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Horizontal

1. Pertaining to, or near, the horizon. Horizontal misty air.

2. Parallel to the horizon; on a level; as, a horizontalline or surface.

3. Measured or contained in a plane of the horizon; as, horizontal distance. Horizontal drill, a drilling machine having a horizontal drill spindle. Horizontal engine, one the piston of which works horizontally. Horizontal fire, the fire of ordnance and small arms at point-blank range or at low angles of elevation.

(Science: physics) horizontal force, the distance in a horizontal plane to which a gun will throw a projectile. Horizontal water wheel, a water wheel in which the axis is vertical, the buckets or floats revolving in a horizontal plane, as in most turbines.

Origin: cf. F. Horizontal.