| Noun | 1. | perpendicular - a straight line at right angles to another linestraight line - a line traced by a point traveling in a constant direction; a line of zero curvature; "the shortest distance between two points is a straight line" |
| 2. | perpendicular - a Gothic style in 14th and 15th century England; characterized by vertical lines and a four-centered (Tudor) arch and fan vaultingGothic architecture, Gothic - a style of architecture developed in northern France that spread throughout Europe between the 12th and 16th centuries; characterized by slender vertical piers and counterbalancing buttresses and by vaulting and pointed arches Tudor architecture - a style of English-Gothic architecture popular during the Tudor period; characterized by half-timbered houses | |
| 3. | perpendicular - a cord from which a metal weight is suspended pointing directly to the earth's center of gravity; used to determine the vertical from a given pointcord - a line made of twisted fibers or threads; "the bundle was tied with a cord" lead line, sounding line - (nautical) plumb line for determining depth plumb rule - a plumb line attached to a narrow board | |
| 4. | perpendicular - an extremely steep face face - a vertical surface of a building or cliff | |
| Adj. | 1. | perpendicular - intersecting at or forming right angles; "the axes are perpendicular to each other" oblique - slanting or inclined in direction or course or position--neither parallel nor perpendicular nor right-angled; "the oblique rays of the winter sun"; "acute and obtuse angles are oblique angles"; "the axis of an oblique cone is not perpendicular to its base" parallel - being everywhere equidistant and not intersecting; "parallel lines never converge"; "concentric circles are parallel"; "dancers in two parallel rows" |
| 2. | perpendicular - 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"; "measure the perpendicular height"steep - having a sharp inclination; "the steep attic stairs"; "steep cliffs" straight - having no deviations; "straight lines"; "straight roads across the desert"; "straight teeth"; "straight shoulders" | |
| 3. | perpendicular - extremely steep; "the great perpendicular face of the cliff" steep - having a sharp inclination; "the steep attic stairs"; "steep cliffs" |