[ad. L. transvers-us turned or directed across, pa. pple. of transvertĕre: see TRANSVERT. Cf. F. transverse (16th c.).]
1. Lying across; situated or lying crosswise or athwart; esp. situated or extending across the length of something, spec. at right angles (opp. to longitudinal). Also const. to.
1621. Burton, Anat. Mel., I. i. II. iii. Fibræ are strings, white and solide, dispersed through the whole member, and are right, oblique, transuerse, all which haue their seuerall vses.
a. 1687. Petty, Treat. Naval Philos., I. i. Three perpendicular length-way sections … and … a transverse section of the Hull.
1784. Cowper, Task, I. 561. A kettle slung Between two poles upon a stick transverse.
1815. W. Shepherd, etc., Syst. Educ. (1822), II. 112. The influence is not exerted in a direction parallel to the wire through which the electricity passes but in a direction transverse to it.
1855. H. Spencer, Princ. Psychol. (1872), II. VI. ii. 7. In similar masses of matter which are subject … to the transverse strain, the power of resistance varies.
1870. F. R. Wilson, Ch. Lindisf., 64. A transverse set of pews in the Chancel.
b. Her. Crossing the escutcheon from one side to the opposite one. (Cf. quot. 1610 in D.)
c. 1828. Berry, Encycl. Her., I. Gloss., Transverse, and Transverse in point, to the dexter and sinister.
c. In a bivalve shell: Of greater breadth than length or height; having the longer diameter transverse to the hinge.
1822. J. Parkinson, Outl. Oryctol., 180. A transverse bivalve.
d. In special collocations:
Transverse artery, Anat. one of the small branches given off at nearly right angles from the basilar; transverse axis, (a) an axis transverse to the main axis, as in a crystal; (b) Geom. the axis passing through the foci of a conic section (in an ellipse, the major axis): see AXIS1 7; transverse bone, Zool. in some reptiles, a bone connecting the pterygoid and maxilla; transverse colon, Anat. (see COLON1); transverse fissure, Anat. (a) the cleft below the hemispheres of the brain into which the pia mater extends to form the velum interpositum and choroid plexuses; (b) a short transverse cleft on the lower surface of the left lobe of the liver: transverse ligament, part of the cotyloid ligament; transverse magnet, a magnet formed by a combination of bar-magnets so that its poles are at the sides, not at the ends; transverse magnetism, magnetization, magnetization at right angles to the length of the bar; transverse muscle, Anat., any one of various muscles extending across other parts; transverse process, a lateral process of a vertebra; transverse sinus, a simple network of veins connecting the two inferior petrosal sinuses; transverse suture, the suture between the frontal and facial bones; transverse vein, Entom. any one of the several short veins of the wings of an insect, connecting two longitudinal ones.
1857. Dunglison, Med. Lex., 926/2. *Transverse artery of the face, arises from the temporal, passes transversely across the face … and gives its branches to the different muscles of the cheek.
1704. J. Harris, Lex. Techn., I. s.v. Latus Transversum, The longest Diameter in the Ellipsis, which Apollonius calls the *Transverse Axis, or Diameter.
1878. Bell, Gegenbaur’s Comp. Anat., 59. The other connects the sides of the body, and is the transverse axis.
1840. E. Wilson, Anat. Vade M. (1842), 101. The *transverse ligament is a strong ligamentous band.
1696. Phillips (ed. 5), *Transverse Muscles, the first pair shew themselves with a Membranous beginning, at the *Transverse Processes of the Vertebra of the Loyns.
1840. E. Wilson, Anat. Vade M. (1842), 8. The transverse processes project one at each side from the laminæ of the vertebra. Ibid., 341. The *Transverse sinus passes transversely across the basilar process of the occipital bone.
1741. Monro, Anat. (ed. 3), 75. The *Transverse Suture runs quite cross the Face, from the external Canthus of one Orbit to the same Place of the other.
1860. Mayne, Expos. Lex., Transverse Suture,… a suture which passes across the face, sinks down into the orbits, joining the bones of the skull to those of the face.
