To work, or solve, a traverse (Naut.), to reduce a series of courses or
distances to an equivalent single one; to calculate the resultant of a
traverse. — Traverse board (Naut.), a small board hung in the steerage,
having the points of the compass marked on it, and for each point as
many holes as there are half hours in a watch. It is used for recording
the courses made by the ship in each half hour, by putting a peg in the
corresponding hole. — Traverse jury (Law), a jury that tries cases; a
petit jury. — Traverse sailing (Naut.), a sailing by compound courses;
the method or process of finding the resulting course and distance from
a series of different shorter courses and distances actually passed
over by a ship. — Traverse table. (a) (Naut. & Surv.) A table by means
of which the difference of latitude and departure corresponding to any
given course and distance may be found by inspection. It contains the
lengths of the two sides of a right-angled triangle, usually for every
quarter of a degree of angle, and for lengths of the hypothenuse, from
1 to 100. (b) (Railroad) A platform with one or more tracks, and
arranged to move laterally on wheels, for shifting cars, etc., from one
line of track to another.
Trav"erse, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Traversed (?); p. pr. & vb. n.
Traversing.] [Cf. F. traverser. See Traverse, a.] 1. To lay in a cross
direction; to cross.
The parts should be often traversed, or crossed, by the flowing of the
folds.
Dryden.
2. To cross by way of opposition; to thwart with obstacles; to
obstruct; to bring to naught.
I can not but . . . admit the force of this reasoning, which I yet hope
to traverse.
Sir W. Scott.
3. To wander over; to cross in traveling; as, to traverse the habitable
globe.
What seas you traversed, and what fields you fought.
Pope.