ab

en-verb

ab (third-person singular simple present abs, present participle abbing, simple past and past participle abbed)

abs (present singular third-person)
abbing (participle present)
abbed (participle past)
abbed (past)

I had a climbing rope in my pack, set up an abseil with it, and abbed down to him.

1998, Climbing, numbers 178-180, page 22:


second

second (third-person singular simple present seconds, present participle seconding, simple past and past participle seconded)

seconds (present singular third-person)
seconding (participle present)
seconded (participle past)
seconded (past)
2ⁿᵈ (alternative)
2ᵈ (alternative)
IInd (alternative)
II (alternative)
II. (alternative)

From Middle English secunde, second, secound, secund, borrowed from Old French second, seond, from Latin secundus (“following, next in order”), from root of sequor (“I follow”), from Proto-Indo-European *sekʷ- (“to follow”). Doublet of secund and secundo. Displaced native twoth and partially displaced native other (from Old English ōþer (“other; next; second”)).

noncog

(climbing) To climb after a lead climber.


send

en-verb

send (third-person singular simple present sends, present participle sending, simple past sent, past participle sent or (nonstandard) sended)

sends (present singular third-person)
sending (participle present)
sent (past)
sent (participle past)
sended (nonstandard participle past)
send (infinitive)
send (first-person present singular)
sent (first-person past singular)
send (present second-person singular)
sendest (archaic present second-person singular)
sent (past second-person singular)
sentest (archaic past second-person singular)
sends (present singular third-person)
sendeth (archaic present singular third-person)
sent (past singular third-person)
send (plural present)
sent (past plural)
send (present subjunctive)
sent (past subjunctive)
send (imperative present)
sending (participle present)
sent (participle past)

From Middle English senden, from Old English sendan (“to send, cause to go”), from Proto-West Germanic *sandijan, from Proto-Germanic *sandijaną, from Proto-Indo-European *sont-eye- (“to cause to go”), causative of *sent- (“to walk, travel”). The noun derives from the verb.
Cognates
Cognate with Saterland Frisian seende (“to send”), Dutch zenden (“to send”), German senden (“to send”), Danish and Norwegian sende (“to send”), Swedish sända (“to send”), Icelandic senda (“to send”). Related also to Old English sand, sond (“a sending, mission, message”). See also sith.

inh

send it up the flagpole and see who salutes

She finally sent the 12a after hours of failed attempts.

(climbing, transitive) To climb a route without falling.


send

(climbing) A successful ascent of a sport climbing route.


rainbow

en-verb

rainbow (third-person singular simple present rainbows, present participle rainbowing, simple past and past participle rainbowed)

rainbows (present singular third-person)
rainbowing (participle present)
rainbowed (participle past)
rainbowed (past)

From Middle English reynbowe, raynbowe, from Old English reġnboga (“rainbow”), from Proto-West Germanic *regnabogō, from Proto-Germanic *regnabugô (“rainbow”), equivalent to rain + bow (“arch”). Cognate with West Frisian reinbôge (“rainbow”), Dutch regenboog (“rainbow”), German Regenbogen (“rainbow”), Danish regnbue (“rainbow”), Swedish regnbåge (“rainbow”), Icelandic regnbogi (“rainbow”).

“She's going to learn to belay while I'm climbing? What if I fall?” “You're not going to fall while rainbowing a 5.8, and besides, she'll catch you.” “I could die.” “That would be tragic,” I said. Kaitlyn crossed her arms.

2016, Kristin Lenz, Art of Holding On and Letting Go, Elephant Rock Books, →ISBN:

called “rainbowing.” Different routes were color coordinated. ... Using hand-me-down equipment and learning as much as she could, Brittany began climbing outdoors. She found like-minded people and joined organizations such as Brown ...

2021, Ann McCallum Staats, Thrill Seekers: 15 Remarkable Women in Extreme Sports, Chicago Review Press, →ISBN:

(climbing) In climbing gyms where the rocks to climb are colored to indicate suggested climbing routes, to climb rocks of different colors, thereby ignoring such routes.


friend

stranger

antonym(s) of “person with whom you are acquainted”

enemy

antonym(s) of “person who provides assistance”

Jamaican Creole: fren

Krio: frɛn

→ Cantonese: friend (fen¹)

→ Finnish: frendi

→ Serbo-Croatian:

Latin script: frȅnd

Cyrillic script: фре̏нд

→ Spanish: friend

From Middle English frend, freend, from Old English frēond (“friend”, literally “loving[-one], lover”), from Proto-West Germanic *friund, from Proto-Germanic *frijōndz (“lover, friend”), from Proto-Indo-European *preyH- (“to like, love”), equivalent to free + -nd.
Cognate with Saterland Frisian Fjund, Früünd (“friend”), West Frisian freon, froen, freondinne (“friend”), Dutch vriend (“friend”), Low German Frund, Fründ (“friend, relative”), Luxembourgish Frënd (“friend”), German Freund (“friend”), Danish frænde (“kinsman”), Swedish frände (“kinsman, relative”), Icelandic frændi (“kinsman”), Welsh ffrind (“friend”), Gothic 𐍆𐍂𐌹𐌾𐍉𐌽𐌳𐍃 (frijōnds, “friend”). More at free.
Other cognates include Romanian prieten, Russian прия́тель (prijátelʹ, “friend”), and Sanskrit प्रिय (priyá-, “beloved”).

der

with friends like these who needs enemies

Since they were introduced in the 1970s, friends have revolutionized climbing, making protection possible in previously impossible places […]

spring-loaded camming device
spring-loaded camming device

(climbing) A spring-loaded camming device.


lead

en-verb

lead (third-person singular simple present leads, present participle leading, simple past and past participle led)

leads (present singular third-person)
leading (participle present)
led (participle past)
led (past)
lede (alternative obsolete)
leed (alternative obsolete)

