Definition

1. Noun:
   • A tight, forceful embrace with the arms: A "bear hug" is a powerful hug where someone wraps their arms tightly around another person, often lifting them. This meaning comes from the idea of a bear's strong grasp.
   • A wrestling hold: In wrestling, a "bear hug" is a move where a wrestler locks their arms tightly around their opponent's torso to apply pressure or control them.
   • An extremely attractive business offer: In finance, a "bear hug" is an offer to buy a company that is so generous that the target company's directors feel pressured to accept it to avoid upsetting their shareholders.

Usage Examples

• Noun (Physical Embrace):
  • He gave his daughter a big bear hug when she returned from her trip.
  • The greeting was not a handshake but a hearty bear hug.
• Noun (Wrestling):
  • The wrestler secured his opponent in a bear hug, squeezing the air out of him.
• Noun (Business):
  • The board received a bear hug from a larger competitor, making refusal very difficult.

Advanced Usage

• The term is often used metaphorically to describe any situation that feels overwhelmingly tight, controlling, or irresistibly attractive.
  • The new regulations felt like a regulatory bear hug on the industry.
  • The scholarship was a financial bear hug she couldn't refuse.

Variants and Related Words

• Hug (n/v): A general term for an embrace. A "bear hug" is a specific, very strong type of hug.
• Embrace (n/v): A more formal synonym for hug.

Synonyms

• Crushing embrace: Emphasizes the strength and tightness.
• Squeeze: A more informal term for a tight hug.
• Takeover bid / Offer: Specifically for the business context.

Related Idioms and Phrases

• To give someone a bear hug: The standard phrase for performing the action.
  • He ran over and gave me a bear hug.
• Bear-hug offer: Used specifically in business and finance contexts.
  • The bear-hug offer forced a quick board meeting.

Noun

1. a takeover bid so attractive that the directors of the target company must approve it or risk shareholder protest
2. a wrestling hold with arms locked tightly around the opponent