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Webster 1913 Edition
Zenith
Ze′nith
(?; 277)
, Noun.
[OE.
senyth
, OF. cenith
, F. zénith
, Sp. zenit
, cenit
, abbrev. fr. Ar. samt-urras
way of the head, vertical place; samt
way, path + al
the + ras
head. Cf. Azimuth
.] 1.
That point in the visible celestial hemisphere which is vertical to the spectator; the point of the heavens directly overhead; – opposed to
nadir
. From morn
To noon he fell, from noon to dewy eve,
A summer’s day; and with the setting sun
Dropped from the
To noon he fell, from noon to dewy eve,
A summer’s day; and with the setting sun
Dropped from the
zenith
, like a falling star. Milton.
2.
hence, figuratively, the point of culmination; the greatest height; the height of success or prosperity.
I find my
A most auspicious star.
zenith
doth depend uponA most auspicious star.
Shakespeare
This dead of midnight is the noon of thought,
And wisdom mounts her
And wisdom mounts her
zenith
with the stars. Mrs. Barbauld.
It was during those civil troubles . . . this aspiring family reached the
zenith
. Macaulay.
Zenith distance
. (Astron.)
See under
– Distance
. Zenith sector
. (Astron.)
See
– Sector
, 3. Zenith telescope
(Geodesy)
, a telescope specially designed for determining the latitude by means of any two stars which pass the meridian about the same time, and at nearly equal distances from the zenith, but on opposite sides of it. It turns both on a vertical and a horizontal axis, is provided with a graduated vertical semicircle, and a level for setting it to a given zenith distance, and with a micrometer for measuring the difference of the zenith distances of the two stars.
Webster 1828 Edition
Zenith
ZENITH
,Noun.