3  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Vertical  \Ver"ti*cal\,  n. 
  1.  Vertical  position;  zenith.  [R.] 
 
  2.  (Math.)  A  vertical  line  plane,  or  circle. 
 
  {Prime  vertical},  {Prime  vertical  dial}.  See  under  {Prime}, 
  a. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Vertical  \Ver"ti*cal\,  a.  [Cf.  F.  vertical.  See  {Vertex}.] 
  1.  Of  or  pertaining  to  the  vertex;  situated  at  the  vertex,  or 
  highest  point;  directly  overhead,  or  in  the  zenith; 
  perpendicularly  above  one 
 
  Charity  .  .  .  is  the  vertical  top  of  all  religion. 
  --Jer.  Taylor. 
 
  2.  Perpendicular  to  the  plane  of  the  horizon;  upright;  plumb; 
  as  a  vertical  line 
 
  {Vertical  angle}  (Astron.  &  Geod.),  an  angle  measured  on  a 
  vertical  circle,  called  an  angle  of  elevation,  or 
  altitude,  when  reckoned  from  the  horizon  upward,  and  of 
  depression  when  downward  below  the  horizon. 
 
  {Vertical  anthers}  (Bot.),  such  anthers  as  stand  erect  at  the 
  top  of  the  filaments. 
 
  {Vertical  circle}  (Astron.),  an  azimuth  circle.  See  under 
  {Azimuth}. 
 
  {Vertical  drill},  an  drill.  See  under  {Upright}. 
 
  {Vertical  fire}  (Mil.),  the  fire,  as  of  mortars,  at  high 
  angles  of  elevation. 
 
  {Vertical  leaves}  (Bot.),  leaves  which  present  their  edges  to 
  the  earth  and  the  sky,  and  their  faces  to  the  horizon,  as 
  in  the  Australian  species  of  Eucalyptus. 
 
  {Vertical  limb},  a  graduated  arc  attached  to  an  instrument, 
  as  a  theodolite,  for  measuring  vertical  angles. 
 
  {Vertical  line}. 
  a  (Dialing)  A  line  perpendicular  to  the  horizon. 
  b  (Conic  Sections)  A  right  line  drawn  on  the  vertical 
  plane,  and  passing  through  the  vertex  of  the  cone. 
  c  (Surv.)  The  direction  of  a  plumb  line  a  line  normal 
  to  the  surface  of  still  water. 
  d  (Geom.,  Drawing,  etc.)  A  line  parallel  to  the  sides  of 
  a  page  or  sheet,  in  distinction  from  a  horizontal  line 
  parallel  to  the  top  or  bottom. 
 
  {Vertical  plane}. 
  a  (Conic  Sections)  A  plane  passing  through  the  vertex  of 
  a  cone,  and  through  its  axis. 
  b  (Projections)  Any  plane  which  passes  through  a 
  vertical  line 
  c  (Persp.)  The  plane  passing  through  the  point  of  sight, 
  and  perpendicular  to  the  ground  plane,  and  also  to  the 
  picture. 
 
  {Vertical  sash},  a  sash  sliding  up  and  down  Cf  {French 
  sash},  under  3d  {Sash}. 
 
  {Vertical  steam  engine},  a  steam  engine  having  the  crank 
  shaft  vertically  above  or  below  a  vertical  cylinder. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  vertical 
  adj  1:  at  right  angles  to  the  plane  of  the  horizon  or  a  base  line 
  "a  vertical  camera  angle";  "the  monument  consists  of 
  two  vertical  pillars  supporting  a  horizontal  slab"; 
  "measure  the  perpendicular  height"  [syn:  {perpendicular}] 
  [ant:  {inclined},  {horizontal}] 
  2:  upright  in  position  or  posture;  "an  erect  stature";  "erect 
  flower  stalks";  "for  a  dog,  an  erect  tail  indicates 
  aggression";  "a  column  still  vertical  amid  the  ruins";  "he 
  sat  bolt  upright"  [syn:  {erect},  {upright}]  [ant:  {unerect}] 
  n  1:  something  that  is  oriented  vertically 
  2:  a  vertical  structural  member  as  a  post  or  stake;  "the  ball 
  sailed  between  the  uprights"  [syn:  {upright}] 

browse words by letter
a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z
or search   thesauri dictionary search words