From Middle English leden, from Old English lǣdan (“to lead”), from Proto-West Germanic *laidijan, from Proto-Germanic *laidijaną (“to cause one to go, lead”), causative of Proto-Germanic *līþaną (“to go”), from Proto-Indo-European *leyt- (“to leave, die”).
Cognate with West Frisian liede (“to lead”), Dutch leiden (“to lead”), German leiten (“to lead”), Danish and Norwegian Bokmål lede (“to lead”), Norwegian Nynorsk leia (“to lead”), Swedish leda (“to lead”). Related to Old English līþan (“to go, travel”).

der

(heading) To begin, to be ahead.
(heading, sports)
(transitive, climbing) Lead climb.


rake

From Middle English rake, rakke (“pass, path, track; type of fencing thrust; pasture land (?)”), and then partly:
* probably from Old English racu (“bed of a stream; path; account, narrative; explanation; argument, reasoning; reason”) (compare Old English hrace, hraca, hracu (“gorge”)), from Proto-Germanic *rakō (“path, track; course, direction; an unfolding, unwinding; account, narrative; argument, reasoning”) [and other forms], from Proto-Indo-European *h₃reǵ- (“to straighten, right oneself”); and
* from Old Norse rák (“strip; stripe; furrow; small mountain ravine”), further etymology uncertain but probably ultimately from Proto-Germanic *rakō, as above.
Cognates
The English word is cognate with Icelandic rák (“streak, stripe; notch in a rock; vein in stone or wood”), Norwegian råk (“channel (in ice); cow path; trail”), Norwegian Nynorsk råk (“channel (in ice); cow path; trail; furrow; stripe”), Swedish råk (“crack or channel in ice; river valley”); and probably cognate with Old Danish rag (modern Danish rag (“stiff; taut”) (regional)), Old Norse rakr (“straight”), Swedish rak (“straight”).

tehdas

puffer that emits a stream of spaceships

(Northern England and climbing, also figurative) A course, a path, especially a narrow and steep path or route up a hillside.


chalk

en-noun

chalk (countable and uncountable, plural chalks)

chalks (plural)
chaulk (alternative dated)

→ Japanese: チャコ (chako), チョーク (chōku)

→ Nepali: चक (cak)

→ Swahili: chaki

→ Swazi: íshóki

→ Thai: ชอล์ก (chɔ́k)

→ Tsonga: choko

→ Tulu: ಚಾಕ್ (cākŭ)

→ Yoruba: ṣọ́ọ̀kì

From Middle English chalk, chalke, from Old English ċealc, from Proto-West Germanic *kalk, borrowed from Latin calx (“limestone”), again borrowed from Ancient Greek χάλιξ (khálix, “pebble”). Doublet of calx and cauk.

when working out your next move, it's a good idea to get some more chalk from the bag

(uncountable, climbing, gymnastics) A white powdery substance used to prevent hands slipping from holds when climbing, or losing grip in weight-lifting or gymnastics, sometimes but not always limestone-chalk, often magnesium carbonate (MgCO₃).

magnèsia

white powdery substance used for grip in climbing, weight-lifting and gymnastics


sling

→ Spanish: eslinga

From Middle English slynge (noun), slyngen (verb), probably from Old Norse slyngja, slyngva (“to hurl”), from Proto-Germanic *slingwaną (“to worm, twist”) or compare Old English slingan (“to wind, twist”), from the same source.
Compare German schlingen (“to swing, wind, twist”), Danish and Norwegian slynge), from Proto-Indo-European *slenk- (“to turn, twist”) (compare Welsh llyngyr (“worms, maggots”), Lithuanian sliñkti (“to crawl like a snake”), Latvian slìkt (“to sink”)).

cog

(climbing) A loop of rope or fabric tape used for various purposes: e.g. as part of a runner, or providing extra protection when abseiling or belaying.


anchor

anchors (plural)
anchour (alternative archaic)

→ Chuukese: angko

From Middle English anker, from Old English ancor, ancra, from Latin ancora, from (or cognate with) Ancient Greek ἄγκυρα (ánkura). The modern form is a sixteenth-century modification after the Medieval Latin spelling anchora. Doublet of ancora, anker, angora, and Ankara.

doublet

(climbing) A device for attaching a climber at the top of a climb, such as a chain or ring or a natural feature.


clean

en-adj

clean (comparative cleaner, superlative cleanest)

cleaner (comparative)
cleanest (superlative)

From Middle English clene, clane, from Old English clǣne (“clean, pure”), from Proto-West Germanic *klainī (“shining, fine, splendid, tender”), perhaps from Proto-Indo-European *glēy- (“gleaming”), from Proto-Indo-European *gel- (“to gleam”). Cognate with Scots clean (“absolute, pure, clear, empty”) and clene, clane (“clean”), North Frisian klien (“small”), West Frisian klien (“small”), klean (“clean”), Dutch klein (“small”), Low German kleen (“small”), German klein (“small”), Swedish klen (“weak, feeble, delicate”), Icelandic klénn (“poor, feeble, petty, snug, puny, cheesy, lame”).

skoon

not having used mind-altering or mood-changing substances

Free of imperfections, blemishes, or defects.

(climbing, of a route) Ascended without falling.


clean

en-verb

clean (third-person singular simple present cleans, present participle cleaning, simple past and past participle cleaned)

cleans (present singular third-person)
cleaning (participle present)
cleaned (participle past)
cleaned (past)

(transitive, climbing) To remove equipment from a climbing route after it was previously lead climbed.


blade

From Middle English blade, blad, from Old English blæd (“leaf”), from Proto-West Germanic *blad, from Proto-Germanic *bladą, from Proto-Indo-European *bʰl̥h₃-o-to-m, from *bʰleh₃- (“to thrive, bloom”).
See also West Frisian bled, Dutch blad, German Blatt, Danish blad, Irish bláth (“flower”), Welsh blodyn (“flower”), Tocharian A pält, Tocharian B pilta (“leaf”), Albanian fletë (“leaf”). Similar usage in German Sägeblatt (“saw blade”, literally “saw leaf”). Doublet of blat. More at blow.

teh

typically sharp-edged working end of a knife or other cutting tool


volume

en-noun

volume (countable and uncountable, plural volumes)

volumes (plural)
vol. (alternative abbreviation)

From Middle English volume, from Old French volume, from Latin volūmen (“book, roll”), from volvō (“roll, turn about”).

