Meaning & use
bearings
Last updated
A sense of one's position or direction relative to one's surroundings, or the mechanical parts that support rotating shafts and reduce friction.
See it in a sentence
After wandering the unfamiliar streets, she stopped to get her bearings before continuing.
The mechanic replaced the worn wheel bearings so the car would stop making that grinding noise.
A note on using this word
The phrase 'lose one's bearings' means to become confused or disoriented, a figurative extension of the navigational meaning.
Words with a similar meaning
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Another way to use it
2. noun
Machine parts that allow constrained relative motion between moving parts, typically reducing friction.
The engine seized because the main bearings had run dry of oil.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “bearings”, then compare your use with the examples above.