Forms: 3–7 trauers, 4–8 travers, (4, 6 trau-, traverce, 5 traverss, 5–6 trau-, travarse), 5–7 trauerse, 5– traverse. Also β. 5 travas, -vass, 5–6 trevass, 5–7 trauas; 5 trauest, trevesse, 5–6 traves, 5–8 treves, 6 traues, 6–7 travess, traveis, trau-, travesse; 5–7 travis, 6 trevis, trevys, 6–7 trauyce, traviss, 6–8 travice, 7 trauis, -ise. See also TRAVIS, TREVIS. [Represents two OF. sbs., travers masc. (11th c.), and traverse fem. (12th c.), which, through the loss or misuse of final e, have fallen together in Eng. F. travers (dial. travais, travars, travé, in Prov. travers, Cat. traves, Pg. traves = It. traverso) is:—pop.L. trāversum, for L. transversum, neuter of transversus, TRANSVERSE a. F. traverse (Prov. traversa, Cat., Pg. travessa, It. traversa) is, according to Hatz.-Darm., chiefly from traverser TRAVERSE v., but in some uses it appears to represent a late L. trāversa sb. fem. from pa. pple. of transvertĕre to TRANSVERT. From the falling together of these words under the current form traverse, and the rise in English of many new senses, it is not possible to distinguish the senses which belong etymologically to F. travers from those which belong to F. traverse.]
I. The action of TRAVERSE v. in a local sense.
1. The act of passing through a gate, or crossing a river, bridge, or other place forming a boundary (obs.): represented in quots. only by the sense, A toll paid on crossing the bounding-line of a town or lordship; = PASSAGE 5. Obs. exc. Hist.
Also called toll traverse: see TOLL sb.1 2 h.
[1284. Chanc. Inq. P. M. Edw. I., 40/6 (Norf.) (P.R.O.). De quadam consuetudine que vocatur travers et valet per annum 3s.
1292. Britton, I. xx. § 1. Soit ausi enquis, quels del counté cleyment … de aver lestage … ou travers, ou toluen. [Note, Traverse, a toll paid for passing through the limits of a town or lordship.]
1347. Inq. P. M. Edw. III., File 86 (Norfolk Inq.). Est apud Brandone quedam custuma vocata ‘travers’ que est parcella manerii de Thefford.)
1598. Kitchin, Courts Leet (1675), 208. To have toll Travers is good.
1636, 1670. [see TOLL sb.1 2 h].
1754. T. Gardner, Hist. Dunwich, etc. 134, note. Robert FitzRogers had customary Travers for Passage through Blythburgh and Walberswick.
1852. Hull Shipping Dues Act, 2209. Certain tolls called … Toll Traverse.
1911. [see TOLL sb.1 2 h].
2. The action of traversing, passing across, or going through (a region, etc.); passage, crossing: orig, from side to side, but soon also from end to end, or in any course. Also fig. [= OF. travers, F. traverse.]
1599. Marston, Sco. Villanie, II. vi. 199. Thinkst thou that I … will once vouchsafe to trip A Pauins traverse?
1642. Rogers, Naaman, 89. He led them a traverse of fourty yeares.
1658. Phillips, Advt. Some Critticks perhaps will expect the names of Authours in the traverse of this Worke to be often set down.
1725. De Foe, Voy. round World (1840), 314. They were one-and-twenty days in this traverse.
1806. Pike, Sources Mississ. (1810), 67. In making a traverse of the lake, some of my men had their ears, some their noses, and their chins frozen. Ibid. (1808), II. 189. I determined to attempt the traverse of the mountain.
1903. Speaker, 2 Aug., 485/1. He completed his traverse of Persia from north to south.
1904. P. Fountain, Gt. North-West, etc., vii. 61. When a bay or inlet is come to the crew [of the canoe], naturally, to save time and labour, like to strike straight across from headland to headland. In the technical language of the voyageurs this is termed making a traverse.
1907. G. D. Abraham, Complete Mountaineer, Gloss., 476. Traverse.… Also used to define a climb up one side of a peak and down the other.
