load-bearing

alternative load bearing

1. not comparablebusinessAble to support a load.

   For quotations using this term, see Citations:load-bearing.

   4 more examples

   1908, Frederick E. Turneaure, Editor-in-Chief, Cyclopedia of Civil Engineering The different forms of partitions that are not load-bearing will be considered under "Fireproofing."

   The reactor units each called for a circular pit over 300ft. in diameter, excavated to a depth of 20ft. to reach a suitable load-bearing stratum.

   1958, Australian Atomic Energy Commission, Australian Atomic Energy Symposium, 1958: Proceedings of a Symposium on the Peaceful Uses of Atomic Energy in Australia

   Alternating sandstone and limestone (the limestone being used in façades exposed to the winter rains or in more load-bearing areas) created a most pleasing decorative effect.

   2001, Akram F. Khater, Inventing Home: Emigration, Gender, and the Middle Class in Lebanon, 1870-1920

   It was in baptism (and in consequence in penance) that the theologically most load-bearing aspects of the liturgical life of the Church were concentrated.

   2004, G. R. Evans, The First Christian Theologians, an Introduction to Theology in the Early Church

2. figurativelynot comparableOf a physical, digital, procedural etc. component, necessary to the integrity of the system of which it forms a part.

   The number keeps going up, which has a buoying effect on markets that is, in the short term, good. But every good earnings report further entrenches Nvidia as a precariously placed, load-bearing piece of the global economy.

   2025 October 30, Matteo Wong, Charlie Warzel, “Here’s How the AI Crash Happens”, in The Atlantic

alternative load bearing

1. uncountableThe carrying of loads.

   The porters, who stand in knots with cords upon their shoulders, bear huge loads; a characteristic of the place is this load-bearing and the size of the burdens.

   1904, Morley Roberts, A Tramp's Note-book

   2 more examples

   1955, National Research Council (U.S.) Building Research Institute, Modular Measure: The Edited Papers and Discussions of a Research Correlation Conference Entitled Modular Coordination: Its Value in Contemporary Building, Conducted by the Building Research Institute Since we do not need walls for load-bearing, the storage walls do not have to have any special thickness.

   A common degenerative joint disease that involves synovial joints only with recurrent or abnormal load-bearing on normal cartilage or normal load-bearing on weakened cartilage, or both.

   2006, David Lowe, Surgical Pathology Revision