rare. Also 5, 7 travers, 7 treverse. [a. OF. travers (also in Cotgr., 1611):—late pop.L. and med.L. trāversus:—L. transversus: see TRANSVERSE a.]
1. Lying, passing, or extending across; cross, transverse.
1426. Lydg., De Guil. Pilgr., 6999. Ouer my shuldere she yt [the scrip] caste And be-gan to bookele yt faste I travers wyse.
1598. Stow, Surv., xl. (1603), 410. The ouersight and profites of a Crosse ferrie, or trauerse ferrie ouer the Thames … before that any bridge was builded.
1625. Purchas, Pilgrims, II. VII. vi. 1122. The treverse wind … is so forcible … that it raiseth great heapes of sand.
1634. in Archæologia, XXXV. 197. In the kitchen…. A travers barre for the chimney.
1703. Maundrell, Journ. Jerus. (1721), 112. The traverse part of the Cross.
1894. Westm. Gaz., 9 May, 4/2. The explosions at the Waltham Cordite Factory … the strong traverse walls being blown to pieces.
† 2. Slanting; oblique. Obs.
1609. Holland, Amm. Marcell., 412. With grim lookes and traverse cast of eye.
1610. Guillim, Heraldry, I. viii. 34. A Gusset … is formed of a Trauerse line drawne either from the Dexter or Sinister Chiefe point … tending to the Honour point, and descending from thence … to the extreme base parts of the Escocheon.
a. 1649. Drumm. of Hawth., Fam. Ep., Wks. (1711), 146. The deviser of this [chess] would represent unto us a game of state … the bishops … should be … grave men, who by oblique, traverse and mystical ways … should effectuate their master’s designs and safety.
b. Her. Parted per pile traverse: said of the shield when divided by oblique transverse lines forming the figure of a pile (PILE sb.1 4) turned sideways.
1638. Guillim, Heraldry, V. i. (ed. 3), 365. He beareth parted per pyle traverse, Argent, and Gules.
1704. J. Harris, Lex. Tech., I. s.v., There is also a Partition of an Eschucheon used in Heraldry of this Figure, which they call Parted per Pile [printed Pale] Traverse, Argent and Gules.
