bared

Bared is the past tense and past participle of the verb bare, meaning to uncover, reveal, or make something visible that was previously covered or hidden. In contemporary English, bare as a verb is relatively uncommon; more frequent alternatives include uncover, reveal, and expose. The form bared appears in both literal occurrences—such as removing clothing or exposing a surface—and figurative uses, for example, “bared the truth” or “bared his emotions.”

In practical use, bared can describe physical uncovering, such as a landscape stripped of vegetation or a sleeve that was bared to the elbow. It is also used in idiomatic expressions and literary contexts to emphasize honesty or exposure, as in a report that “bared the flaws in the system.” When used with objects, it often conveys a sense of relief from concealment or protection.

As an adjective, bare denotes not covered or lacking adornment, as in bare walls or bare essentials; this adjective sense is common in modern writing, though it is unrelated to the verb form bared except through shared etymology. The verb bare is older and appears mainly in historical or stylistic contexts today, with bared continuing to appear in literature and journalism.

Notes: bared should be distinguished from barred, the past tense of bar, meaning prevented or shut off. Etymology traces the verb to older forms of English, with modern usage favoring clearer alternatives in many contexts.