terrainn.adj.
/tᵻˈreɪn/, /tɛˈreɪn/, U.S. /təˈreɪn/, /tɛˈreɪn/ A. n.
1. † a. (See quot. 1727.) Obsolete.
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1727 N. Bailey Universal Etymol. Eng. Dict. II Terrain,..is the Manage-Ground upon which the Horse makes his Pist or Tread.
1753 Chambers's Cycl. Suppl.
1816 in C. James New Mil. Dict.
b. Standing-ground, position.
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the world > space > place > position or situation > [noun] > where one takes up a position, residence, etc.
space?a1400
standa1400
stance1532
settling1582
station1587
consistory1592
roosting place1643
pitch1699
standing place1736
terrain1832
1832 T. H. Lister Arlington II. vii. 117 Viewed in the same light, and from the same terrain from which they view it themselves.
2.
a. A tract of country considered with regard to its natural features, configuration, etc.; in military use esp. as affecting its tactical advantages, fitness for manœuvring, etc.; also, an extent of ground, region, district, territory.
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the world > the earth > land > tract > [noun]
placec1325
piecec1330
soil1430
groundc1436
territory?a1439
land1604
strain1614
track1686
reaching1727
terrain1766
land-score1828
outstretch1858
the world > the earth > land > landscape > [noun]
chorography1617
pedography1625
topography1642
paysage1650
face1673
the lie of the land1697
carte du pays1744
terrain1766
network1839
landscape1886
land form1893
microtopography1941
1766 W. Digby Let. 12 Apr. in J. H. Jesse G. Selwyn & his Contemp. (1843) II. 13 We rode to reconnoitre the terrein.
1816 C. James New Mil. Dict. Terrain,..generally any space or extent of ground.
1879 Cassell's Techn. Educator (new ed.) IV. 95/1 Without reference..to the physical irregularities of the terrain.
1889 R. S. S. Baden-Powell Pigsticking 9 Taking in at a glance the peculiarities of the terrain.
b. figurative.
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the world > existence and causation > existence > materiality > immateriality > [noun] > immaterial or incorporeal thing > realm or kingdom
realmc1300
ream1589
kingdom1600
territory1640
terrain1860
1860 Princess Royal Let. 3 Dec. in Dearest Child (1964) 288 She will..not [have] such a difficult ‘terrain’ to work upon as God knows I have here.
1979 Amer. Poetry Rev. Mar. 19/4 He found authors in that terrain of brotherhood and contact the reader calls for and which they, the writers I've named and so many others, gave and go on giving by the courses and the conduct which touch their responsibility as Latin Americans.
3. Geology. (Usually spelt terrane.) A name for a connected series, group, or system of rocks or formations; a stratigraphical subdivision.
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the world > the earth > structure of the earth > age or period > stratigraphic units > [noun]
series1799
system1823
terrain1823
stage1859
group1865
section1882
horizon1926
cyclothem1932
succession1940
range zone1957
1823 tr. A. von Humboldt Geognostical Ess. Superposition Rocks Introd. 2 The union of several formations constitutes a geological series or a district (terrain); but the terms rocks, formations, and terrains, are used as synonymous in many works on geognosy.
1874 J. D. Dana Man. Geol. (ed. 2) 81 Terrane..is used for any single rock or continuous series of rocks of a region, whether the formation be stratified or not.
1889 in Q. Jrnl. Geol. Soc. 45 63 The word terrane proposed by Prof. Gilbert to be used for a stratigraphical subdivision of any magnitude.
1895 Pop. Sci. Monthly Sept. 694 The slates of the Cambrian terrane.
B. adj. Of the earth, terrene, terrestrial.
a. terrain tide n. a (supposed) rise and fall in the earth's crust, caused by the attraction of the sun or moon.
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1882 Milne in Nature 8 June 125/2 To determine the existence of a terrain tide, a gravitimeter might be established... If terrain tides exist, and they are sufficiently great from a geological point of view.
b. terrain cure n. see 1897.
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1897 T. C. Allbutt et al. Syst. Med. IV. 621 Regulated exercises, such as the gentle climbing, especially in mountain districts, known as the terrain cure.
Compounds
terrain follower n. = terrain-following radar n.
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society > travel > air or space travel > a means of conveyance through the air > aeroplane > parts of aircraft > controls and instruments > [noun] > navigational instrument > specific system or device
telepoint compass1931
terrain follower1961
terrain-following radar1970
1961 Daily Tel. 4 Oct. 17/1 A device known as the ‘terrain follower’, which keeps the plane automatically at a predetermined height above the ground.
terrain-following radar n. Aeronautics a radar system which enables an aircraft or missile to fly at high speed close to the ground by automatically adjusting its altitude in relation to the surface over which it is flying.
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society > travel > air or space travel > a means of conveyance through the air > aeroplane > parts of aircraft > controls and instruments > [noun] > navigational instrument > specific system or device
telepoint compass1931
terrain follower1961
terrain-following radar1970
1970 Times 4 Sept. (Aviation Suppl.) p. ix/8 Advanced avionics technology for the European multirole combat aircraft will be shown, with strike and terrain-following radar.
1980 Guardian Weekly 13 July 1/2 Terrain-following radar for low-level penetration of enemy defences.
Draft additions June 2006
terrain park n. a specially designed outdoor facility having a variety of ramps, jumps, and other apparatus for use in the practice of freestyle snowboarding or skiing, and similar sports.
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1991 Sunset (Nexis) July 20 Midmountain amenities include..a mountain bike terrain park resembling a miniature golf course, fraught with obstacles that test your ability to stay in the saddle.
1995 R. Reichenfeld Snowboarding 134 Objects like railings and dead trees are strategically placed in terrain parks to allow riders to jib, bonk, and bounce off things to their hearts' content.
2005 Calgary (Alberta) Sun (Nexis) 20 Dec. e4 (caption) A skier takes to the air in the terrain park at Lake Louise Mountain Resort over the weekend.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1911; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.adj.1727