(climbing, bouldering) A modular foothold attached to a climbing wall used for gripping, often in triangular, pyramidal, or angular shapes.


nut

→ Japanese: ナット (natto)

From Middle English nute, note, from Old English hnutu, from Proto-West Germanic *hnut, from Proto-Germanic *hnuts (“nut”), from a root *knu- possibly shared with Proto-Celtic *knūs and Latin nux (“nut”). Based on the form of the nouns and the restriction of the root to Germanic, Celtic and Italic, it has been argued to be of non-Indo-European (substrate) origin.
See also West Frisian nút, Dutch noot, German Nuss, Danish nød, Swedish nöt, Norwegian nøtt.

dió

walnut in particular and an element in the name of some other nuts

dióféle

literally: ’walnut-like’, the family of this fruit

walnuts, hazelnuts/peanuts, chestnuts, and related fruits

even a blind squirrel can find a nut once in a while

When placing nuts, always look for constrictions within the crack, behind which the nut can be wedged.

2005, Tony Lourens, Guide to climbing, page 88:

(climbing) A shaped piece of metal, threaded by a wire loop, which is jammed in a crack in the rockface and used to protect a climb. (Originally, machine nuts [sense #2] were used for this purpose.)

kiila

climbing: shaped piece of metal used to protect a climb


flash

en-verb

flash (third-person singular simple present flashes, present participle flashing, simple past and past participle flashed)

flashes (present singular third-person)
flashing (participle present)
flashed (participle past)
flashed (past)

In some senses, from Middle English flasshen, a variant of flasken, flaskien (“to sprinkle, splash”), which was likely of imitative origin; in other senses probably of North Germanic origin akin to Swedish dialectal flasa (“to burn brightly, blaze”), related to flare. Compare also Icelandic flasa (“to rush, go hastily”).

onomatopoeic

imitative

(transitive, climbing) To climb (a route) successfully on the first attempt.

flashata

climbing: to climb successfully on the first attempt


pitch

From Middle English picchen, pycchen (“to thrust in, fasten, settle”), from Old English *piċċan, from Proto-West Germanic *pikkijan, a variant of Proto-West Germanic *pikkōn (“to pick, peck”), whence Middle English pikken, picken (“to pick, pierce”), modern English pick.

nyökkääminen

rotation angle about the transverse axis

килово клатене

nautical: measure of extent to which a vessel's bow and stern go up and down

The line turns a sharp right-angle to the north to circumvent the town, and then plunges straight into the 1 in 50, which lasts for nearly 20 miles with few intermissions, and some pitches of 1 in 40.

1950 April, Timothy H. Cobb, “The Kenya-Uganda Railway”, in Railway Magazine, page 265:

You lead "through" instead — your companion leads a pitch, then you join him. But instead of swapping over at the ice axe belay, you carry on in the lead, cutting or kicking steps until you are about twenty feet above.

1967, Anthony Greenbank, Instructions in Mountaineering, page 84:

(climbing) A section of a climb or rock face; specifically, the climbing distance between belays or stances.


hanger

From Middle English hanger, haunger, hangere, equivalent to hang + -er. Compare West Frisian hinger (“hanger”), Dutch hanger (“hanger”), German Hänger and Henker.

Climbers use anchors or bolts that are already placed in the rock. They clip onto them with metal hangers. Climbers don't need to place the anchors themselves, so they can focus on making the difficult climbing moves.

2012, Christine Dugan, Defying Gravity! Rock Climbing, page 37:

In marine areas (sea cliffs), even stainless steel bolts and hangers corrode rapidly.

2021, John Long, Bob Gaines, Rock Climbing: The Art of Safe Ascent, page 118:

(climbing) A device secured by a bolt and used to attach a carabiner.


ABC

en-noun

ABC (countable and uncountable, plural ABCs)

Boga and Subhash with Sherpa Nim Dorje and Kedar Singh left early to open a route to advance base camp. […] They proceeded south along the left bank of the glacier. They could avoid the moraines by climbing the slopes near the bank. It was a long march and they established ABC at 4877 m on a small open rocky ground.

1999, Harish Kapadia, “Accident and Rescue in the Nanda Devi Sanctuary”, in Across Peaks & Passes in Kumaun Himalaya, New Delhi: Indus Publishing Company, →ISBN, page 69:

(climbing) Initialism of advance base camp.


beta

beta (countable and uncountable, plural betas)

From Ancient Greek βῆτα (bêta). Doublet of beth.

(climbing) Information about a route which may aid someone in climbing it.


bicycle

→ Burmese: ဘိုင်စကယ် (bhuingca.kai)

→ Central Dusun: bosikol

→ Hawaiian: paikikala

desc

→ Kashubian: bajsykla (Canada, United States)

→ Malay: basikal

→ Maltese: bajsikil

→ Maori: paihikara

→ Papiamentu: baiskel

→⇒ Serbo-Croatian: bajs

→ Sranan Tongo: baisigri

Aukan: baisigii

Saramaccan: baisígi

→ Kari'na: paisiki

→ Swahili: baiskeli

→ Tausug: basikul

→ Urdu: بائیسِکَل (bāīsikal)

→ Welsh: beisicl

Borrowed from French bicycle (modern bicyclette), from bi- (“bi-”) + cycle (“cycle”). First attested in English in 1868, and in French in 1847.
(promiscuous woman): From double meaning of ride ("to transport oneself upon" vs. "to mount someone to have sex with them"). A communal bicycle would have many riders.

a woman needs a man like a fish needs a bicycle

a woman without a man is like a fish without a bicycle

(climbing) A stabilizing technique in which one foot is pushed down while the other is pulled up.


problem

problems (plural)
probleme (alternative obsolete)

