bearing

[ bair-ing ]

/ ˈbɛər ɪŋ /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR bearing ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

the manner in which one conducts or carries oneself, including posture and gestures: a man of dignified bearing.

the act, capability, or period of producing or bringing forth: a tree past bearing.

something that is produced; a crop.

the act of enduring or capacity to endure.

reference or relation (usually followed by on): It has some bearing on the problem.

Architecture.

a supporting part of a structure.
the area of contact between a bearing member, as a beam, and a pier, wall, or other underlying support.

Machinery. the support and guide for a rotating, oscillating, or sliding shaft, pivot, or wheel.

Often bearings. direction or relative position: The pilot radioed his bearings.

Surveying. a horizontal direction expressed in degrees east or west of a true or magnetic north or south direction.

Heraldry. any single device on an escutcheon; charge.

Origin of bearing

First recorded in 1200–50, bearing is from the Middle English word beryng. See bear¹, -ing¹

SYNONYMS FOR bearing

1 carriage, mien, demeanor, behavior, conduct. See manner¹.

5 connection, dependency; application.

8 course, aim.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR bearing ON THESAURUS.COM

OTHER WORDS FROM bearing

un·bear·ing, adjective

Words nearby bearing

beardsley, beardtongue, beardy, bearer, bearer bond, bearing, bearing down, bearing pedestal, bearing pile, bearing plate, bearing rail

Example sentences from the Web for bearings

With little of the original structure still standing, I find it quite difficult to get my bearings.

Pablo Escobar’s Private Prison Is Now Run by Monks for Senior Citizens |Jeff Campagna |June 7, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
To help us get our bearings, we gave House of Cards showrunner Beau Willimon a call.

Beau Willimon on Most Shocking Twists in ‘House of Cards’ Season 2 |Andrew Romano |February 15, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Occasionally, I lose my bearings and permit myself an ounce of sympathy for Republican chairman Reince Priebus.

Reince Priebus’s Terrible Case for GOP Reform |Michael Tomasky |June 17, 2013 |DAILY BEAST
Or the advisors who recommended it had temporarily lost their bearings.

Romney Won the Debate but it Was No Game Changer |Robert Shrum |October 4, 2012 |DAILY BEAST

Now the changes within secular Israel have loosened their bearings even more.

The Coming Kulturkampf? |Yehudah Mirsky |May 17, 2012 |DAILY BEAST
Kant has expounded his argument, and discussed its bearings fully and minutely, in his 'Kritik der Urtheilskraft,' sec.

Theism |Robert Flint
But when a woman like Mary does get her bearings she has 'em for keeps.

Plain Mary Smith |Henry Wallace Phillips
Tangent screws and bearings should be frequently inspected for dust or grit.

Visual Signaling |Signal Corps United States Army
The Indian also, when forced to it, uses means of getting his bearings which only Indians and veteran woodsmen know how to use.

Woodcraft |E. H. (Elmer Harry) Kreps
Both the polar and declination axes are carefully fitted to their bearings and carry finding circles.

Astronomical Instruments and Accessories |Wm. Gaertner & Co.

British Dictionary definitions for bearings

bearing

/ (ˈbɛərɪŋ) /

noun

a support, guide, or locating piece for a rotating or reciprocating mechanical part

(foll by on or upon) relevance (to) it has no bearing on this problem

a person's general social conduct, esp in manners, dress, and behaviour

the act, period, or capability of producing fruit or young
an amount produced; yield

the part of a beam or lintel that rests on a support

anything that carries weight or acts as a support

the angular direction of a line, point, or course measured from true north or south (true bearing), magnetic north or south (magnetic bearing), or one's own position

(usually plural) the position or direction, as of a ship, fixed with reference to two or more known points

(usually plural) a sense of one's relative position or situation; orientation (esp in the phrases lose, get, or take one's bearings)

heraldry

a device or emblem on a heraldic shield; charge
another name for coat of arms

Idioms and Phrases with bearings

bearings

see get one's bearings.

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

bearing

noun

Origin of bearing

SYNONYMS FOR bearing

OTHER WORDS FROM bearing

Words nearby bearing

Example sentences from the Web for bearings

British Dictionary definitions for bearings

noun

Idioms and Phrases with bearings

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

bearing

noun

Origin of bearing

SYNONYMS FOR bearing

OTHER WORDS FROM bearing

Words nearby bearing

Words related to bearings

Example sentences from the Web for bearings

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []) .push({}); British Dictionary definitions for bearings

noun

Idioms and Phrases with bearings

British Dictionary definitions for bearings