Of or pertaining to the vertex; situated at the vertex, or highest point; directly overhead, or in the zenith; perpendicularly above one. [1913 Webster]
"Charity . . . is the vertical top of all religion." [1913 Webster]
Perpendicular to the plane of the horizon; upright; plumb; as, a vertical line. [1913 Webster]

Vertical angle (Astron. & Geod.), an angle measured on a vertical circle, called an angle of elevation, or altitude, when reckoned from the horizon upward, and of depression when downward below the horizon. -- Vertical anthers (Bot.), such anthers as stand erect at the top of the filaments. -- Vertical circle (Astron.), an azimuth circle. See under Azimuth. -- Vertical drill, an upright drill. See under Upright. -- Vertical fire (Mil.), the fire, as of mortars, at high angles of elevation. -- Vertical leaves (Bot.), leaves which present their edges to the earth and the sky, and their faces to the horizon, as in the Australian species of Eucalyptus. -- Vertical limb, a graduated arc attached to an instrument, as a theodolite, for measuring vertical angles. -- Vertical line. (a) (Dialing) A line perpendicular to the horizon. (b) (Conic Sections) A right line drawn on the vertical plane, and passing through the vertex of the cone. (c) (Surv.) The direction of a plumb line; a line normal to the surface of still water. (d) (Geom., Drawing, etc.) A line parallel to the sides of a page or sheet, in distinction from a horizontal line parallel to the top or bottom. -- Vertical plane. (a) (Conic Sections) A plane passing through the vertex of a cone, and through its axis. (b) (Projections) Any plane which passes through a vertical line. (c) (Persp.) The plane passing through the point of sight, and perpendicular to the ground plane, and also to the picture. -- Vertical sash, a sash sliding up and down. Cf. French sash, under 3d Sash. -- Vertical steam engine, a steam engine having the crank shaft vertically above or below a vertical cylinder.

vertical, n.

Vertical position; zenith. [1913 Webster]
A vertical line, plane, or circle. [1913 Webster]

Prime vertical, Prime vertical dial. See under Prime, a.

top

OXFORD DICTIONARY

vertical, adj. & n.
--adj.
1 at right angles to a horizontal plane, perpendicular.
2 in a direction from top to bottom of a picture etc.
3 of or at the vertex or highest point.
4 at, or passing through, the zenith.
5 Anat. of or relating to the crown of the head.
6 involving all the levels in an organizational hierarchy or stages in the production of a class of goods (vertical integration).
--n. a vertical line or plane.

Idiom

out of the vertical not vertical. vertical angles Math. each pair of opposite angles made by two intersecting lines. vertical fin Zool. a dorsal, anal, or caudal fin. vertical plane a plane at right angles to the horizontal. vertical take-off the take-off of an aircraft directly upwards.

Derivative

verticality n. verticalize v.tr. (also -ise). vertically adv.

Etymology

F vertical or LL verticalis (as VERTEX)

top

THESAURUS

vertical

abrupt, acmatic, apical, arrowlike, azimuth circle, bluff, bold, bolt upright, breakneck, capital, chief, consummate, dead straight, direct, downright, erect, even, flat, head, headlong, headmost, highest, horizontal, in a line, level, lineal, linear, maximal, maximum, meridian, meridional, normal, orthodiagonal, overmost, paramount, perpendicular, plumb, plunging, precipitous, preeminent, rampant, rapid, rearing, rectilineal, rectilinear, right, right angle, ruler-straight, sharp, sheer, smooth, stand-up, standing up, steep, straight, straight-cut, straight-front, straight-side, straight-up, streamlined, summital, supreme, tip-top, top, topmost, true, ultimate, unbending, unbent, unbowed, unbroken, uncurved, undeflected, undeviating, undistorted, uninterrupted, unswerving, unturned, up-and-down, upended, upmost, uppermost, upraised, upreared, upright, upstanding, vertical circle, zenithal

top

ROGET THESAURUS

vertical

Verticality

N verticality, erectness, perpendicularity, right angle, normal, azimuth circle, wall, precipice, cliff, elevation, erection, square, plumb line, plummet, vertical, upright, erect, perpendicular, plumb, normal, straight, bolt, upright, rampant, standing up, rectangular, orthogonal, vertically, up, on end, up on end, right on end, a plomb, endwise, one one's legs, at right angles.

For further exploring for "vertical" in Webster Dictionary Online