→ Welsh: problem

From Middle English probleme, from Middle French probleme, from Latin problema, from Ancient Greek πρόβλημα (próblēma, “anything thrown forward, hindrance, obstacle, anything projecting, a headland, promontory”), from προβάλλω (probállō, “to throw or lay something in front of someone, to put forward”), from προ- (pro-, “in front of”) + βάλλω (bállō, “to throw, to cast, to hurl”).

der

(climbing) A set of moves required to complete a climb.


boulder

boulders (plural)
bowlder (alternative dated)
bulder (alternative dated)

From late Middle English bulder, short for Middle English bulder ston (“a stone that's been worn into a round shape, boulder, cobblestone”), possibly from Old Swedish *buldersten, itself possibly from Old Swedish bulder (“rumble, noise”) + sten (“stone”); whence dialectal Swedish bullersten (“large stone in a stream, causing water to roar around it”). The first element may alternatively be allied to Old Swedish bulle, bolle (“round drinking vessel, tumbler”), from Old Norse bolli, related to Old English bolla (“round object, bowl”), see English bowl.

cog

(climbing) A session of bouldering; involvement in bouldering.


boulder

en-verb

boulder (third-person singular simple present boulders, present participle bouldering, simple past and past participle bouldered)

boulders (present singular third-person)
bouldering (participle present)
bouldered (participle past)
bouldered (past)
bowlder (alternative dated)
bulder (alternative dated)

He bouldered a route in the same area with ease. Mitchell, 11, was hanging with the older kids in an area where bouldering nearly upside down seemed to be....

2005 November 18, “The ties that bind ..., ... and prevent falls have become family unifier in rock climbing”, in Salt Lake Tribune:

As the week unfolded, we were taught about the equipment we needed, how to tie a rope and what to wear. We learnt to balance on our feet rather than cling on with our arms and to trust our rock shoes, the moulded rubber slippers that can grip the smoothest of surfaces. We abseiled, bouldered and belayed.

2006 July 18, Tony Durrant, “The steep learning curve”, in telegraph.co.uk:

There's even old climbing hardware in it because people bouldered on it for years.

2007 February 15, “Homes blend eco-friendliness, unique design”, in Sierra Sun:

(climbing, ambitransitive) To engage in bouldering.


climber

From Middle English climber, clymber, clymbare (“one who climbs, climber”), from climben (“to climb; to ascend, fly upward, rise; to slope upwards; to approach God in prayer; to advance; to overcome, triumph; to aspire; to be presumptuous”) + -er, -ere (suffix forming agent nouns). The English word is analysable as climb (verb) + -er (suffix forming agent nouns).

af

(climbing) Synonym of climbing iron (“a kind of crampon attached to the shoe to aid with climbing”)


topo

(climbing) A map or sketch of a climbing route or area.


crimp

→ Welsh: crimp

From Middle English crimpen (“to be contracted, be drawn together”), from Middle Dutch crimpen, crempen (“to crimp”), from Proto-Germanic *krimpaną (“to shrink, draw back”) (compare related Old English ġecrympan (“to curl”)). Cognate with Dutch krimpen, German Low German krimpen, Faroese kreppa (“crisis”), and Icelandic kreppa (“to bend tightly, clench”). Compare also derivative Middle English crymplen (“to wrinkle”) and causative crempen (“to turn something back, restrain”, literally “to cause to shrink or draw back”), both ultimately derived from the same root. See also cramp.

cog

(climbing) A small hold with little surface area.


crimp

en-verb

crimp (third-person singular simple present crimps, present participle crimping, simple past and past participle crimped)

crimps (present singular third-person)
crimping (participle present)
crimped (participle past)
crimped (past)


jam

en-noun

jam (countable and uncountable, plural jams)

→ Armenian: ջեմ (ǰem)

→ Azerbaijani: cem

→ Belarusian: джэм (džem)

→ Bengali: জ্যাম (jêm)

→ Bulgarian: джем (džem)

→ Cantonese: 占 (zim1, zem1)

→ Czech: džem

→ Dutch: jam

→ Estonian: džemm

→ Finnish: jamit

→ French: jam

→ Georgian: ჯემი (ǯemi)

→ Hindi: जाम (jām)

→ Japanese: ジャム (jamu)

→ Kazakh: джем (djem)

→ Korean: 잼 (jaem)

→ Kyrgyz: джем (djem)

→ Macedonian: џем (džem)

→ Malay: jem

→ Polish: dżem

→ Romanian: gem

→ Russian: джем (džem)

→ Saanich: ĆÁM

→ Serbo-Croatian:

Latin script: džȅm

Cyrillic script: џе̏м

→ Sinhalese: ජෑම් (jǣm)

→ Slovak: džem

→ Swahili: jemu

→ Swedish: jam

→ Tajik: джем (džem)

→ Thai: แยม (yɛɛm)

→ Ukrainian: джем (džem)

→ Urdu: جام (jām)

→ Welsh: jam

First attested in the early 18th c. as a verb meaning “to press, be pressed, be wedged in”. Compare dialectal jammock (“to press, squeeze, crush into a soft mass, chew food"; also "a soft, pulpy substance”). Perhaps from Middle English chammen, champen ("to bite upon something, gnash the teeth"; whence modern champ, chomp), of uncertain origin; probably originally onomatopoeic.
The "performance" sense is first attested with regards to jazz in 1929, and its origin, though uncertain, is likely metaphorical, "something sweet made by the combination of many things", with influence from jamboree.

onomatopoeic

onomatopoeic

I used a whole series of fist and foot jams in that crack.

(countable, climbing) Any of several manoeuvres requiring wedging of an extremity into a tight space.


spot

en-verb

spot (third-person singular simple present spots, present participle spotting, simple past and past participle spotted)

spots (present singular third-person)
spotting (participle present)
spotted (participle past)
spotted (past)

From Middle English spot, spotte, partially from Middle Dutch spotte (“spot, speck”), and partially merging with Middle English splot, from Old English splott (“spot, plot of land”), from Proto-West Germanic *splott, from Proto-Germanic *spluttaz (“segment”), from Proto-Indo-European *splt-no- (“an off-split, segment”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)pel- (“to split”). Cognate with North Frisian spot (“speck, piece of ground”), Low German spot (“speck”), Old Norse spotti (“small piece”). See also splot, splotch.

cog

I can’t do a back handspring unless somebody spots me.

