bearherd

[Eng. bear, and herd.] One who herds or looks after bears. "He that is more than a youth, is not for me; and he that is le than a man, I ain not for him therefore I will even take sixpence in earnest of the bearherd, and lead his apes into hell."-Shakesp. Much Ado , ii. 1. In some of the editions it is bearward , which is the more common form. beär-ing (1), * ber'-ing, * ber'-ÿng, * ber'-ynge ( Eng . ), * ber'-inde (er as är), * bär'-inde (0. Scotch ), pr . par . , a., & s. [In A.S. berende bearing, fruitful.] [BEAR, v .] A. & B. As present participle & participial adjective: In senses corresponding to those of the verb. C. As substantive: L Ordinary Language: 1. Capability or po ibility of being borne; endurance, toleration. "Well, I protest, 'tis past all bearing ." Cowper: Mutual Forbearance. 2. The way in which one bears himself; mien, port, manner, conduct, or behaviour. (Used specially of one's manner or carriage as seen by beholders.) "Another tablet register'd the death, And praised the gallant bearing of a knight, Tried in the sea-fights of the second Charles." Words worth: Excursion, bk. v. Hemans: The Vespers of Palermo . "He hath a stately bearing ,..." 3. Relation to; connection with. by patiently accumulating and reflecting on all sorts of facts which could po ibly have any bearing on it."-Darwin: Origin of Species (ed. 1859), Introd., p. 1. 4. The act of producing or giving birth to. II. Technically: 1. Arch . The space between the two fixed extremities of a piece of timber, or between one of the extremities and a post or wall placed so as to diminish the unsupported length. Also and commonly used for the "distance or length which the ends of a piece of timber lie upon or are inserted into the walls or piers" ( Gwilt ). 2. Mechanics : (a) The portion of an axle or shaft in contact with the collar or boxing. (b) The portion of the support on which a gudgeon rests and revolves. (c) One of the pieces resting on the axle and supporting the framework of a carriage. (d) One of the chairs supporting the framework of a railway carriage or truck. 3. Ship -carpentry (plur.): The widest part of a ve el below the plank-shear. 4. Her .: A charge; anything included within the escutcheon. (Generally in the plural, as armorial bearings .) 5. Naut., . Observation as to the direction by the compa in which an object lies from the ve el, or the direction thus ascertained. (Sometimes in the plural.) "Captain Fitz Roy being anxious that some bearings should be taken on the outer coast of Chiloe, Darwin: Voyage round the World, ch. xiv. bearing-binnacle, s. Naut.: A small binnacle on the fife-rail on the forward part of the poop.