bearing wall
2
5.1
- noun
- /ˈbɛrɪŋ wɔl/
- Specialized
:
muro de carga
- The architect designed the house with several bearing walls to ensure stability.
- RC bearing walls
- concrete bearing walls
- bearing wall specimens
Examples
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This building has a strong bearing wall that supports the upper floors.
-
Check with a contractor to make sure you aren't removing a bearing wall beforehand, as that could result in a more costly project than originally intended.
Blog text (32) -
The problem is that this is a bearing wall.
-
Maybe it's a load-bearing wall.
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It couldn't have been, because this is a bearing wall.
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Mr. Jatich told me he overheard you telling Mr. Baker that it was a bearing wall.
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Due to the financial restrictions of the project, we considered the simplest possible structural system, with load-bearing walls everywhere except on the covered parking space.
Blog text (11) -
It wouldn't be that hard to make this bigger, but this might be a bearing wall, and it could all come crashing down on top of us.
Fiction book (1993) -
Before renovating, make sure to check if that is a bearing wall to avoid structural issues.
Synonyms
1
3.6
A wall that supports the floors and roof above it
How Load-Bearing
- Specialized
6
5.7
- Specialized
1
3.6
- Specialized
2
5.1
14
4.2
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'a wall that supports a load' is directly and compositionally derived from 'bearing' (supporting or carrying load) + 'wall' (a vertical structural element). Although somewhat technical, this compound follows ordinary English composition patterns and has clear parallels in other languages, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would readily infer the meaning.
Etymology
Bearing wall comes from the old meaning of bearing, which is 'to carry' weight, so imagine a wall actually holding up a floor or roof. That's why a bearing wall today means a wall that supports the building above it.