longitudinal

views updated May 29 2018

lon·gi·tu·di·nal / ˌlänjəˈt(y)oōdn-əl; ˌlôn-; -ˈt(y)oōdnəl/ • adj. 1. running lengthwise rather than across: longitudinal muscles longitudinal stripes longitudinal extent. ∎  (of research or data) involving information about an individual or group gathered over a long period of time.2. of or relating to longitude; measured from east to west: longitudinal positions.DERIVATIVES: lon·gi·tu·di·nal·ly adv.

Longitude

views updated Jun 08 2018

Longitude ★★★ 2000

In 1714, England's Parliament offered a large reward to anyone who could discover a way to accurately measure longitude at sea to prevent nautical disasters. Carpenter John Harrison (Gambon) decided on a mechanical solution in the form of a clock (now known as the marine chronometer) and strove to have his ideas excepted (for 40 years). His story is paralleled with that of shellshocked ex-WWI soldier Rupert Gould (Irons), who discovered Harrison's neglected originals and became equally obsessed with restoring them to working order. The performances carry the somewhat diffuse plot. Based on the book by Dava Sobel. 200m/C VHS, DVD . GB Jeremy Irons, Michael Gambon, Anna Chancellor, Ian Hart, Peter Vaughan, Gemma Jones, John Wood, Stephen Fry, Alec McCowen, Frank Finlay, John Standing, Samuel West, Bill Nighy, Brian Cox, Barbara Leigh-Hunt, Clive Francis, Daragh O'Malley, Tim (McInnerny) McInnery, Nicholas (Nick) Rowe; D: Charles Sturridge; W: Charles Sturridge; C: Peter Hannan; M: Geoffrey Burgon. TV

longitude

views updated May 17 2018

lon·gi·tude / ˈlänjiˌt(y)oōd; ˈlôn-/ • n. the angular distance of a place east or west of the meridian at Greenwich, England, or west of the standard meridian of a celestial object, usually expressed in degrees and minutes: at a longitude of 2° W | lines of longitude. ∎  Astron. see celestial longitude.

longitude

views updated Jun 11 2018

longitude Angular measurement around the Earth, usually in degrees e or w of an imaginary ns line through the prime meridian. All ns lines are called either meridians or lines of longitude.

longitude

views updated May 17 2018

longitude length (spec. east or west in geog. and astron.; see LATITUDE). XIV. — L. longitūdō, f. longus LONG1; see -TUDE.