heading
B1Neutral
Definition
Meaning
A title or label at the top of a section of text or the direction in which something moves.
In navigation, the compass direction in which a vehicle points; in sports, a deliberate striking of a ball with the head; a horizontal passage in a mine.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The meaning is strongly context-dependent, shifting from a typographic element to a navigational term.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In navigation contexts, both use 'heading' identically. In typography, 'heading' and 'headline' are sometimes used differently in publishing industries.
Connotations
Neutral in both; no significant difference.
Frequency
Equally common in both dialects.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
under the heading of [category]on a heading of [degrees]a heading for [purpose]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “to be heading for a fall”
- “to come under the heading of”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used in reports and presentations for section titles, e.g., 'See the financials under the next heading.'
Academic
Used to structure papers and chapters, e.g., 'The methodology heading needs more detail.'
Everyday
Used for document titles and navigation, e.g., 'What's our current heading on this hike?'
Technical
In aviation/maritime navigation, the precise compass direction of the vessel's nose/bow.
Examples
By Part of Speech
noun
British English
- The report's main heading was in bold font.
- The pilot adjusted the aircraft's heading to 270 degrees.
American English
- Please add a heading to that section of your paper.
- Our current heading is due north.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Look at the heading on page five.
- The ship's heading is east.
- Each chapter needs a clear heading.
- We changed our heading to avoid the storm.
- The document was organised under several thematic headings.
- The aircraft maintained a steady heading despite the crosswinds.
- His argument didn't neatly fit under any of the conventional headings.
- The submarine's true heading was masked by the ocean currents.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a HEAD at the top of the page giving it a title, or a ship's HEAD (bow) pointing in a direction.
Conceptual Metaphor
A heading is a PATH (direction) or a SIGNPOST (title).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Не путать с 'заголовок' (для текста) и 'курс' (направление). 'Heading' может означать и то, и другое. Не переводить 'heading' как 'головка' или 'руководство'.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'heading' for a person in charge (should be 'head'), confusing 'heading' with 'headline' (which is usually for news articles).
Practice
Quiz
In which context does 'heading' refer primarily to a direction?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Not exactly. A 'headline' is typically the title of a news article. A 'heading' is a more general term for any title or label for a section of text.
The related verb is 'to head' (e.g., 'We are heading north'). 'Heading' as a standalone word is primarily a noun.
'Heading' is the direction the vehicle is pointing. 'Bearing' is the direction to or from a fixed point relative to north. They are often similar but can differ due to wind or current.
It depends on the style guide. Often, headings are bolded or simply in a larger font to stand out from the body text.
Explore