vertical

Everyday

1. Vertical means going straight up and down, at a right angle to the flat ground, like a wall or a flagpole. tree →
2. The vertical is a straight up-and-down line or direction. tree →
3. In business (formal), a vertical is one kind of industry or market. tree →

In the lessons

In maths lessons, vertical lines, axes on graphs (the vertical axis is the y-axis), lines of symmetry and right angles; in science, objects falling vertically; in PE, a vertical jump; opposite of horizontal; phrases: vertical line, vertical axis, vertical jump.

Examples

• Draw a vertical line down the middle of the page. tree →
• The flagpole is vertical. tree →
• The y-axis on the graph is vertical. tree →
• The climber went up a vertical cliff. tree →
• The letter T has one vertical line and one horizontal line. tree →
• My vertical jump is 40 centimetres. tree →

Note

Opposite of «horizontal» (flat, like the horizon). Memory trick: vertical goes «v-up». In maths, a vertical and horizontal line meet at a right angle (90°). Adverb: vertically.