abseil

English

Etymology

From German abseilen, from ab- (“down”) + Seil (“rope”).

Pronunciation

  • (UK) IPA(key): /ˈæb.seɪl/, /ˈæb.saɪl/
  • Audio (Southern England):(file)
  • (US) IPA(key): /ˈɑpˌzaɪl/, /ˈɑpˌzaɪ.l̩/, /ˈɑbˌzaɪl/, /ˈæb.seɪl/

Verb

abseil (third-person singular simple present abseils, present participle abseiling, simple past and past participle abseiled)

  1. (intransitive) To descend a steep or vertical drop using a rope with a mechanical friction device or (classic abseil) by wrapping the rope around the body; to rappel. [First attested in the mid 20th century.][1]
    • 2020 September 9, Paul Clifton, “Heavy rainfall causes landslip in Hampshire”, in Rail, page 11:
      Although only five miles north of Winchester, the tunnel is in a rural location with no road access. Contractors were only able to reach the site after cutting through thick vegetation and abseiling down the slope on ropes.

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Noun

abseil (plural abseils)

  1. A descent in mountaineering using a rope looped at the top and a friction device. [First attested in the mid 20th century.][1]

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References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Brown, Lesley, editor (1933), The Shorter Oxford English Dictionary, 5th edition, Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press, published 2003, →ISBN, page 8

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