C120 words · Advanced

Finding Your Way vocabulary — C1

Directions vocabulary for describing terrain precisely, including latitude, longitude, meridian and bearing, plus a labyrinthine or circuitous route.

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Words in this set

signage
/ˈsaɪnɪdʒ/
All the direction boards and notices in a public place, taken as a whole.
Example: The signage in this airport is clear and easy to follow.
meander
/miˈændər/
To follow a winding path instead of going in a straight line.
Example: The lane meanders through the old part of town.
labyrinthine
/ˌlæbərˈɪnˌθin/
So complicated, like a maze, that it's very easy to get lost.
Example: We got lost in the city's labyrinthine back streets.
circuitous
/sərˈkjuɪtəs/
Much longer and more indirect than the most direct way.
Example: We took a circuitous route to avoid the roadworks.
navigable
/ˈnævəɡəbəl/
Possible to travel along or find a way through safely.
Example: The old towpath is still navigable on foot.
traverse
/ˈtrævərs/
To cross or move through an area, especially a difficult one.
Example: The trail traverses the entire mountain range.
circumvent
/ˌsɜrkəmˈvɛnt/
To find a way around an obstacle instead of going straight through it.
Example: Drivers circumvented the closed road by using back streets.
reorient
/riˈɔriɛnt/
To work out where you are and which way to go, after being confused.
Example: It took a moment to reorient myself outside the station.
deviate
/ˈdiviˌeɪt/
To turn away from the route or plan you were following.
Example: The bus had to deviate from its usual route because of roadworks.
terrain
/tərˈeɪn/
The physical shape and surface of an area of ground, such as how steep or rocky it is.
Example: The terrain gets rough once you leave the main track.
latitude
/ˈlætəˌtud/
The measure of how far north or south of the equator a place lies.
Example: Iceland sits at almost the same latitude as Alaska.
legend
/ˈlɛdʒənd/
The panel on a map that explains what its colours and small pictures mean.
Example: Check the legend to see which line marks a footpath.
grid
/ɡrɪd/
A pattern of crossing lines on a map, used to give the exact position of a place.
Example: She read our grid reference straight off the map.
bearing
/ˈbɛrɪŋ/
The direction of a place from where you stand, measured in degrees from north.
Example: Take a bearing on that far tower before the fog closes in.
longitude
/ˈlɑndʒəˌtud/
The distance east or west of an imaginary line running through Greenwich, measured in degrees.
Example: The ship's exact longitude was recorded in the log.
meridian
/mərˈɪdiən/
An imaginary line running from the North Pole to the South Pole, used to measure longitude.
Example: Greenwich sits on the prime meridian.
gazetteer
An index of place names, often included with a map, giving their locations.
Example: He looked up the village in the gazetteer at the back of the atlas.
azimuth
The direction of a point, measured as an angle from north.
Example: The surveyor calculated the azimuth to the distant tower.
vicinity
/vəˈsɪnəti/
The area immediately around a particular place.
Example: Are there any decent cafes in the vicinity of the station?
inland
/ˈɪnˌlænd/
Away from the sea, towards the middle of a country.
Example: We drove inland for an hour and the air got much warmer.