bear pit
The term "bear pit" has evolved from its literal historical meaning to various metaphorical uses in modern contexts.
🇺🇸 US Voice:
🇬🇧 UK Voice:
Definition
C1Historical
(historical)An enclosure used for keeping and displaying bears, often for entertainment such as bear-baiting.
Example
- In medieval times, a bear pit was a common attraction at fairs.
C1Political
(slang, British English)A forum or setting where politicians face aggressive and heated questioning.
Example
- The parliamentary debate turned into a bear pit with members shouting over each other.
B2General
(informal)A chaotic or intensely competitive environment.
Example
- The stock exchange floor can sometimes resemble a bear pit.
Similar
Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "bear pit":
bear gardenbear hangpoke the bearbear marketbear catbull ringlion's denbull runblack bear