Meaning & use
rear ends
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“rear ends” is a form of “rear end”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
nounplural
The back parts of vehicles, buildings or other objects.
Grammar: Plural of rear end: the rear ends of the trucks were dented.
Patterns
- the rear ends of something
The rear ends of both cars were badly damaged in the collision.
Reflective tape covers the rear ends of the buses.
We looked at the rear ends of the houses from the back lane.
nounpluralinformalhumorous
People's buttocks.
Grammar: Informal and a little humorous; avoid in formal writing.
The kids landed on their rear ends in the snow.
We sat on our rear ends all afternoon watching films.
He told them to get off their rear ends and help.
Common combinations
- rear ends of cars
- The rear ends of the cars were crumpled.
- fall on your rear end
- She fell on her rear end on the ice.
- get off your rear end
- It is time to get off your rear end and do some exercise.
- kick in the rear end
- He needed a kick in the rear end to start working.
Synonyms and how they differ
- backsides
- Backsides is a British-flavored informal word for buttocks and sounds a little jokey, like rear ends.
- rears
- Rears is shorter and used for the back of things or people, but is rarer than rear ends.
- tails
- Tails can mean the back of vehicles or aircraft in technical talk, while rear ends is more general.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: rear ends or rear-ends?
rear ends vs rear-ends
With a hyphen this is the verb form, as in he rear-ends other cars. Without the hyphen it is the plural noun.
Practice
Which sentence uses rear ends as a plural noun?
Choose one answer.
Rear ends is a plural noun meaning back parts. The other sentences use it like a verb without correct form.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “rear ends”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.