- Vertical plane
- Vertical Ver"ti*cal, a. [Cf. F. vertical. See {Vertex}.]
[1913 Webster]
1. Of or pertaining to the vertex; situated at the vertex, or
highest point; directly overhead, or in the zenith;
perpendicularly above one.
[1913 Webster]
Charity . . . is the vertical top of all religion. --Jer. Taylor. [1913 Webster]
2. Perpendicular to the plane of the horizon; upright; plumb; as, a vertical line. [1913 Webster]
{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. [1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.
