Word forms: 3rd person singular presenttense abseils, present participle abseiling, past tense, past participle abseiled
verb
To abseildown a cliff or rock face means to slide down it in a controlled way using a rope, with your feet against the cliff or rock.
[British]
The man and his son Mark had abseiled down the sheer cliffs. [Vdown n]
regional note: in AM, use rappel
abseil in British English
(ˈæbseɪl)
verb(intransitive)
1. mountaineering
to descend a steep slope or vertical drop by a rope secured from above and coiled around one's body or through karabiners attached to one's body in order to control the speed of descent
2.
to descend by rope from a helicopter
noun
3.
an instance or the technique of abseiling
Also called: rappel
Word origin
C20: from German abseilen to descend by a rope, from ab- down + Seil rope
abseil in American English
(ˈɑpˌzaɪl; ˈɑpˌsaɪl; ˈɑbˌzaɪl; ˈɑbˌsaɪl)
verb intransitive
1.
to descend by rappelling
noun
2.
such a descent
Word origin
Ger abseilen < ab, down + seil, a rope
Examples of 'abseil' in a sentence
abseil
Other activities range from abseiling and archery to caving.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
It can be used for activities including abseiling and climbing.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Reaching the nests often involves abseiling down sheer cliff faces and only one egg may be taken from each clutch.
The Sun (2014)
Activities include abseiling, archery and raft building.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
They went climbing and abseiling, camping in the rain.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
The 13-year-old company uses abseiling techniques to carry out construction and other services in difficult locations.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
The trip sees the pair clinging to the side of a helicopter before abseiling down a cliff face and camping in a cave.
The Sun (2014)
Most activity centres will have a climbing wall, which also allows abseiling and rope handling to be taught.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
I loved aerobics, windsurfing and outdoor sports like abseiling and canoeing.
The Sun (2012)
FIVE schoolboys rescued a walker and his pet dog from a narrow ledge on a cliff by pulling them up on abseiling ropes.
The Sun (2008)
Activities include abseiling, climbing, cycling and canoeing.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Frankly, it's so steep that an abseiling rope would be a more suitable means of descent.