3. Surveying. A single line of survey carried across a region or through a narrow strip of country, by measuring the lengths and azimuths of a connected series of straight lines; used either where there is no general trigonometrical survey, or in filling up the details of one. Also, a tract of country so surveyed.
1881. Geikie, in Nature, 6 Jan., 224/2. In about three months the traverses for the construction of the map were completed. Ibid., 225/1. The geological structure of different traverses of the country.
1887. Encycl. Brit., XXII. 706/1. In Indian Survey … the traverses are executed in minor circuits following the periphery of each village and in major circuits comprising groups of several villages.
1900. H. M. Wilson, Topogr. Survey., x. 195. Traverses made in connection with topographic mapping are of several degrees of accuracy.
4. The traversing or continuous tracing of a geometrical figure or part of one: see TRAVERSE v. 2 b.
1905. J. C. Wilson, Traversing Geometr. Figures, I. § 2. 6. A traverse must exhaust the point at which it ends: for if any path from it were left untraversed, the traverse would leave the point by the path, and so it would not be the point at which the traverse ends. Ibid., § 9. 16. If the first traverse is a single path, that will be the characteristic of the whole traverse chosen.
† 5. Fencing. The action or an act of traversing: see TRAVERSE v. 5, 15. Also fig. Obs.
1547. Hooper, Declar. Christ, xii. L vij. Marke the trauyce and pley betwene the law of God, and the conscience of Paule.
1599. G. Silver, Paradoxes Defence, 61–2. This Cob was a great quareller … and … was sure by the cunning of his Trauerse, not to be hurt by anie man: for at anie time finding himselfe ouermatched would suddenly turne his backe and runne away…. And this … was called Cobs Trauerse.
1599. Marston, Sco. Villanie, III. ii. 225. Each gallant he doth meete He fronts him with a trauerse in the streete.
1706. Farquhar, Recruit. Officer, III. ii. [Direction] Plume and Brazen fight a traverse or two about the stage.
6. Mountaineering. An act of traversing or making one’s way in a horizontal direction across the face of a mountain or rock (see TRAVERSE v. 21); also concr. a place where a traverse is made.
1893. C. Wilson, Mountaineering, vi. 88. Short traverses are often difficult; you ascend a gully … as far as possible; and, when progress by that avenue is … barred, a traverse is undertaken to the left or the right. Ibid., 90. We eventually accomplished the ascent by a long traverse which led round a corner and on to broken rocks.
1897. O. G. Jones, Rock-climbing, 113. Three o’clock found us still working westwards on the traverse.
1900. Dent, Mountaineering, 438. Traverse, sometimes used substantively to denote a surface of rock, snow, or ice that has to be crossed horizontally.
II. Senses denoting (or connected with) non-physical action (opposition, thwarting, or the like).
7. Something that crosses, thwarts, or obstructs; opposition; an obstacle, impediment; a trouble, vexation; a mishap; misfortune, adversity; pl. crosses. Now rare. [OF. travers.]
1390. Gower, Conf., III. 384. His nature is so divers, That it hath evere som travers Or of to moche or of to lite.
1530. Lyndesay, Test. Papyngo, 402. Quhate trauers, troubyll, and calamitie Haith bene in courte within thir houndreth ȝeris!
1654. H. L’Estrange, Chas. I. (1655), 2. In the very nick of time (a strange traverse of Providence) dyes Pope Gregory, whose death put all to a stand.
1670. Cotton, Espernon, I. I. 34. He could not overcome those traverses, and difficulties, that his Majesties enemies still strew’d in his way.
1703. Penn, in Pa. Hist. Soc. Mem., IX. 252. It is my lot to meet with traverses and disappointments.
1814. Wordsw., Excursion, III. ad fin. Like traverses and toils Must he again encounter.
1900. Morley, Cromwell, iii. 48. In days of fierce duress, of endless traverses and toils.
8. Law. The traversing or formal denial in pleading of some matter of fact alleged by the other side; also, a plea consisting of this; also, ? a case in which a traverse is pleaded.
