get one's bearings

Idioms and Phrases

Also, find one's bearings . Figure out one's position or situation relative to one's surroundings. For example, She's still new to the company and needs time to find her bearings , or I'll be along soon; just wait till I get my bearings . Naturally, one can also lose one's bearings , as in After we missed the turnpike exit, we completely lost our bearings . These phrases use bearings in the sense of “relative position,” a usage dating from the 1600s.

Related Words

• adapt
• adjust
• align
• conform