† 2. Of kindred: Collateral, as between brothers, cousins-german, etc. Obs. rare.
1614. Selden, Titles Hon., Pref. B iv. A Monster, that is not like him that got him, nor any other of the ascending or transuerse line.
1651. G. W., trans. Cowel’s Inst., 154. This Discent ought to be to the next Heirs, Males or Females, in a direct or transverse line.
1660. Jer. Taylor, Duct. Dubit., II. iii. rule iii. § 9. 401. The Grand Parent of a Family: from whom the direct descendants are for ever to be reckon’d to the Kinred in the strait and proper line: but when once it goes to the transverse and collateral, they not onely have no title to the inheritance, but [etc.].
3. In combination with other adjs. (Entom.): transverse-cubital, -medial adjs. = TRANSVERSO- cubital, -medial; transverse-quadrate a., quadrate with the transverse diameter the longer.
1840. trans. Cuvier’s Anim. Kingd., 528. Having the thorax transverse-quadrate.
B. sb. [The adj. used absol.]
1. Something that is transverse: spec.
† a. A cross or transverse part or member. Obs. rare. † b. Fortif. ? = TRAVERSE sb. 16. Obs. rare. c. The transverse axis of a conic section. d. See quot. 1867. e. A transverse muscle. f. Arch. (See quot. 1842–76.) g. The sprocket axle of a chain-driven motor-car. h. Roulette = TRANSVERSAL B. 3.
a. a. 1633. Austin, Medit. (1635), 108. The Transverse of the Crosse … is held to have bin a peece, much about that length.
1634. Bp. Hall, Contempl., N. T., IV. Crucifixion. Having fastened the transverse to the body of that fatal tree.
b. 1704. J. Harris, Lex. Techn., I. Transverse, in Fortification, is a little Trench bordered with two Parapets … which the Besiegers make quite thwart the Moat of the Place, to pass secure from Flank-shot, and to bring the Miners to the Bastions.
c. 1743. Emerson, Fluxions, 244. Let the Transverse of the Ellipsis = 2 r, Conjugate = 2 c.
d. 1867. Thomson & Tait, Nat. Phil., I. I. § 120. Mark a line … along its length, such that it shall be a straight line parallel to the axis…. A line drawn from any point of the axis perpendicular to this side line of reference, is called the transverse of the rod at this point.
f. 1842–76. Gwilt, Archit., Gloss. s.v. Chambranle, The top of a three-sided chambranle is called the transverse, and the sides ascendants.
g. 1907. Westm. Gaz., 22 Nov., 10/1. Their manufactures include live axles of various types and sizes, transverses, change-speed and brake levers [etc.].
h. 1899. Scribner’s Mag., XXV. 90/1. He placed eight louis on the number nineteen, and 1,200 francs on the line between nineteen and twenty-two, thus playing the ‘transverse.’
† 2. By transverse [L. per transversum], in a transverse position, crosswise; athwart. Obs. rare.
1596. Spenser, F. Q., VII. Mutability, VII. lvi. Nothing doth firme and permanent appeare, But all things tost and turned by transverse.
C. adv. In a transverse direction or position; transversely, across, athwart. Now rare or poet.
1660. R. Coke, Justice Vind., 41. When they are cut transverse, they are cut to right angles.
1671. Milton, Samson, 209. These two proportiond ill drove me transverse.
1726. Leoni, Alberti’s Archit., I. 51/2. Beams across from one Wall to the other … are Columns laid transverse.
1798. Bloomfield, Farmer’s Boy, Spring, 93. And o’er the whole Giles once transverse again, In earth’s moist bosom buries up the grain.
† D. prep. Across, athwart. Obs. rare.
1607. Topsell, Four-f. Beasts (1658), 161. One of them descendeth, and goeth down into the Ditch, and standeth transverse or crosse the same.
1610. Guillim, Heraldry, III. xxii. 166. All Fishes being borne Transuerse the Escocheon must in blazon be termed Naiant.
