moorings
|moor/ings|
🇺🇸
/ˈmʊrɪŋz/
🇬🇧
/ˈmʊərɪŋz/
(mooring)
something that anchors or holds in place
Etymology
'mooring' originates from Middle English, specifically the word 'moren'/'mooren', where the root meant 'to fasten or secure (a vessel)'.
'mooring' changed from Middle English 'moren' (or 'mooren'), derived from earlier Germanic nautical vocabulary, and eventually became the modern English word 'mooring'.
Initially, it referred mainly to the act of fastening a vessel or the place where a vessel was fastened; over time it also came to mean the equipment used for fastening and, figuratively, a foundation or source of stability.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
ropes, chains, anchors, or other fixtures used to secure a vessel to a pier, quay, or the seabed.
The crew inspected the moorings to make sure everything was secure before the storm.
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Noun 2
places or positions where vessels are kept tied up; berths or anchorages.
The marina has several moorings available for visiting yachts.
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Noun 3
(figurative) A person's or organization's foundations, sources of stability, or points of attachment (e.g., beliefs, roots, basis of identity).
After years of travel, he felt he had lost some of his moorings and needed time to readjust.
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Last updated: 2026/01/11 06:29