hand-reared

Meanings

1. 1adjectivebefore a noun

   Raised by humans from a young age, especially when the mother is absent or unable to care for the young.

   Grammar: Comes before the noun: a hand-reared lamb. It can also follow a linking verb: The lamb was hand-reared.

   Patterns

   • hand-reared animal
   • be hand-reared

   The hand-reared parrot is very friendly with people.

   They kept a hand-reared lamb in the garden.

   Hand-reared puppies need special care and feeding.

2. 2adjectivebefore a noun

   Grown or produced with a lot of human attention and care, not by natural processes.

   Grammar: Used mostly for animals or plants: hand-reared chicks.

   Patterns

   • hand-reared young
   • hand-reared birds

   The hand-reared chicks were released into the wild.

   Hand-reared plants often need more water than those grown outdoors.

Common combinations

hand-reared lamb

The hand-reared lamb followed the farmer everywhere.

hand-reared bird

Hand-reared birds may not know how to find food in the wild.

hand-reared puppy

The hand-reared puppy was small but healthy.

be hand-reared

These owls were hand-reared after their mother died.

Synonyms and how they differ

hand-raised

Hand-raised is very similar and often used for animals; hand-reared is more common for young animals that are fed by hand.

bottle-fed

Bottle-fed means fed from a bottle, usually for babies or young animals; it does not always mean raised entirely by humans.

Opposites

Word family

rear verb

To care for and raise a child or young animal.

rearing noun

The process of raising young animals or children.

Practice

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