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At right angles to a given line or surface; as, the line ad is perpendicular to the line bc. Perpendicular style (Arch.), a name given to the latest variety of English Gothic architecture, which prevailed from the close of the 14th century to the early part of the 16th; -- probably so called from the vertical style of…

The quality or state of being perpendicular.

In a perpendicular manner; vertically.

istinguish it from the principal point, or point of view, where a line drawn from the eye perpendicular to the perspective plane meets this plane. -- Accidental lights (Paint.), secondary lights; effects of light other than ordinary daylight, such as the rays of the sun darting through a cloud, or between the leaves o…

Space extended upward; height; the perpendicular elevation of an object above its foundation, above the ground, or above a given level, or of one object above another; as, the altitude of a mountain, or of a bird above the top of a tree.

eck, or when the slack cable entangled. -- The anchor is acockbill, when it is suspended perpendicularly from the cathead, ready to be let go. -- The anchor is apeak, when the cable is drawn in do tight as to bring to ship directly over it. -- The anchor is atrip, or aweigh, when it is lifted out of the ground. --…

formed by two right lines. -- Right angle, one formed by a right line falling on another perpendicularly, or an angle of 90º (measured by a quarter circle). -- Solid angle, the figure formed by the meeting of three or more plane angles at one point. -- Spherical angle, one made by the meeting of two arcs of great ci…

The perpendicular from the center to one of the sides of a regular polygon.

Just drawn out of the ground, and hanging perpendicularly; atrip; -- said of the anchor. Totten.

the conjugate axis. -- Axis of a lens, the straight line passing through its center and perpendicular to its surfaces. -- Axis of a telescope or microscope, the straight line with which coincide the axes of the several lenses which compose it. -- Axes of coördinates in a plane, to straight lines intersecting each o…

A frame of two strong timbers fixed perpendicularly in the fore part of a ship, on which to fasten the cables as the ship rides at anchor, or in warping. Other bitts are used for belaying (belaying bitts), for sustaining the windlass (carrick bitts, winch bitts, or windlass bitts), to hold the pawls of the windlass (pa…

rees by chipping off a piece of the bark, usually as a surveyor's mark. Three blazes in a perpendicular line on the same tree indicating a legislative road, the single blaze a settlement or neighborhood road. Carlton. In a blaze, on fire; burning with a flame; filled with, giving, or reflecting light; excited or exaspe…

] came bolt up against the heavy dragoon. Thackeray. Bolt upright. (a) Perfectly upright; perpendicular; straight up; unbendingly erect. Addison. (b) On the back at full length. [Obs.] Chaucer.

A rope fastened near the middle of the leech or perpendicular edge of the square sails, by subordinate ropes, called bridles, and used to keep the weather edge of the sail tight forward, when the ship is closehauled. Bowline bridles, the ropes by which the bowline is fastened to the leech of the sail. -- Bowline knot.…

f a shield occupying one third part of the chief, usually on the dexter side, formed by a perpendicular line from the top of the shield, meeting a horizontal line from the side. The king gave us the arms of England to be borne in a canton in our arms. Evelyn.

iece in the right hand, the barrel resting against the hollow of the shoulder in a nearly perpendicular position. In this position the soldier is said to stand, and the musket to be held, at carry. -- To carry all before one, to overcome all obstacles; to have uninterrupted success. -- To carry arms (a) To bear weapo…

rent times. It consists of a telescopic leveling apparatus (d), which slides up or down a perpendicular metallic standard very finely graduated (bb). The telescope is raised or depressed in order to sight the objects or surfaces, and the differences in vertical height are thus shown on the graduated standard. [Written…

One line or radius falling perpendicularly on another; as, the catheti of a right-angled triangle, that is, the two sides that include the right angle. Barlow.

A piece of oak bolted perpendicularly on the side of a vessel, to aid in drawing down and securing the clew of the mainsail.

A perpendicular set of lines, not extending across the page, and separated from other matter by a rule or blank space; as, a column in a newspaper.