from pilots attempting to perform aerial manoeuvres such as loops.

Definition of pear-shaped in the English dictionary

The definition of pear-shaped in the dictionary is in the shape of a pear; tapered at the top and wider at the bottom. Other definition of pear-shaped is having wider hips and thighs in comparison to a slimmer upper body.

WORDS THAT RHYME WITH PEAR-SHAPED


almond-shaped
ˈɑːməndˌʃeɪpt
barrel-shaped
ˈbærəlˌʃeɪpt
bell-shaped
ˈbɛlˌʃeɪpt
boat-shaped
ˈbəʊtˌʃeɪpt
brickshaped
ˈbrɪkˌʃeɪpt
cigar-shaped
sɪˈɡɑːˌʃeɪpt
crescent-shaped
ˈkrɛs əntʃeɪpt
diamond-shaped
ˈdaɪəməndˌʃeɪpt
egg-shaped
ˈɛɡʃeɪpt
fan-shaped
ˈfænˌʃeɪpt
gourd-shaped
ˈɡʊədˌʃeɪpt
heart-shaped
ˈhɑːtʃeɪpt
L-shaped
ˈɛlʃeɪpt
O-shaped
ˈəʊˌʃeɪpt
onion-shaped
ˈʌnjənˌʃeɪpt
oval-shaped
ˈəʊvəlˌʃeɪpt
T-shaped
ˈtiːˌʃeɪpt
U-shaped
ˈjuːˌʃeɪpt
V-shaped
ˈviːˌʃeɪpt
wedge-shaped
ˈwɛdʒʃeɪpt

WORDS THAT BEGIN LIKE PEAR-SHAPED

pear
pearl
pearl ash
pearl barley
pearl button
pearl diver
pearl diving
pearl grey
Pearl Harbor
pearl millet
pearl necklace
pearl oyster
Pearl River
pearl-grey
pearl-handled
pearler
pearlescence
pearlescent
pearlier
pearlies

WORDS THAT END LIKE PEAR-SHAPED

caped
cropped
developed
dropped
equipped
escaped
go pear-shaped
heaped
kidney-shaped
landscaped
shipped
stepped
stopped
striped
swapped
to go pear-shaped
unreaped
unsoaped
well-shaped
wrapped

Synonyms and antonyms of pear-shaped in the English dictionary of synonyms

SYNONYMS

Translation of «pear-shaped» into 25 languages

TRANSLATOR
online translator

TRANSLATION OF PEAR-SHAPED

Find out the translation of pear-shaped to 25 languages with our English multilingual translator.
The translations of pear-shaped from English to other languages presented in this section have been obtained through automatic statistical translation; where the essential translation unit is the word «pear-shaped» in English.