1429. in Calr. Doc. rel. Scotl. (1888), 405. For declaracion of traverss made or to be made be assise.
1459. Rolls of Parlt., V. 371/1. Jugement [was] yeven for the Kyng, in the said traverse.
1542–3. Act 34 & 35 Hen. VIII., c. 5 § 15. Vntill the saide office be lawfully vndone by trauers or otherwyse.
1647. N. Bacon, Disc. Govt. Eng., I. xxiii. (1739), 41. That King put a Judge to death, for sentencing one to suffer death upon the Coroner’s record, without allowing the Delinquent liberty of Traverse.
1780. Burke, Sp. Econ. Reform, Wks. III. 247. His plea or traverse may be allowed as an answer to a charge, when a charge is made.
1824. H. J. Stephen, Pleading, 215. It is laid down as a rule that a traverse must not be taken upon matter of law.
1911. Odgers, Comm. Law Eng., V. xvii. II. 1214. The contradiction in terms of an allegation in the preceding pleading is technically known as a ‘traverse’
transf. 1575. Laneham, Lett. (1871), 17. If the dog in pleadyng woold pluk the bear by the throte, the bear with trauers woould claw him again by the skalp.
a. 1662. Heylin, Laud, II. 261. There was no Traverse to be made to this Dilemma.
1877. Morley, Crit. Misc., Ser. II. 293. It is enough to meet them by a direct traverse, throwing the burden of proof upon them.
† 9. A dispute, controversy. At, in traverse: in debate, in dispute. Obs.
c. 1410. Lydg., Life our Lady, in MS. Soc. Antiq. 134, lf. 18 (Halliw.). Whanne they were at travers of thise thre, Everiche holdynge his opinioun.
c. 1448. in Rec. City Norwich (1906), 345. The pryour of Norwich that tyme being in travers with the said meir and comonalte.
c. 1490. Paston Lett., III. 366. The matier depending in travers bitwixt the saide parties.
1524. in J. H. Glover, Kingsthorpiana (1883), 64. The forseid land and grownds now in traves.
1553. Grimalde, Cicero’s Offices, I. (1558), 27. If there bee a trauers in lawe: you shall rather defende your kinsman and frende than your neighbour.
1611. Speed, Hist. Gt. Brit., IX. xxiv. § 279. The LL. Generals … would heare of no composition but for the Merchants ships onely, which whilest it was in trauise to and fro [etc.].
1651. Howell, Venice, 2. These traverses twixt Saint Peter and Saint Mark could never shake Venice in the main of the Roman Religion.
† 10. ? = PASSAGE sb. 13 c. Obs.
1599. Dallam, in Early Voy. Levant (Hakl. Soc.), 25. The firste day of maye we saw there greatest traverses or sportes that they have in all the yeare.
1604. E. G[rimstone], D’Acosta’s Hist. Indies, IV. xxxix. 315. The fooleries, trickes, traverses, and pleasant sportes they make when they are taught.
1643. J. M., Soveraigne Salve, 11. The malignant traverses of our Calumniators.
† b. ? A passage from a discourse or writing. Obs.
1608. Panke, Fall of Babel, 56. He must needes meane by their own trauises out of him that Christ both spake and meant the bread when he said this is my body.
III. Senses denoting way across, crossing, way, path, track, course.
11. A passage by which one may traverse or cross; a way, pass; a crossing.
a. 1678. Marvell, Poems, Appleton Ho., 17. The field In whose new traverse seemeth wrought A camp of battle newly fought.
1773. Mrs. Grant, Lett. fr. Mount. (1807), I. viii. 66. I have got cold in these meadowy traverses.
1805. Pike, Sources Mississ. (1810), 22. The storm … burst upon us, in the Traverse, while making to Point de Sable.
1892. W. Pike, North. Canada, 25. We put out … to paddle across the open traverse to the first of a group of islands.
b. Arch. (See quot.)
1842–76. Gwilt, Encycl. Archit., Gloss., Traverse, a gallery or loft of communication in a church or other large building.
