vbl. sb. [f. BEARD v. + -ING1.]
† 1. The action of cutting off the beard, e.g., the inferior parts of a fleece. Cf. BEARD v. 2. Obs.
1483. Act 1 Rich. III., viii. § 4. That the same Wolle be as it is shorn … without any sortyng, berdyng, clakkyng.
2. Open, resolute opposition; insolent defiance.
1577. Holinshed, Chron., II. 36/2. Leaue lieng for varlets, berding for ruffians, facing for crakers.
1864. Linnet’s Trial, I. III. i. 310. Would you do the bearding for us?
3. Beard-like growth; also transf.
1607. Topsell, Four-f. Beasts, 9. They have … bearding about the lips like a Dragon.
1865. Carlyle, Fredk. Gt., IV. XII. x. 219. A Plain of silent snow, with sparse bearding of bushes.
4. Shipbuilding and Carpentry. The bevelling of a piece of timber or plank to any required angle; concr. = BEARD sb. 11 a; also attrib., as in bearding-line.
1833. Richardson, Merc. Mar. Arch., 26. Cutting down and bearding lines are not introduced.
c. 1850. Rudim. Nav. (Weale), 144. The bearding-piece, which forms the fore-part [of the rudder] is of elm.
1867. Smyth, Sailor’s Word-bk., Bearding line, a curved line made by bearding the deadwood to the shape of the ship’s body.
