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Bearing vs Purpose - What's the difference?

bearing | purpose | Related terms |

As nouns the difference between bearing and purpose

is that bearing is a mechanical device that supports another part and/or reduces friction while purpose is an object to be reached; a target; an aim; a goal.

As verbs the difference between bearing and purpose

is that bearing is present participle of lang=en while purpose is have set as one's purpose; resolve to accomplish; intend; plan.

As an adjective bearing

is of a beam, column, or other device, carrying weight or load.

bearing

English

Adjective

(-)
  • Of a beam, column, or other device, carrying weight or load.
  • That's a bearing wall.

    Derived terms

    * -bearing

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A mechanical device that supports another part and/or reduces friction.
  • (navigation, nautical) The horizontal angle between the direction of an object and another object, or between it and that of true north; a heading or direction.
  • Relevance; a relationship or connection.
  • That has no bearing on this issue.
  • * Alexander Pope
  • But of this frame, the bearings and the ties, / The strong connections, nice dependencies.
  • One's posture, demeanor, or manner.
  • She walks with a confident, self-assured bearing .
  • * Shakespeare
  • I know him by his bearing .
  • (in the plural) Direction or relative position.
  • (architecture) That part of any member of a building which rests upon its supports.
  • A lintel or beam may have four inches of bearing upon the wall.
  • (architecture) The portion of a support on which anything rests.
  • (architecture, proscribed) The unsupported span.
  • The beam has twenty feet of bearing between its supports.
  • (heraldry) Any single emblem or charge in an escutcheon or coat of arms.
  • * Thackeray
  • A carriage covered with armorial bearings .

    Derived terms

    (terms derived from bearing) * ball bearing * find one’s bearings * get one’s bearings * inline bearing * inline hockey bearing * inline skate bearing, in-line skate bearing * magnetic bearing * lose one’s bearings * quad roller skate bearing * roller bearing * rollerblade bearing * skate bearing * skateboard bearing * true bearing

    See also

    * ABEC

    Verb

    (head)
  • Anagrams

    * *

    purpose

    English

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) .

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • An object to be reached; a target; an aim; a goal.
  • * {{quote-magazine, date=2013-06-07, author= Ed Pilkington
  • , volume=188, issue=26, page=6, magazine=(The Guardian Weekly) , title= ‘Killer robots’ should be banned in advance, UN told , passage=In his submission to the UN, [Christof] Heyns points to the experience of drones. Unmanned aerial vehicles were intended initially only for surveillance, and their use for offensive purposes was prohibited, yet once strategists realised their perceived advantages as a means of carrying out targeted killings, all objections were swept out of the way.}}
  • A result that is desired; an intention.
  • The act of intending to do something; resolution; determination.
  • * 2013 , Phil McNulty, "[http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/23830980]", BBC Sport , 1 September 2013:
  • United began with more purpose in the early phase of the second half and Liverpool were grateful for Glen Johnson's crucial block from Young's goalbound shot.
  • * {{quote-magazine, year=2013, month=July-August, author= Sarah Glaz
  • , title= Ode to Prime Numbers , volume=101, issue=4, magazine=(American Scientist) , passage=Some poems, echoing the purpose of early poetic treatises on scientific principles, attempt to elucidate the mathematical concepts that underlie prime numbers. Others play with primes’ cultural associations. Still others derive their structure from mathematical patterns involving primes.}}
  • The subject of discourse; the point at issue.
  • (Spenser)
  • The reason for which something is done, or the reason it is done in a particular way.
  • The purpose of turning off the lights overnight is to save energy.
  • (obsolete) Instance; example.
  • (rfquotek, L'Estrange)
    Synonyms
    * (target ): aim, goal, object, target * (intention ): aim, plan, intention * (determination ): determination, intention, resolution * (subject of discourse ): matter, subject, topic * (reason for doing something ): reason * See also
    Derived terms
    (terms derived from purpose) * all-purpose * common purpose * cross-purpose * fit for purpose * for all intents and purposes * game with a purpose * general-purpose * infinitive of purpose * multi-purpose * metapurpose * purpose-built * purposeful * purposeless * purpose-like * purpose loan * purposely * purpose statement * on purpose

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl)

    Verb

    (purpos)
  • Have set as one's purpose; resolve to accomplish; intend; plan.
  • * Macaulay
  • I purpose to write the history of England from the accession of King James the Second down to a time which is within the memory of men still living.
  • (passive ) Designed for some purpose.
  • (obsolete) To have a purpose or intention; to discourse.
  • (Spenser)
    Derived terms
    * purposed * purposer * purposive * on purpose
    Synonyms
    * (have set as one's purpose ): aim, intend, mean, plan, set out * (designed for some purpose ): intended

    References

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    Statistics

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