bear, to

The Oxford Companion to Ships and the Sea | 2006 | 592 words | Copyright

bear, to, verb describing the direction of an object from the observer's position, usually expressed in terms of a compass, e.g. the land bears NE by N., the enemy bears 047°, etc. In traditional seaman's language it was sometimes given with reference to the ship's head, e.g., the vessel bore two points on the port bow. To bear up, in a sailing vessel, to sail closer to the wind; to bear down, to approach another ship from the windward side of it; to bear in with or to bear off from, to approach nearer or to stand further off, usually in connection with the land.

See also bearing.

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