meaning - What does "bore down" mean?


I found the following sentence in today's New York Times.



Inaction and delays by New York as storm bore down. The city's decision not to declare a snow emergency, transit officials' delay in invoking a full-scale emergency plan and a seemingly late bid for help may face scrutiny.



What does the "storm bore down" mean? Does it mean the "storm was pressed down"? Please teach me.



Answer



TheFreeDictionary defines it as:



To advance in a threatening manner: The ship bore down on our canoe.



There are many other meanings of the phrase, such as those given by Hellion, but this is the one I believe was intended.


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