12. Naut. The zigzag track of a vessel sailing against the wind; with a and pl., each of the runs made by a ship in tacking.
1594. J. Davis, Seaman’s Secr. (1607), 46. A Travers is the varietie of the ships motion vpon euery alteration of Corses.
1644. Manwayring, Sea-Mans Dict., 109. We call the way of the Ship (in respect of the points whereon we saile, and the Angles which the Ship makes in going to, and againe) the travers of the Ship.
1676. Wood, Jrnl., in Acc. Sev. Late Voy., I. (1694), 156. Courses per Traverse; true Course Protracted, with all impediments allowed, is North 43 d.
1762. Gentl. Mag., March, 99/1. This distance … may be increased ten-fold by traverses which vessels must … make on such occasions.
1834. Nat. Philos., III. Navig., I. ii. § 17 (Usef. Knowl. Soc.). She will be found one mile to the west of that place at the end of the traverse, for the total amount of westings exceeds the eastings by one mile.
β. 1669. Sturmy, Mariner’s Mag., II. 46. Agreeing so well with his Travisses at Sea. Ibid., II. v. 64 [see traverse-scale].
b. = traverse-board: see 23. ? Obs.
1627. Capt. Smith, Seaman’s Gram., ii. 11. Vpon the Bittacle is also the Trauas, which is a little round boord full of holes … vpon which … they keepe an account, how many glasses they steare vpon euery point.
6. transf. Each lap, length, or pli of a zigzag ascending road.
1731. Gentl. Mag., Nov., 488/1. The Descent … is now firm, smooth and gradual, by 17 Traverses.
1775. Johnson, West. Islands, Wks. X. 353. We mounted by a military road cut in traverses.
IV. Concrete senses denoting something placed or extending across.
In these the popular forms traves, is, etc., were very frequent: cf. TRAVIS, TREVIS.
13. A curtain or screen placed crosswise, or drawn across a room, hall, or theater; also, a partition of wood, a screen of lattice-work, or the like. Obs. exc. Hist.
c. 1374. Chaucer, Troylus, III. 625 (674). Here after soone The voyde dronke, and trauers [v.r. traueres] drawe anoon. Ibid. (c. 1386), Merch. T., 573. Men drynken and the trauers [v.r. trauys] drawe anon.
1474. in Househ. Ord. (1790), 28. We will that our sayd sonne in his chamber and for all nighte lyverye to be sette, the traverse drawne anone upon eight of the clocke.
1589. Puttenham, Eng. Poesie, I. xvii. (Arb.), 51. The floore … had in it sundrie little diuisions by curteins as trauerses to serue for seueral roomes where they might … change their garments.
1605. B. Jonson, Volpone, V. iii. [Stage direct.] Volpone peeps from behinde a trauerse.
1700. Floyer, Hot & Cold Bath., I. iii. 55. Parted in the middle by a Travers of Wood.
1870. Rock, Text. Fabr., Introd. vii. 143. At top of and all along the travers ran the minstrel-gallery.
B. 1423. James I., Kingis Q., lxxxii. Ryght ouerthwert the chamber was there drawe A trevesse thin and quhite.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 499/2. Trauas, transversum.
1480. Wardr. Acc. Edw. IV. (1830), 126. For making of ij travasses of grene sarsinett … iij s.
1488. Acc. Ld. High Treas. Scot., I. 100. For vij elne of tartar to a trevass. Ibid. (1503), II. 203. For xvj elne taffeti to be ane trevis to the Kingis bed.
1547. Test. Ebor. (Surtees), VI. 263. One traves for hir chamber of grene sarcenett and reide.
1613. Beaumont, Masque Inner T., Argt. The fabricke was a mountaine with two descents, and severed with two travesses.
b. fig.
1609. Daniel, Civ. Wars, VIII. lxxxviii. He drawes a Trauerse ’twixt his greeuances.
1655. Fuller, Ornithol. (1867), 261. It is the hanging of such Curtains and Traverses before our Deeds which keep up our Reputation.
