Also altytude. [ad. L. altitūdin-em height, f. alti- (altus) high: see -TUDE. Cf. mod.Fr. altitude, not in Palsg. or Cotgr.]
1. gen. Vertical extent or distance; the quality of being high or deep, as one of the dimensions of space; height or depth.
c. 1420. Pallad. on Husb., IV. 791. Her sydes longe, her altitude abounde [= abundant].
1509. Hawes, Past. Pleas., I. viii. This goodly picture was in altitude Nyne fote and more.
1605. Shaks., Lear, IV. vi. 53. The altitude, Which thou hast perpendicularly fell.
1794. Sullivan, View Nat., I. 309. The gravity of the fluid, and consequently the pressure, will be always proportional to the altitude or depth.
1821. Craig, Lect. Drawing, etc., ii. 63. It has neither form nor colour, nor altitude nor dimensions, and yet it is a flower.
2. Geom. The height of a triangle or other figure, measured by a perpendicular from the vertex to the base or base produced.
1570. Billingsley, Euclid, VI. def. 4. 154. Figures to have one altitude and to be contayned within two equidistant lines, is all one.
1751. Chambers, Cycl., s.v., Triangles of equal bases and altitudes are equal.
1810. Hutton, Course Math., I. 286. A triangle is equal to half a parallelogram of the same base and altitude.
3. Height of the mercurial column in a barometer. ? Obs.
1664. Power, Exp. Philos., II. 91. Its wonted pitch and altitude of 29 inches, or thereabouts.
1753. Chambers, Cycl. Supp., s.v., The different altitudes of the mercury may arise from the different states of the air.
4. Height above the ground, or, strictly, above the level of the sea; height in the air, loftiness.
1535. Stewart, Cron. Scot., II. 146. Ane grit montane … of greit altitude.
1583. Stanyhurst, Æneis, II. (Arb.), 58. Theare was a toure … that in altitud euened Thee stars.
1727. Swift, Gulliver, II. i. 97. Trees so lofty, that I could make no computation of their altitude.
1773. Brydone, Sicily, xxii. (1809), 225. The degree of altitude in the atmosphere.
1880. Haughton, Phys. Geogr., ii. 43. The Himalaya chain … has a mean altitude of about 18,000 feet.
5. Astr. The height of a body in the heavens expressed by its angular distance above the horizon.
c. 1391. Chaucer, Astrol., I. § 1. 4. I wol clepe the heyhte of any thing that is taken by thy rewle, the altitude, with-owte mo wordes.
1594. Blundevil, Exerc., II. (ed. 7), 117. 55 degrees, 56′ and 21″ … is the Meridian altitude of the Sunne for that day.
1678. R. Holme, Acad. Arm., II. i. § 77. Altitude is the height or elevation of the Pole or any other thing above the horizon.
1764. Maskelyne, in Phil. Trans., LIV. 371. I fixed the equal altitude instrument … against a strong post.
1849. Mrs. Somerville, Connex. Phys. Sc., xviii. 172. The apparent altitude of the heavenly bodies is always greater than their true altitude.
6. a. sing. A point or position at a height above the ground or sea-level; a height. b. pl. Elevated regions; great heights.
1432–50. trans. Higden (1865), I. 112. Þer was a towre in the altitude of the mownte of Syon.
1704. Swift, T. Tub, iii. Wks. 1760, I. 49. Should immediately deliver himself up to ratsbane or hemp, or from some convenient altitude.
1853. Kane, Grinnell Exp., xv. (1856), 107. No mountain altitudes to furnish forth the increments of ice growth.
7. fig. a. High degree or eminence of any quality or attribute. b. High or exalted position in the scale of being, rank, power, etc.; hence His altitude = his Highness.
a. 1400. Cov. Myst., 288. O! thou altitude of al gostly ryches!
1596. Bell, Surv. Popery, III. v. 279. Euen in the altitude of popedome.
1601. Dent, Pathw. Heaven, 217. Oh the profoundnesse and altitude of Gods mercy!
1612. Chapman, Widdowe’s Teares, Plays, 1873, III. 11. He comes armed with his altitudes letters.
1672. Sir T. Browne, Lett. to Friend, § 27 (1881), 145. He that hath taken the true altitude of things.
1704. Swift, T. Tub, i. 33 (R.). He has exalted himself to a certain Degree of Altitude above them.
1850. Mrs. Browning, Poems, I. 74. Rise, woman, rise To thy peculiar and best altitudes.
1858. (20 May) Bright, Speeches, 39. Men of that altitude.
† 8. fig. in pl. Lofty mood, ways, airs, phrases. Obs.
1616. Beaum. & Fl., Laws of Candy, II. This woman’s in the altitudes.
a. 1733. North, Examen, 258 (D.). If we would see him in his altitudes, we must go back to the House of Commons … there he cuts and slashes at another rate.
1748. Richardson, Clarissa (1811), V. 232. From the nature of their conversation, there was no room for altitudes.
1782. Johnson, Lett., 293 (1788), II. 252. While you were in all your altitudes, at the Opera.
