rappel

rap·pel  (r-pl)

n.

A descent of a vertical surface, as a cliff or wall, by sliding down a belayed rope that is passed under one thigh and over the opposite shoulder or through a device that provides friction, typically while facing the surface and performing a series of short backward leaps to control the descent.

intr.v. rap·pelled, rap·pel·ling, rap·pels

To descend from a steep height by this method.

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[French, recall, return, rappel, from Old French, recall, from rapeler, to recall : re-, re- + apeler, to summon; see appeal.]

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rappel [ræˈpɛl]

vb -pels, -pelling, -pelled

n

(Individual Sports & Recreations / Mountaineering) another word for abseil

n

(Military) (formerly) a drumbeat to call soldiers to arms

[from French, from rappeler to call back, from Latin appellāre to summon]

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	rappel - (mountaineering) a descent of a vertical cliff or wall made by using a doubled rope that is fixed to a higher point and wrapped around the body abseil mountain climbing, mountaineering - the activity of climbing a mountain descent - the act of changing your location in a downward direction
Verb	1.	rappel - lower oneself with a rope coiled around the body from a mountainside; "The ascent was easy--roping down the mountain would be much more difficult and dangerous"; "You have to learn how to abseil when you want to do technical climbing" abseil, rope down athletics, sport - an active diversion requiring physical exertion and competition come down, descend, go down, fall - move downward and lower, but not necessarily all the way; "The temperature is going down"; "The barometer is falling"; "The curtain fell on the diva"; "Her hand went up and then fell again"

Translations

rappel [ræˈpɛl] vi (US) (= abseil) → descendre en rappel
to rappel down sth → descendre qch en rappel