14. A small compartment shut off or enclosed by a curtain or screen in a church, house, etc.; a closet. arch.
1494. Fabyan, Chron., VII. 473. Vpon a Saterdaye, the .xiiii. daye of the moneth of Octobre, both kynges beynge in .ii. trauersys, and in one chapell at Caleys, a masse was said before them.
1527. in Fiddes, Wolsey (1726), II. 201. To the high alter wheare on the south side was ordeyned a goodlie travers for my Lord Cardinal.
1602. Segar, Hon. Mil. & Civ., IV. xxii. 240. All Viscountesses may haue their gownes borne vp by a man…. Also they may haue a Trauerse in their own houses.
1633. Dell, in Ceremon. Coronat. Jas. I. (1685), 15. A little Traverse is to be made on the South side of the Altar…, for the King to … disrobe himself.
1902. Westm. Gaz., 11 Aug., 5/2. The King [Edward VII.] went into his traverse and was there disrobed of his Imperial Mantle or Robe of State. Ibid. In St. Edward’s Chapel ‘traverses,’ or dressing-rooms, had been curtained off for the use of the King and Queen.
β. 1526. St. Papers Hen. VIII., I. 172. Aftyr his first Masse was done, I wente unto hym, withyn his travesse.
1536. Wriothesley, Chron. (Camden), I. 46. The King … then went into the traves that was made for him at the alters end.
1559. Fabyan’s Chron., an. 1554. 562*/2. She [Q. Mary] went into a traueis [Strype traverse] made on the right side, and he into an other on the left side.
1593. in Hardman, Prayer-Bk. (1890), 71. Her Majestie [Q. Elizabeth I.] entered her travess. Ibid. (1605), 157. Travase.
† 15. A bar or barrier across anything; in quot. 1759 = BAR sb.1 15. Obs.
1575. Churchyard, Chippes (1817), 152. With baskets big, and things to serue the turne A crosse the streete, a trauers made there was.
1654. H. L’Estrange, Chas. I. (1655), 137. The Communion Table … to be placed at the East end,… with … a woodden traverse of railes before it, to keep Profanation off.
1700. Floyer, Hot & Cold Bath., I. iii. (1706), 58. [Baptisteries] were parted in the middle by a Travers of Wood.
1759. Adm. Holmes, in Naval Chron., July (1810), XXIV. 117. The Dublin and Medway got over the traverse [in the River St. Lawrence].
16. Fortif. A barrier or barricade thrown across an approach, the line of fire, etc., as a defence; spec. (pl.) parapets of earth raised at intervals across the terreplein of a rampart or the covered way of a fortress, to prevent its being enfiladed. [= OF. traverse.]
1599. Hakluyt, Voy., II. 81. The captaine caused to make the traverses upon the wall whereas the breach was.
1602. Ld. Mountjoy, Lett., in Moryson, Itin. (1617), II. 213. The enemy having raised from mountaine to mountaine, from wood to wood, and from bogge to bogge long Traverses, with huge and high Flanckers of great stones, mingled with Turffe.
1700. Rycaut, Hist. Turks, III. 112. The Defendants … sprang a Mine under the Ruins of the Ravelin; which threw so much Earth into the Traverses of the Enemy, as buried many of their Labourers.
1882. E. O’Donovan, Merv Oasis, II. xxxiii. 68. Opposite each gate was a large traverse, to protect it from artillery fire.
β. 1598. Barret, Theor. Warres, V. i. 125. The parts of a Bulwarke are the Trauesses or flankers.
1622. F. Markham, Bk. War, IV. iii. 132. Lading and carrying the earth in barrels, baskets, and wheele barrows, by which are framed the Trauesses or flankers of the Bulwarke.
17. A natural structure forming a transverse partition, as the diaphragm; anything lying transversely or across. [= F. traverse.]
1604. T. Wright, Passions, VI. 311. No man … can satisfie those demaunds … whether it [the Emmet] hath a Lyver, or no … whether a traverse or midriffe.
