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vertical

Vertical describes the different levels in a hierarchy. For example, you might be familiar with the 3-level vertical class structure of poor, middle class, and rich.

Vertical can also describe the right angle at which something rises up from a baseline, like the walls of your house — they're vertical to the foundation. You may hear the terms vertical and horizontal used in relation to each other to describe directions. A vertical line goes up and down, and a horizontal line goes from left to right. An easy way to remember which way vertical goes is by its first letter, "v," which points down.

DEFINITIONS OF: vertical

n something that is oriented vertically

Type of:: orientation
position or alignment relative to points of the compass or other specific directions

n a vertical structural member as a post or stake

Synonyms:: upright

Types:: show 33 types...; hide 33 types...; column, pillar
(architecture) a tall vertical cylindrical structure standing upright and used to support a structure; jamb
upright consisting of a vertical side member of a door or window frame; post
an upright consisting of a piece of timber or metal fixed firmly in an upright position; scantling, stud
an upright in house framing; scape, shaft
(architecture) upright consisting of the vertical part of a column; stile
an upright that is a member in a door or window frame; atlas, telamon
a figure of a man used as a supporting column; bitt, bollard
a strong post (as on a wharf or quay or ship for attaching mooring lines); carrick bitt
either of a pair of strong posts that support a windlass on a ship's deck; caryatid
a supporting column carved in the shape of a person; corner post
a square post supporting a structural member at the corner of a building; doorjamb, doorpost
a jamb for a door; gatepost
either of two posts that bound a gate; goalpost
one of a pair of posts (usually joined by a crossbar) that are set up as a goal at each end of a playing field; hitching post
a fixed post with a ring to which a horse can be hitched to prevent it from straying; hop pole
a tall pole to support the wires on which the hop plant is trained; king post
post connecting the crossbeam to the apex of a triangular truss; lamppost
a metal post supporting an outdoor lamp (such as a streetlight); maypole
a vertical pole or post decorated with streamers that can be held by dancers celebrating May Day; newel
the central pillar of a circular staircase; newel, newel post
the post at the top or bottom of a flight of stairs; it supports the handrail; pilaster
a rectangular column that usually projects about a third of its width from the wall to which it is attached; pile, piling, spile, stilt
a column of wood or steel or concrete that is driven into the ground to provide support for a structure; queen post
vertical tie post in a roof truss; rudderpost, rudderstock
a vertical post at the forward edge of a rudder that enables the rudder to pivot; stake
a strong wooden or metal post with a point at one end so it can be driven into the ground; stanchion
any vertical post or rod used as a support; standard
an upright pole or beam (especially one used as a support); stump
(cricket) any of three upright wooden posts that form the wicket; support column
a column that supports a heavy weight; telegraph pole, telegraph post, telephone pole
tall pole supporting telephone wires; timber
a post made of wood; whipping post
post formerly used in public to which offenders are tied to be whipped

Type of:: structural member
support that is a constituent part of any structure or building

adj at right angles to the plane of the horizon or a base line

“a vertical camera angle”

“the monument consists of two vertical pillars supporting a horizontal slab”

Synonyms:: perpendicular

: steep
having a sharp inclination; plumb
exactly vertical; upended
turned up on end; unsloped, upright
in a vertical position; not sloping; straight
having no deviations

Antonyms:: horizontal
parallel to or in the plane of the horizon or a base line; inclined
at an angle to the horizontal or vertical position; gradual
(of a topographical gradient) not steep or abrupt; crosswise
in the shape of (a horizontal piece on) a cross; flat
horizontally level; level
being on a precise horizontal plane; naiant, swimming
applied to a fish depicted horizontally; atilt, canted, leaning, tilted, tipped
departing or being caused to depart from the true vertical or horizontal; aslant, aslope, diagonal, slanted, slanting, sloped, sloping
having an oblique or slanted direction; high-pitched
set at a sharp or high angle or slant; low-pitched
set at a low angle or slant; monoclinal
of a geological structure in which all strata are inclined in the same direction; pitched
set at a slant; salient
represented as leaping (rampant but leaning forward); sidelong
inclining or directed to one side; skew, skewed
having an oblique or slanting direction or position; oblique
slanting or inclined in direction or course or position--neither parallel nor perpendicular nor right-angled; show more antonyms...

adj upright in position or posture

“a column still vertical amid the ruins”

Synonyms:: erect, upright

: erectile
capable of being raised to an upright position; fastigiate
having clusters of erect branches (often appearing to form a single column); orthostatic
pertaining to an upright standing posture; passant
in walking position with right foreleg raised; rampant, rearing
rearing on left hind leg with forelegs elevated and head usually in profile; semi-climbing
of plants that are semi-climbers; semi-erect
of plants that are partly erect; semi-upright
of animals that are partly erect; standing
having a supporting base; stand-up
requiring a standing position; statant
standing on four feet; straight, unbent, unbowed
erect in posture

Antonyms:: unerect
not upright in position or posture; accumbent, decumbent, recumbent
lying down; in a position of comfort or rest; bended, bent
used of the back and knees; stooped; cernuous, drooping, nodding, pendulous, weeping
having branches or flower heads that bend downward; couchant
lying on the stomach with head raised with legs pointed forward; dormant, sleeping
lying with head on paws as if sleeping; flat, prostrate
stretched out and lying at full length along the ground; crooked, hunched, round-backed, round-shouldered, stooped, stooping
having the back and shoulders rounded; not erect; procumbent
having stems that trail along the ground without putting down roots; prone, prostrate
lying face downward; semi-prostrate
imperfectly prostrate; prostrate for part of its length; resupine, supine
lying face upward; show more antonyms...

adj of or relating to different levels in a hierarchy (as levels of social class or income group)

“vertical social mobility”

Synonyms: hierarchal, hierarchic, hierarchical
classified according to various criteria into successive levels or layers

adj relating to or involving all stages of a business from production to distribution

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