There had not been time to build handrails, so lines of women spotted the sides of the ramp.

1989 April 15, Angela Bowen, “Towards a National Lesbian Conference”, in Gay Community News, page 2:

(transitive, gymnastics, dance, weightlifting, climbing) To support or assist a maneuver, or to be prepared to assist if safety dictates.


aid

en-verb

aid (third-person singular simple present aids, present participle aiding, simple past and past participle aided)

aids (present singular third-person)
aiding (participle present)
aided (participle past)
aided (past)

From Middle English aiden, from Old French eider, aider, aidier, from Latin adiuto, frequentative of adiuvō (“assist”, verb).

Rather than climb into a bottomless off-width crack, we aided an 80-foot A2 to A3 crack to the top of a pedestal. By very tenuous face climbing, we gained entry to the crack, which we followed to a tree beneath the big chimney.

1979, American Alpine Journal, page 193:

(climbing) To climb with the use of aids such as pitons.


roof

en-noun

roof (plural roofs or (UK, uncommon) rooves)

roofs (plural)
rooves (UK plural uncommon)

From Middle English rof, from Old English hrōf (“roof, ceiling; top, summit; heaven, sky”), from Proto-Germanic *hrōfą (“roof”).


runner

From Middle English rennere, rynner, urnare, equivalent to run + -er. Cognate with Old Norse rennari (“runner; messenger”). Displaced earlier Middle English runel (“runner”), from Old English rynel (“runner”; also “messenger, courier”).

vrapues

somebody who runs, who moves at a fast pace

махови́к

mechanical part intended to guide or aid something else to move

(climbing) A short sling with a carabiner on either end, used to link the climbing rope to a bolt or other protection such as a nut or friend.


approach

From Middle English approche (“approach, arrival”), from approchen, aprochen (“to come or go near, approach; to adjoin, be close by; to enter (someone’s) presence; to be or become involved; to reach (a certain state); to arrive; to befall, happen to; to become similar to, resemble; to be a match for (someone)”); see etymology 1.

вход

avenue, passage, or way by which a building or place can be approached — see also access

захо́д

way an aircraft comes in to land at an airport

(also figuratively) An avenue, passage, or way by which a building or place can be approached; an access.

(climbing) A path taken to reach the climbing area, for example, from a car park, road, etc.


Everest

en-verb

Everest (third-person singular simple present Everests, present participle Everesting, simple past and past participle Everested)

Everests (present singular third-person)
Everesting (participle present)
Everested (participle past)
Everested (past)

Training for an Everest expedition in 1994, Mallory wrote, he had Everested by cycling eight times up Mount Donna Buang, outside Melbourne.

2020 August 13, Alec Jacobson, “How to Cycle Up ‘Mount Everest’”, in The New York Times:

(climbing, cycling) To repeatedly cycle up steep roads with a total distance equal to the height of Mount Everest.


dry-tool

dry-tool (third-person singular simple present dry-tools, present participle dry-tooling, simple past and past participle dry-tooled)

dry-tools (present singular third-person)
dry-tooling (participle present)
dry-tooled (participle past)
dry-tooled (past)

(climbing) To climb bare rock using ice climbing equipment.


flapper

(climbing) Any injury that results in a loose flap of skin on the fingers, making gripping difficult.


rack

From Middle English rakke, rekke, from Middle Dutch rac, recke, rec (Dutch rek), see rekken.

rappel rack

abseil rack

(climbing, caving) A friction device for abseiling, consisting of a frame with five or more metal bars, around which the rope is threaded.

I used almost a full rack on the second pitch.

(climbing, slang) A climber's set of equipment for setting up protection and belays, consisting of runners, slings, carabiners, nuts, Friends, etc.


chimney

chimney (third-person singular simple present chimneys, present participle chimneying, simple past and past participle chimneyed)

chimneys (present singular third-person)
chimneying (participle present)
chimneyed (participle past)
chimneyed (past)
chimley (alternative dialectal)
chimbley (alternative dialectal)

From Middle English chymeney, chymney, chymne, from Old French cheminee, from Late Latin camīnāta, from Latin camīnus, from Ancient Greek κάμῑνος (kámīnos, “furnace”). Doublet of chimenea.

der

(climbing) To negotiate a chimney (narrow vertical cave passage) by pushing against the sides with back, feet, hands, etc.


pump

From Middle English pumpe, possibly from Middle Dutch pompe (“pipe, water conduit”) or Middle Low German pumpe (“pump”), probably ultimately imitative.
Compare Dutch pompen, German pumpen, and Danish pompe; also Spanish bomba (“pump”).

onomatopoeic

imitative

Want a skin-stretching pump? Up the volume by using high-rep sets.
A great pump is better than coming.

2010, Eric Velazquez, “Power Pairings” (17::83 from the start), in Reps!, spoken by Arnold Schwarzenegger:

(bodybuilding, climbing) A swelling of the muscles caused by increased blood flow following high intensity weightlifting.


stemming

en-noun

stemming (countable and uncountable, plural stemmings)

(climbing) The technique of bridging between two holds with hands and/or feet, applying forces to each in opposing directions in order to brace oneself in position.


cam

→ Welsh: cam

PIE word
 *ǵómbʰos
Recorded since the 16th century, from Dutch kam (“cog of a wheel; originally, comb”) (cognate with English comb, and preserved in modern Dutch compounds such as kamrad, kamwiel (“cog wheel”)). Doublet of comb.

der

(climbing) A spring-loaded camming device, a spring-loaded device for effecting a temporary belay in a rock crevice.


crux

→ French: crux

From Latin crux (“cross, wooden frame for execution”), possibly from the Proto-Indo-European *(s)ker- (“to turn, to bend”). Doublet of cross and crouch (“cross”).

der

the real crux of the climb was encountered

The final half-mile was the crux of the climb.

