To lose one's bearings

To lose one's bearings
Bearing Bear"ing (b[^a]r"[i^]ng), n. 1. The manner in which one bears or conducts one's self; mien; behavior; carriage. [1913 Webster]

I know him by his bearing. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

2. Patient endurance; suffering without complaint. [1913 Webster]

3. The situation of one object, with respect to another, such situation being supposed to have a connection with the object, or influence upon it, or to be influenced by it; hence, relation; connection. [1913 Webster]

But of this frame, the bearings and the ties, The strong connections, nice dependencies. --Pope. [1913 Webster]

4. Purport; meaning; intended significance; aspect. [1913 Webster]

5. The act, power, or time of producing or giving birth; as, a tree in full bearing; a tree past bearing. [1913 Webster]

[His mother] in travail of his bearing. --R. of Gloucester. [1913 Webster]

6. (Arch.) (a) That part of any member of a building which rests upon its supports; as, a lintel or beam may have four inches of bearing upon the wall. (b) The portion of a support on which anything rests. (c) Improperly, the unsupported span; as, the beam has twenty feet of bearing between its supports. [1913 Webster]

7. (Mach.) (a) The part of an axle or shaft in contact with its support, collar, or boxing; the journal. (b) The part of the support on which a journal rests and rotates. [1913 Webster]

8. (Her.) Any single emblem or charge in an escutcheon or coat of arms -- commonly in the pl. [1913 Webster]

A carriage covered with armorial bearings. --Thackeray. [1913 Webster]

9. (Naut.) (a) The situation of a distant object, with regard to a ship's position, as on the bow, on the lee quarter, etc.; the direction or point of the compass in which an object is seen; as, the bearing of the cape was W. N. W. (b) pl. The widest part of a vessel below the plank-sheer. (c) pl. The line of flotation of a vessel when properly trimmed with cargo or ballast. [1913 Webster]

{Ball bearings}. See under {Ball}.

{To bring one to his bearings}, to bring one to his senses.

{To lose one's bearings}, to become bewildered.

{To take bearings}, to ascertain by the compass the position of an object; to ascertain the relation of one object or place to another; to ascertain one's position by reference to landmarks or to the compass; hence (Fig.), to ascertain the condition of things when one is in trouble or perplexity. [1913 Webster]

Syn: Deportment; gesture; mien; behavior; manner; carriage; demeanor; port; conduct; direction; relation; tendency; influence. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

Игры ⚽ Нужно решить контрольную?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • lose one's bearings — become disoriented; get lost …   English contemporary dictionary

  • loose one's bearings — lose one s way, get lost; lose track of one s thoughts …   English contemporary dictionary

  • lose one's marbles — vb to become deranged or feeble minded, go crazy. Marbles, when referring to male faculties, usually refers to testicles, but in this case one s wits or intelligence are in question. The origin of this phrase is uncertain, in spite of many… …   Contemporary slang

  • bearings — n. orientation 1) to get one s bearings 2) to lose one s bearings * * * under (to bearings under pressure) [ orientation ] to get one s bearings to lose one s bearings bear up > . (D: intr.) to bearings against …   Combinatory dictionary

  • lose — v. (past and past part. lost) 1 tr. be deprived of or cease to have, esp. by negligence or misadventure. 2 tr. a be deprived of (a person, esp. a close relative) by death. b suffer the loss of (a baby) in childbirth. 3 tr. become unable to find;… …   Useful english dictionary

  • lose — /loohz/, v., lost, losing. v.t. 1. to come to be without (something in one s possession or care), through accident, theft, etc., so that there is little or no prospect of recovery: I m sure I ve merely misplaced my hat, not lost it. 2. to fail… …   Universalium

  • lose — W1S1 [lu:z] v past tense and past participle lost [lɔst US lo:st] ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ 1¦(stop having attitude/quality etc)¦ 2¦(not win)¦ 3¦(cannot find something)¦ 4¦(stop having something)¦ 5¦(death)¦ 6¦(money)¦ 7 have nothing to lose 8¦(time)¦ …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • lose — verb (lost; losing) Etymology: Middle English, from Old English losian to perish, lose, from los destruction; akin to Old English lēosan to lose; akin to Old Norse losa to loosen, Latin luere to atone for, Greek lyein to loosen, dissolve, destroy …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • Ball bearings — Bearing Bear ing (b[^a]r [i^]ng), n. 1. The manner in which one bears or conducts one s self; mien; behavior; carriage. [1913 Webster] I know him by his bearing. Shak. [1913 Webster] 2. Patient endurance; suffering without complaint. [1913… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • To bring one to his bearings — Bearing Bear ing (b[^a]r [i^]ng), n. 1. The manner in which one bears or conducts one s self; mien; behavior; carriage. [1913 Webster] I know him by his bearing. Shak. [1913 Webster] 2. Patient endurance; suffering without complaint. [1913… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”