OOTS #1216 - The Discussion Thread

[Lord Torath]

'Loaded for bear' means the subject is prepared in case a big dangerous animal like a bear shows up. It doesn't mean the bear's actually there, but it does mean that if a bear shows up it's going to have a bad day. Further, it has the connotation that the subject is prepared for much more dangerous threats than usual.

Exactly.

How about "to bear" meaning, 'to point at a target'? E.g., "Bring all guns to bear on that ship." Loaded to bear would be more aggressive under that interpretation than, "Loaded for bear." They're actually pointed down a bearing at something.

Loaded to Bear doesn't mean anything by itself, though. "Bear" in this case refers to 'bearing' or direction. It's not a complete thought. Loaded to bear where? It's just feels to me that you, like Peelee (albeit about a different theory), are grasping at straws with this one.

Feels like the whole "Kessel Run in 12 parsecs" thing. George goofed up. Then people bent over backward trying to come up with a semi-plausible explanation for it not being a goof up. Yes, I know they came up with a retro-active explanation for the whole thing. It was still a goof-up. 10 quatloos says this was, too.