traverse

[ trav-ers, truh-vurs ]

/ ˈtræv ərs, trəˈvɜrs /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR traverse ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used with object), trav·ersed, trav·ers·ing.

to pass or move over, along, or through.

to go to and fro over or along.

to extend across or over: A bridge traverses the stream.

to go up, down, or across (a rope, mountain, hill, etc.) at an angle: The climbers traversed the east face of the mountain.

to ski across (a hill or slope).

to cause to move laterally.

to look over, examine, or consider carefully; review; survey.

to go counter to; obstruct; thwart.

to contradict or deny.

Law.

(in the law of pleading) to deny formally (an allegation of fact set forth in a previous pleading).
to join issue upon.

to turn and point (a gun) in any direction.

verb (used without object), trav·ersed, trav·ers·ing.

to pass along or go across something; cross: a point in the river where we could traverse.

to ski across a hill or slope on a diagonal.

to turn laterally, as a gun.

Fencing. to glide the blade toward the hilt of the contestant's foil while applying pressure to the blade.

noun

the act of passing across, over, or through.

something that crosses, obstructs, or thwarts; obstacle.

a transversal or similar line.

a place where one may traverse or cross; crossing.

Architecture. a transverse gallery or loft of communication in a church or other large building.

a bar, strip, rod, or other structural part placed or extending across; crosspiece; crossbar.

a railing, lattice, or screen serving as a barrier.

Nautical.

the zigzag track of a vessel compelled by contrary winds or currents to sail on different courses.
each of the runs in a single direction made in such sailing.

Fortification.

a defensive barrier, parapet, or the like, placed transversely.
a defensive barrier thrown across the terreplein or the covered way of a fortification to protect it from enfilade fire.

Gunnery. the horizontal turning of a gun so as to make it point in any required direction.

Machinery.

the motion of a lathe tool or grinding wheel along a piece of work.
a part moving along a piece of work in this way, as the carriage of a lathe.

Surveying. a series of intersecting surveyed lines whose lengths and angles of intersection, measured at instrument stations, are recorded graphically on a map and in numerical form in data tables. Compare closed traverse.

Law. a formal denial of some matter of fact alleged by the other side.

adjective

lying, extending, or passing across; transverse.

Origin of traverse

1250–1300; (v.) Middle English traversen < Middle French traverser to cross < Late Latin trānsversāre, derivative of Latin trānsversus (see trans-, versus); (noun) Middle English travers(e) < Middle French traverse (< Latin trānsversa something lying across, feminine of trānsversus) and travers (< Latin trānsversum passage across, neuter of trānsversus)

SYNONYMS FOR traverse

1 cross.

9 gainsay, dispute, challenge.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR traverse ON THESAURUS.COM

OTHER WORDS FROM traverse

tra·vers·a·ble, adjective tra·vers·al, noun tra·vers·er, noun non·tra·vers·a·ble, adjective

re·trav·erse, verb, re·trav·ersed, re·trav·ers·ing. un·tra·vers·a·ble, adjective un·trav·ersed, adjective

Words nearby traverse

travelling wave, travelling-wave tube, travelogue, traven, travers, traverse, traverse city, traverse jury, traverse rod, travertine, travesty

Example sentences from the Web for traversable

The northern Quarken is covered with traversable ice every third or fourth year.

Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 3, Part 1, Slice 2 |Various
This flat and marshy land offers no points of defense and has no traversable and continuous roads.

Current History: A Monthly Magazine of the New York Times, May 1918 |Various
While the trails are traversable during the greater part of the summer, some of them may be blocked by snow early in the season.

Grand Teton [Wyoming] National Park |United States Dept. of the Interior
For it appears the fact was voluntary, and his intention and knowledge are not traversable; they can't be known.

The Common Law |Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.

On every side stretched the thick woods, traversable only by those who knew their devious paths.

Deering of Deal |Latta Griswold

British Dictionary definitions for traversable

traverse

/ (ˈtrævɜːs, trəˈvɜːs) /

verb

to pass or go over or back and forth over (something); cross

(tr) to go against; oppose; obstruct

to move or cause to move sideways or crosswise

(tr) to extend or reach across

to turn (an artillery gun) laterally on its pivot or mount or (of an artillery gun) to turn laterally

(tr) to look over or examine carefully

(tr) law to deny (an allegation of fact), as in pleading

(intr) fencing to slide one's blade towards an opponent's hilt while applying pressure against his blade

mountaineering to move across (a face) horizontally

(tr) nautical to brace (a yard) fore and aft

noun

something being or lying across, such as a transom

a gallery or loft inside a building that crosses it

maths another name for transversal (def. 1)

an obstruction or hindrance

fortifications a protective bank or other barrier across a trench or rampart

a railing, screen, or curtain

the act or an instance of traversing or crossing

a path or road across

nautical the zigzag course of a vessel tacking frequently

law the formal denial of a fact alleged in the opposite party's pleading

surveying a survey consisting of a series of straight lines, the length of each and the angle between them being measured

mountaineering a horizontal move across a face

adjective

being or lying across; transverse

adverb

an archaic word for across

Derived forms of traverse

traversable, adjective traversal, noun traverser, noun

Word Origin for traverse

C14: from Old French traverser, from Late Latin trānsversāre, from Latin trānsversus transverse

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

traverse

verb (used with object), trav·ersed, trav·ers·ing.

verb (used without object), trav·ersed, trav·ers·ing.

noun

adjective

Origin of traverse

SYNONYMS FOR traverse

OTHER WORDS FROM traverse

Words nearby traverse

Example sentences from the Web for traversable

British Dictionary definitions for traversable

verb

noun

adjective

adverb

Derived forms of traverse

Word Origin for traverse

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

traverse

verb (used with object), trav·ersed, trav·ers·ing.

verb (used without object), trav·ersed, trav·ers·ing.

noun

adjective

Origin of traverse

SYNONYMS FOR traverse

OTHER WORDS FROM traverse

Words nearby traverse

Words related to traversable

Example sentences from the Web for traversable

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []) .push({}); British Dictionary definitions for traversable

verb

noun

adjective

adverb

Derived forms of traverse

Word Origin for traverse

British Dictionary definitions for traversable