1973, Pat Armstrong, "Klondike Fever: Seventy Years Too Late", in Backpacker, Autumn 1973, page 84

Most pitches have a distinct crux, or tough spot; some have multiple cruxes. […] ¶ Climb efficiently on the "cruiser" sections to stay fresh for the cruxes.

2004, Craig Luebben, Rock Climbing: Mastering Basic Skills, The Mountaineers Books, →ISBN, page 179:

Continue climbing the groove; the crux is passing some vegetation on the second pitch.

2009, R. J. Secor, The High Sierra: Peaks, Passes, and Trails, Third Edition, The Mountaineers Books, →ISBN, page 51:

(climbing) The hardest point of a climb.


hex

(climbing) a hexagon-shaped item of rock climbing equipment intended to be wedged into a crack or other opening in the rock.


mod

en-noun

mod (countable and uncountable, plural mods)

(climbing) A moderately difficult route.


punter

(climbing) A beginner or unskilled climber.


belay

en-verb

belay (third-person singular simple present belays, present participle belaying, simple past and past participle belayed or belaid)

belays (present singular third-person)
belaying (participle present)
belayed (participle past)
belayed (past)
belaid (participle past)
belaid (past)

From Middle English beleggen, bileggen, from Old English beleċġan (“to cover, invest, surround, afflict, attribute to, charge with, accuse”), From Proto-West Germanic *bilaggjan, equivalent to be- (“about, around”) + lay. Cognate with Dutch beleggen (“to cover, overlay, belay”), German belegen (“to cover, occupy, belay”), Swedish belägga (“to pave”).

cog

He would need an experienced partner to belay him on the difficult climbs.

(transitive, climbing) To handle a climbing rope to prevent (a climber) from falling to the ground.


belay

(climbing) The securing of a rope to a rock or other sturdy object.

(climbing) The object to which a rope is secured.

But instead of swapping over at the ice axe belay, you carry on in the lead, cutting or kicking steps until you are about twenty feet above.

(climbing) A location at which a climber stops and builds an anchor with which to secure their partner.


purchase

en-noun

purchase (countable and uncountable, plural purchases)

From Middle English purchasen, from Anglo-Norman purchacer (“seek to obtain”) from pur- (from Latin pro-) + chac(i)er (“to chase, pursue”). Compare Old French porchacier (“to follow, to chase”), which has given French pourchasser (“to chase without relent”).

cog

At first, he was climbing down, testing for purchase with his feet. But soon, as the entire section of ground rotated, he was lifted into the air, and up and down flipped around.

2015, Hao Jingfang, “Folding Beijing”, in Ken Liu, transl., Uncanny Magazine, number 2:

(climbing, uncountable) The amount of hold one has from an individual foothold or ledge.

fogás

the amount of hold one has from an individual foothold or ledge


choss

(climbing) Rock that is unsuitable for rock climbing, e.g. because it is too soft, unstable, or overgrown.

развальня

rock that is unsuitable for rock climbing, e.g. because it is too soft, unstable, or overgrown


bomber

en-adj

bomber (comparative more bomber, superlative most bomber)

more bomber (comparative)
most bomber (superlative)

(climbing, slang) Completely solid and secure, usually referring to some form of protective gear.


woody

And as climbing has evolved, so have woodies — the Moon Board established a worldwide standard for board climbing in 2016.

2022 January 13, Sam Anderson, “Decoy Board Jockeys Into Moon Board, Kilter Board Climbing Market”, in GearJunkie:

(climbing, slang) A compact wooden climbing wall used for board climbing.


barn door

barn doors (plural)
barndoor (alternative)
barn-door (alternative)

(climbing) An off-balance pivot on two points of contact.


jug hold

(climbing) A large climbing hold that is big enough to wrap a hand around, similar to the handle of a jug.


dyno

(climbing) A dynamic climbing move or jump to reach a hold that cannot otherwise be reached.


grigri

From grigri, and possibly related to French grimper (“to climb”).

(climbing) A belay device that incorporates an assisted braking system, trademark of French company Petzl.


hang dog

en-noun

hang dog (countable and uncountable, plural hang dogs)

hang dogs (plural)
hang-dog (alternative)

(climbing) The situation of hanging on the rope after falling off a climb.


jug

jug (countable and uncountable, plural jugs)

→ Welsh: jwg, jẁg, siwg

From Middle English jugge, of uncertain origin. Possibly a variant of Middle English jubbe, jobbe, iubbe, geobbe, itself of unknown origin; or perhaps continuing (in altered form) Old English ċēac (“pitcher; jug”). Compare also jug (“a low woman, maidservant”), from Jug, familiar form of Joanna.

the jug goes to the well until it breaks

(climbing) A hold large enough for both hands


take in

en-verb

take in (third-person singular simple present takes in, present participle taking in, simple past took in, past participle taken in)

takes in (present singular third-person)
taking in (participle present)
took in (past)
taken in (participle past)

(transitive, climbing) To tighten (a belaying rope).


campus

campus (third-person singular simple present campuses or campusses, present participle campusing or campussing, simple past and past participle campused or campussed)

campuses (present singular third-person)
campusses (present singular third-person)
campusing (participle present)
campussing (participle present)
campused (participle past)
campused (past)
campussed (participle past)
campussed (past)

Borrowed from Latin campus (“field”). Doublet of camp and champ.
First used in its current sense in reference to Princeton University in the 1770s.

It is climbed or "campused" with only your arms and hands.

2010, Stewart M. Green, Ian Spencer-Green, Knack Rock Climbing: A Beginner’s Guide, page 30:

Boulder campusing is a popular indoor training exercise among advanced climbers—it's also a heck of a lot of fun if you're strong enough to do it right!

2016, Eric Horst, The Rock Climber's Exercise Guide, page 159:

(climbing) To use a campus board, or to climb without feet as one would on a campus board.


couloir

Borrowed from French couloir (literally “corridor”).

