Pronunciation: tr ə - ' v ə rs also tra- ' or ' tra-( ˌ )
Function: verb
Inflected Form: tra · versed ; tra · vers · ing
Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French traverser, from Late Latin transversare, from Latin transversus
Date: 14th century
transitive verb
1 a : to go against or act in opposition to : OPPOSE , THWART b : to deny (as an allegation of fact or an indictment) formally at law
2 a : to go or travel across or over b : to move or pass along or through <light rays traversing a crystal>
3 : to make a study of : EXAMINE
4 : to lie or extend across : CROSS <the bridge traverse s a brook>
5 a : to move to and fro over or along b : to ascend, descend, or cross (a slope or gap) at an angle c : to move (a gun) to right or left on a pivot
6 : to make or carry out a survey of by using traverses
intransitive verb
1 : to move back and forth or from side to side
2 : to move or turn laterally : SWIVEL
3 a : to climb at an angle or in a zigzag course b : to ski across rather than straight down a hill
4 : to make a survey by using traverses
– tra · vers · able \ - ' v ə r-s ə -b ə l, -( ˌ )v ə r- \ adjective
– tra · vers · er noun