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.
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
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- 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
“parts of a machine which ‘bear’ the friction,” 1791, from present participle of bear (v.). Meaning “direction from a point of reference” is from 1630s; to take (one’s) bearings is from 1711.
“carrying of oneself, deportment,” mid-13c., verbal noun from bear (v.). Mechanical sense of “part of a machine that bears the friction” is from 1791.
see get one’s bearings.