Plural of boring; small holes, drilled particles, or fragments produced by the action of boring or drilling into a material.
From Old Dutch 'boor' (to bore, auger) plus the gerund suffix '-ing'. The plural form has been used since medieval times to describe the debris and holes created by drilling operations.
Metal borings and wood shavings were so valuable in history that they were collected and sold as commodities—iron borings were used to enrich poor soil, and wood borings fed livestock and created tinder.
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