Translator English - Chinese

梨形
1,325 millions of speakers

Translator English - Spanish

en forma de pera
570 millions of speakers

English

pear-shaped
510 millions of speakers

Translator English - Hindi

नाशपाती के आकार का
380 millions of speakers
ar

Translator English - Arabic

شكل الكمثرى
280 millions of speakers

Translator English - Russian

грушевидный
278 millions of speakers

Translator English - Portuguese

forma de pêra
270 millions of speakers

Translator English - Bengali

নাশপাতি আকৃতির
260 millions of speakers

Translator English - French

en forme de poire
220 millions of speakers

Translator English - Malay

Berbentuk pir
190 millions of speakers

Translator English - German

birnenförmig
180 millions of speakers

Translator English - Japanese

洋ナシの形
130 millions of speakers

Translator English - Korean

서양 배 모양의
85 millions of speakers

Translator English - Javanese

Bentuke pear
85 millions of speakers
vi

Translator English - Vietnamese

lê - hình
80 millions of speakers

Translator English - Tamil

பேரிக்காய் வடிவமான
75 millions of speakers

Translator English - Marathi

PEAR- आकार
75 millions of speakers

Translator English - Turkish

armut şekilli
70 millions of speakers

Translator English - Italian

a forma di pera
65 millions of speakers

Translator English - Polish

w kształcie gruszki
50 millions of speakers

Translator English - Ukrainian

грушовидний
40 millions of speakers

Translator English - Romanian

in forma de para
30 millions of speakers
el

Translator English - Greek

αχλάδι σχήμα
15 millions of speakers
af

Translator English - Afrikaans

peervormige
14 millions of speakers
sv

Translator English - Swedish

päronformad
10 millions of speakers
no

Translator English - Norwegian

pære - formet
5 millions of speakers

Trends of use of pear-shaped

TRENDS

TENDENCIES OF USE OF THE TERM «PEAR-SHAPED»

The term «pear-shaped» is regularly used and occupies the 62.082 position in our list of most widely used terms in the English dictionary.
0
100%
FREQUENCY
Regularly used
71
/100
The map shown above gives the frequency of use of the term «pear-shaped» in the different countries.
Principal search tendencies and common uses of pear-shaped
List of principal searches undertaken by users to access our English online dictionary and most widely used expressions with the word «pear-shaped».

FREQUENCY OF USE OF THE TERM «PEAR-SHAPED» OVER TIME

The graph expresses the annual evolution of the frequency of use of the word «pear-shaped» during the past 500 years. Its implementation is based on analysing how often the term «pear-shaped» appears in digitalised printed sources in English between the year 1500 and the present day.

Examples of use in the English literature, quotes and news about pear-shaped

EXAMPLES

QUOTES WITH «PEAR-SHAPED»

Famous quotes and sentences with the word pear-shaped.
1
Margaret Atwood
If social stability goes pear-shaped, you have a choice between anarchy and dictatorship. Most people will opt for more security, even if they have to give up some personal freedom.

10 ENGLISH BOOKS RELATING TO «PEAR-SHAPED»

Discover the use of pear-shaped in the following bibliographical selection. Books relating to pear-shaped and brief extracts from same to provide context of its use in English literature.
1
Going Pear Shaped
An unstoppable army of Xardanian lizard warriors, seething with vengeance and armed to the fangs with swords and axes, is poised to sweep across the Core Lands - and the ancient City of Port Packham is at the top of their list of places ...
Dennis Ellis Quinn, 2006
2
Textbook of Prosthodontics
... gland Retromolar Pad The retromolar pad is an important structure, which forms the posterior seal of the mandibular denture. It is a non-keratinized pad of tissue seen as a posterior continuation of the pear-shaped pad. The pear-shaped pad ...
Nallaswamy, 2008
3
How to Create the Perfect Eyebrow
The diamond-shaped face The Pear-Shaped Face (Figure 3-8). This is the widest at the chin and the narrowest at the hairline. The jawline is very full and rounded. This is the least common of the face shapes and is sometimes referred to as ...
Victoria Bush, 2003
4
Imaging and Urodynamics of the Lower Urinary Tract
Pear-Shaped. Bladder. This describes a bladder base that is squashed from either side and the shape is of an inverted pear – that is, the stalk points inferiorly. It can be a normal variant seen in a muscular young man with large iliopsoas ...
Uday Patel, 2010
5
Edible Wild Mushrooms of North America: A Field-to-kitchen Guide
Outer skin not tough or leathery (easily cut with fingernail) DESCRIPTION: The Gem-studded Puffball (Lycoperdon perlatum) is a white to pale tan, ball- to pear- shaped mushroom without a well- defined stalk or cap; its surface is coated with ...
David W. Fischer, Alan E. Bessette, 2010
6
Apples & Pears: The Body Shape Solution for Weight Loss and ...
Without estrogen, the body stores fat in the abdomen, so a pear-shaped woman can turn into an apple-shaped woman. By taking HT, which replenishes the estrogen, a pear-shaped woman can preserve her pear shape. Apple-shaped women ...
Marie Savard, 2007
7
The World of Physics
Two conductors which show the important features of surface charge distribution are the spherical and pear- shaped conductors, fig. 11.11. • Charge each of the conductors by touching them with the positively charged disc of an electrophorus.
John Avison, 1989
8
Dress to Express: Seven Secrets to Overcoming Closet Trauma ...
Many women already know whether they are pear-shaped, hourglass, or straight up and down. The key to dressing your width frame is to try to balance out your body shape. Below are some ideas on how to do that for each body type.
Tracy McWilliams, 2004
9
Trains and Technology: Track and structures
M To compensate for the relatively poor quality of rolled iron rails, the pear- shaped rail section was invented in the mid- 1840s. Its profile, thick and squat, provided a stronger, longer-wearing rail but made it difficult to connect rails together with ...
Anthony J. Bianculli, 2003
10
Clinical Laboratory Medicine
The pear-shaped trophozoite is bilaterally symmetrical containing two nuclei and eight flagella (Figs. 60.23 and 60.24). The trophozoite ranges from 10 to 20 |xm in length and contains a large ventral sucking disk that occupies the anterior halt ...
Kenneth D. McClatchey, 2002