Those deep, dark slots in a mountain known as couloirs are often the most obvious routes of ascent.

1978, Yvon Chouinard, Climbing Ice, page 145:

Looking up the face I could see directly into the Japanese and Hornbein couloirs, an almost direct 9000 feet to the summit.

1987, Roger Marshall, AdventureSport: Everest and Me: Backpacker, page 42:

Ascend a long, easy snow couloir back left to the crest of Cassin Ridge at 17700 feet, where there is a campsite.

1998, R. J. Secor, Denali Climbing Guide, page 99:

2002, American Alpine Club Safety Committee, Alpine Club of Canada Safety Committee, Accidents in North American Mountaineering, Issue 55, page 58,
When they approached the couloir shortly before 0300, the snow was firm enough for them to use crampons.

(climbing, skiing) A steep gorge along a mountainside.


stance

2013 World Fencing Championships
Arianna Errigo
Carolin Golubytskyi
Edinburgh Waverley railway station

From Middle English staunce (“place to stand; battle station; position; standing in society; circumstance, situation; stanchion”), from Old French estance (“predicament; situation; sojourn, stay”) (compare modern French stance (“stanza; position one stands in when golfing”)), from Italian stanza (“room, standing place; stanza”), from Vulgar Latin *stantia, from Latin stō (“to stand; to remain, stay”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *steh₂- (“to stand (up)”). The word is cognate with Spanish estante (“shelf”) and a doublet of stanza.
The verb is derived from the noun.

der

In a harness belay, the stance itself is the belayer's first line of defense, reducing the load the anchor must hold. The anchor in this case serves as little more than a backup (albeit a critical one) to the stance.

2004, Mark Houston, Kathy Cosley, “Snow and Ice”, in Alpine Climbing: Techniques to Take You Higher, Seattle, Wash.: The Mountaineers Books, →ISBN, page 225, column 2:

There is always the option of clambering up slightly higher and building a new belay station (stance), take in the rope for a fellow climber, once again clamber up higher and once again build a new, higher stance … and so on until the rope reaches the stop where the upper end of the rope has become caught in the rock.

2014 July 18, Thomas Kublak, “Problems when Rappelling”, in Mountaineering Methodology: Part III: Belaying and Rappelling, [s.l.]: Tomas Kublak, MMPublishing, →ISBN, page 180, column 2:

A place to stand; a position, a site, a station.

(specifically, climbing) A foothold or ledge on which to set up a belay.


ultra

Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *h₂el-
Latin ūls
Proto-Indo-European *-teros?
Latin -ter
Latin -ā
Latin ultrābor.
English ultra
From Latin ultra.

etymon

Blanca Peak is one of just three ultra-prominence peaks, or “ultras,” in the state and the highpoint of the Sierra Blanca Range, a massif that includes ranked 14ers Ellingwood Point, Little Bear Peak, and Mount Lindsey.

2008, Susan Joy Paul, Climbing Colorado's Mountains, Guilford, CT: Rowman & Littlefield, →ISBN, page 141:


guppy

guppies (plural)
obsolete taxonomic names (canonical)

→ Danish: gubbi

→ Dutch: guppie

Robert John Lechmere Guppy
guppy (disambiguation)

From a name mistakenly assigned, Girardinus guppii, after biologist Robert J. L. Guppy, to previously assigned Poecilia reticulata.

(climbing) A hold across the palm of the hand rather than the fingertips.


summit

en-verb

summit (third-person singular simple present summits, present participle summiting or summitting, simple past and past participle summited or summitted)

summits (present singular third-person)
summiting (participle present)
summitting (participle present)
summited (participle past)
summited (past)
summitted (participle past)
summitted (past)

PIE word
 *upó
The noun is derived from Late Middle English somet, somete (“head, top”) [and other forms], from Anglo-Norman sumet and Middle French sommet (masculine), somete, sommette (“top of a thing; highest point of a mountain”) (feminine) (modern French sommet), from Old French somet, sommette, from som, sum (“highest point, summit”) + -et (suffix forming diminutive masculine nouns), -ete, -ette (suffix forming diminutive feminine nouns). Som, sum are derived from Latin summum (“top, summit”), a noun use of the neuter of summus (“greatest, highest; top, uppermost”, adjective) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *upér (“over”) + *-m̥mos, *-tm̥mos (“suffix forming superlative adjectives”)). The modern English spelling was influenced by summity (“height or top of a thing; utmost degree, perfection”) (obsolete).
The verb is derived from the noun.

päästä huipulle

(transitive) to reach the summit of (a mountain)

Of the range's 12 peaks, Mount Saskatchewan is the only one that has yet to be summited.

2012 July–August, Kenza Moller, “Eyes on the North”, in Canadian Geographic, volume 132, number 4, Ottawa: Royal Canadian Geographical Society, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 10:

(transitive, climbing, informal) To reach the summit (noun sense 1.1) of (a mountain).

(intransitive, climbing, informal) To reach the summit of a mountain.

päästä huipulle

(intransitive) to reach the summit of a mountain


ferrule

From Middle English verel, virel, virole (“ferrule; metal pivot on the end of an axle”), altered under the influence of Latin ferrum (“iron”), from Old French virole (“ferrule”), from Latin viriola (“little bracelet”), diminutive of viria (“bracelet worn by men”), from Gaulish, from Proto-Celtic *weiros (“crooked”) (compare Middle Irish fiar (“bent, crooked”), Welsh gŵyr, Breton gwar (“curved”)), from Proto-Indo-European *weyh₁ros (“threaded, turned, twisted”), from *weyh₁- (“to turn, twist, weave”).

refn

From the collection of the Auckland War Memorial Museum in Auckland, New Zealand.

kování

band or cap placed around a shaft to reinforce it or to prevent splitting

příruba

band holding parts of an object together

He [Larry Penberthy] feels metal ice axes are the only safe ones. […] If you do purchase a wood-shafted ax, examine the grain carefully. It should be straight, free of knots and flaws, and continue unbroken from head to ferrule. Rub it often with linseed oil.