1657. Thornley, trans. Longus’ Daphnis & Chloe, 136. His resolution was to imagine pleasure on this side the traverse.
18. Anything laid or fixed athwart or across; a cross-piece; a cross-beam in a timber roof; a transom; the transverse member in a cross; each of the rungs of a ladder (in quot. fig.), etc. [= F. traverse.]
1708. J. Chamberlayne, St. Gt. Brit., II. III. x. (1737), 429. The Traverse or Cross of the Sword being of Silver over Gilt, is in Length seventeen Inches and a Half.
1727–41. Chambers, Cycl., Traverse is particularly used for a piece of wood or iron placed transversely, to strengthen and fortify another: such are those used in gates, windows, etc.
1730. A. Gordon, Maffei’s Amphith., 295. Two round Holes in the Stone of the Threshold,… and two others correspondent with them, in the Traverse above.
1766. Entick, London, IV. 197. Upon that ball was a cross, 15 feet high, whose travers measured six feet.
1793. Burke, Conduct Minority, Wks. VII. 285. To make every man … cautious how he makes himself one of the traverses of a ladder, to help such a man … to climb up to the highest authority.
1838. Civil Eng. & Arch. Jrnl., I. 198/1. The cast iron rail can be fixed to the blocks or bearers with the patent vertical ties, chairs, and traverses, or in any of the usual ways.
19. Card-making. A transverse section of a cardboard.
1837. Whittock, etc., Bk. Trades (1842), 100. The boards are first cut into slips, or, as they are termed, traverses, containing five cards each.
† 20. The reverse side of a coin or medal. Obs.
1622. Peacham, Compl. Gent., xii. (1634), 119. As … was worth a halfe-penny farthing. And it is discerned by this figure 1. with the head or prowe of a Ship on the traverse; and Janus bifrons on the forepart.
† 21. Her. Stated to denote a bearing resembling a pile or a chevron turned sideways.
(But app. an error due to mistaking TRAVERSE a. 2, 2 b. for a sb.; Guillim, cited for this use, has the word only as adj.)
c. 1828. Berry, Encycl. Her., I. Gloss., Traverse, sometimes termed a doublet, and, in French, embrassé droit, is a bearing, according to Guillim, resembling the cheveron, which issues from two angles of one side of the escocheon, and meets in a point about the middle of the other side.
V. Phrases and Combinations.
† 22. Phrases. a. At, in, on travers, traverse, crossways, sideways, transversely; in flank; with a side glance, askance. Obs. (Cf. A-TRAVERS.) [OF. à, en travers.] See also 9.
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron. Wace (Rolls), 13394. Þe seriauntz & þe archers … were set … To kepe þe Romayns at trauers.
c. 1450. Merlin, 262. He turned the heed in trauers, and made semblant as he hadde hym not herde. Ibid., 425. He loked proudly on trauerse.
1586. Ferne, Blaz. Gentrie, 29. Great pecces of tymber or logges of woode … set in trauerse ouer some passage, bridge or gate.
1659. Leak, Waterwks., 14. They must be soldered a travers above the great Pipes.
1678. Moxon, Mech. Exerc., iv. 66. Joyners work as well upon the Traverse … as with the Grain of the wood.
† b. Through the travers, lit. rendering of F. par le travers, through the transverse extent, through the breadth, across. Obs.
c. 1489. Caxton, Sonnes of Aymon, xxviii. 576. [He] went … thrugh the travers of the wodes wel the space of viii dayes.
23. attrib. and Comb. (sometimes of the verb-stem), as traverse-rag (see 13), -sailing (see 12); traverse-board, travis-board, Naut. a circular board marked with the points of the compass, and having holes and pegs by which to indicate the course of the ship (cf. 12); traverse-book, travis-book, a log-book; traverse-circle, a circular or segmental track on which a gun-carriage is turned to point the gun in any required direction; traverse-drill, a drill in which the boring tool has at the required depth a lateral motion; also, a drill in which the drill-stock is adjustable laterally on the bed; traverse jury, a jury empanelled to adjudicate on an appeal from another jury: see sense 8 and TRAVERSE v. 12; traverse line, a line in a traverse-survey; traverse-man, one who makes the traverses (sense 3) in a topographical survey; traverse-map, a rough map, the main points on which have been determined by traversing: see TRAVERSE v. 7; † traverse-nail, a kind or size of nail used in making partitions; traverse-point, the highest point of a mountain-pass; traverse-saw: see quot.; traverse-scale, travis-: see quot.; traverse-survey, a survey made for the purpose of locating the features of a country along a narrow strip, as for a canal, a railway, or a boundary line, as distinct from a general trigonometrical survey of the whole country; traverse-warp machine, a bobbin-net machine in which the warp traverses instead of the carriages.