10 NEWS ITEMS WHICH INCLUDE THE TERM «PEAR-SHAPED»

Find out what the national and international press are talking about and how the term pear-shaped is used in the context of the following news items.
1
Art project goes wrong, leaves woman upside down naked hanging …
However, as Hilde explained herself, it all went pear-shaped pretty quickly. "When I realised I'd tightened the knot, I thought, 'Oh my god Hilde, ... «Entertainment.ie, Jul 15»
2
Peter Canavan unveils his detailed plan to revamp the gaelic …
It starts to go pear-shaped in Connacht. Such a one-sided final only adds to the detractors of the provincial championships. It gets no better in ... «Irish Independent, Jul 15»
3
Corrie tragedy alert! 'Max is playing and finds something he shouldn …
Gemma [Dolly-Rose Campbell] thinks she has the right to tell Callum's girlfriend about his ex-girlfriends and it all goes a bit pear-shaped," Sean ... «What's On TV, Jul 15»
4
Creativity and environment combine at art workshop
... picked up the skills Zarras taught such as layering strips of old newspaper with glue around half a balloon to make a pear-shaped fruit bowl. «Times of Oman, Jul 15»
5
Malta beaten 5-1 by Denmark in semis
From applying constant pressure to draw level it all went pear-shaped in the last nine minutes of the encounter when Malta suddenly found ... «Times of Malta, Jul 15»
6
Risky business: Finding the balance between financial stability and …
On a general level, financial risk is the chance that something goes pear-shaped, but in practice that has to be translated into concrete terms. «USAPP American Politics and Policy, Jul 15»
7
Touring Block Island, RI—the Island Time Forgot
My father insisted on taking a picture of me “riding” the deer to mark our annual pilgrimage to this pear-shaped dot on the map just 13 miles off ... «Wall Street Journal, Jul 15»
8
Jumping out of a burning ute: A survivor shares his story for Farm …
I had all the safety clothes and everything in the vehicle for burning, in case things went pear-shaped, but my fire-fighting overalls weren't on. «ABC Local, Jul 15»
9
Southport power outage sees electricity off, Tesco shut and traffic …
Denise Stevenson said: “Yeah phones mobiles all off, back on now.” Dee Willis said: “So that's why my mobile went pear-shaped, earlier!”. «Southport Visiter, Jul 15»
10
Is There an App to Tell Me How to Cook Strange-Looking Vegetables?
... of broccoli, or a green-skinned pear-shaped vegetable that can't be a pear (it is in the vegetable section) and send it to a virtual nutritionist. «Huffington Post, Jul 15»

REFERENCE
« EDUCALINGO. Pear-Shaped [online]. Available <https://educalingo.com/en/dic-en/pear-shaped>. Apr 2024 ».
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