a. 1625. Nomenclator Navalis (MS. Harl. 2301). *Trauers bord is a board which they keepe in the Steeridg hauing the 32 pointes of the Compasse marked in it with little holes on every pointe like a Noddy-bord.
1626. Capt. Smith, Accid. Yng. Seamen, 11. The trauas boord.
1704. J. Harris, Lex. Techn., I. Traverse-Board … upon it, by moving of a little Peg from Hole to Hole, the Steers-man keeps an account how many Glasses (that is, half Hours) the Ship Steers upon any Point.
1867. Smyth, Sailor’s Word-bk., Traverse-board.
a. 1679. Sir J. Moore, Syst. Math. (1681), I. 271. This account ruff taken off the Log-board, ought to be entred into a Book called a *Traverse Book or Log Book.
1727–41. Chambers, Cycl., s.v. Log, They are entered into the log-book, or traverse-book, ruled and columned just as the log-board is.
1877. Knight, Dict. Mech., *Traverse-circle,… a circular track on which the chassis traverse-wheels of a barbette carriage, mounted with a center or rear pintle, run while the gun is being pointed.
1864. Webster, *Traverse-drill, 1. a machine-tool for feeding a drill into the work. (Local U.S.) 2. A cotter-drill. (Eng.)
1877. Knight, Dict. Mech., Traverse-drill.
1823. Rep. Sel. Comm. Sewers Metrop., 15. We have never had any *traverse juries in the Tower Hamlets sewers within my recollection.
1900. H. M. Wilson, Topogr. Survey., x. 195. *Traverse lines may be run in conjunction with a trigonometric survey to fill in the details. Ibid., 202. The *traverseman having set up and oriented his plane table.
1901. Year-bk. U.S. Dept. Agric., 121. When there are [no] accurate county maps it is almost impossible to carry on the soil survey except through the co-operation of State institutions which will undertake to make a *traverse map.
c. 1350. in Hope, Windsor Castle (1913), 165. In xxxml *Traversnail emptis pro parietibus camerarum canonicorum. Ibid. (1358–60), 216. In … lx mill. clavorum vocatorum travers.
1886. Ruskin, Præterita, I. ix. 304. This main pass of Jura … reaches its *traverse-point very nearly under the highest summit of that part of the chain.
1700. Congreve, Way of World, V. i. Dining behind a *traverse rag in a shop no bigger than a bird-cage.
1787. A. Clarke, in Life (1840), App. 154. After much *traverse sailing, occasioned by the wind being almost directly opposite, we came to anchor.
1843. Penny Cycl., XXV. 169/2. Traverse sailing … is merely the sailing on different points of the compass, for short distances, in succession.
1877. Knight, Dict. Mech., *Traverse-saw, a cross-cutting saw which moves on ways across the piece.
1669. Sturmy, Mariner’s Mag., II. 46. A Portable most useful *Travis-Scale. Ibid., II. v. 64. The Travis-Scale…. An Instrument the most easie, ready, and necessary … for the working of Travises, and correcting your dead Reckoning.
1896. Markham, in Geog. Jrnl., VII. 187. [He] set out to explore the river Madre de Dios…. He was supplied with compass, sextant, and chronometer, and corrected his *traverse-survey by daily observations of the sun.
1839. Ure, Dict. Arts, etc., 733. There are six different systems of bobbin-net machines. 1. Heathcoak’s patent machine. 2. Brown’s *traverse warp [etc.].