1978 August 28, Bill March et al., “Choosing an Ice Ax”, in William Kemsley, Jr., editor, Backpacker, volume 6, number 4, Bedford Hills, N.Y.: Backpacker, Inc., →ISSN, →OCLC, page 54, columns 2–3:

A band or cap (usually metal) placed around a shaft to reinforce it or to prevent splitting.

(specifically, climbing) The metal spike at the end of the shaft of an ice axe.


highball

Japanese: ハイボール, ハイ

From high + ball, of the same railroad origins as lowball.

2014, EpicTV.com
Austrian all rounder Alex Luger climbs what he describes as a highball boulder problem and what most people would call a solo.

(climbing) A very high bouldering problem, often with a hard landing.


smear

en-verb

smear (third-person singular simple present smears, present participle smearing, simple past and past participle smeared)

smears (present singular third-person)
smearing (participle present)
smeared (participle past)
smeared (past)

From Middle English smeren, smerien, from Old English smerian, smyrian, smierwan (“to anoint or rub with grease, oil, etc.”), from Proto-West Germanic *smirwijan, from Proto-Germanic *smirwijaną. Doublet of schmear.
Cognate with Saterland Frisian smeere, Dutch smeren, Low German smeren, German schmieren.

بولامق

to spread a surface with a sticky substance

(climbing) To climb without using footholds, using the friction from the shoe to stay on the wall.


smear

en-noun

smear (countable and uncountable, plural smears)

(climbing) A maneuver in which the shoe is placed onto the holdless rock, and the friction from the shoe keeps it in contact


sector

sector
sector (Star Trek)
sector (instrument)

(climbing) An area of a crag, consisting of various routes


coon

en-verb

coon (third-person singular simple present coons, present participle cooning, simple past and past participle cooned)

coons (present singular third-person)
cooning (participle present)
cooned (participle past)
cooned (past)

(climbing) To traverse by crawling, as a ledge.


mantel

A variant of mantle (“cloak, robe”) now distinguished in sense.

(climbing) A maneuver to surmount a ledge, involving pushing down on the ledge to bring up the body.


mantel

mantel (third-person singular simple present mantels, present participle mantelling or (US) manteling, simple past and past participle mantelled or (US) manteled)

mantels (present singular third-person)
mantelling (participle present)
manteling (US participle present)
mantelled (participle past)
mantelled (past)
manteled (US participle past)
manteled (US past)

(climbing) To surmount a ledge by pushing down on the ledge to bring up the body.


ascender

(climbing) a mechanical device used for ascending on a rope; ascendeur.


spotter

the same function in the air force is also called Kampfbeobachter

then there is the term Beobachtungsoffizier m in general

contrasted with the Übungsleiter m meaning “trainer”

Due to a spotter's lack of action in holding the weight when a lifter lost her balance, the lifter badly pulled some muscles.

1981 December 12, Melissa Wills, “Moving Metal”, in Gay Community News, volume 9, number 21, page 10:

(weightlifting, gymnastics, climbing) One who supervises a person performing an activity, in order to help them should they be unable to complete it.


aider

As I was switching my feet in my aiders, the hook popped.

(climbing) A mountaineer's stirrup or étrier.


pumped

en-adj

pumped (comparative more pumped, superlative most pumped)

more pumped (comparative)
most pumped (superlative)

I was so pumped by the end of the climb that I could barely hold onto the jugs.

(climbing) Very tired, especially when too fatigued to grip handholds well.


bouldering

(climbing) Climbing, without ropes, on large boulders or boulder-sized objects.


Wainwright

Grand Trunk Pacific Railway
List of Wainwrights

From Old English wægnwyrhta, equivalent to wain (“large wagon for farm use”) + wright (“worker; maker”).
The Canadian town is named after William Wainwright, the second vice-president of the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway along which the town was built.

(climbing) Any of the 214 fells (hills and mountains) described in A. Wainwright's Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells (1955–1966), often visited as a form of peak bagging.


daisy chain

daisy chains (plural)
daisy-chain (alternative)

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-daisy chain.wav

PIE word
 *dagaz
The noun is derived from daisy + chain. The verb is derived from the noun.

ketju

thing resembling a daisy chain in having several elements connected together

daisy-chainer

person who participates in a daisy chain (group-sex formation)

(by extension) A thing resembling a daisy chain (sense 1) in having several elements connected together, often in a circle.

A ladder consisting of loops of nylon tape connected together which are used as footholds.

lehmänhäntä

A large nylon loop sewn together at intervals along the midlength, used to decelerate a falling free climber.


dirtbag

(climbing) A poor climber, alpinist, skier or other outdoorsman who lives cheaply, without normal employment, and with few amenities in order to spend as much time on their sport as possible. Used praisingly.


aid climbing

(climbing) a type of rock climbing characterized by using equipment to make upward progress, as opposed to using the equipment solely for safety or for belays.


stirrup

From Middle English stirop, stirope, from Old English stiġrāp (“stirrup”), a compound of stiġe ("ascent, descent, a going up or down"; related to stīġan (“to climb”)) and rāp (“rope”), equivalent to sty + rope.
Cognate with Dutch stegereep, stegelreep (“stirrup”), Old Saxon stigerēp (“stirrup”), Middle High German stereip, stegreif ("stirrup"; > German Stegreif (“improvisation”)), Icelandic stigreip (“stirrup”).

gloss

"ascent, descent, a going up or down"; related to <i class="Latn mention" lang="ang">stīġan</i> (“to climb”)

"stirrup"; > German <i class="Latn mention" lang="de">Stegreif</i> (“improvisation”)

(by extension) Any piece shaped like the stirrup of a saddle, used as a support, clamp, etc.

(climbing) A portable, flexible ladder-like device used in climbing.


buttress

buttresses (plural)
buttrice (alternative)

From Old French ars bouterez (noun, literally “supporting arcs”), from bouterez (adjective), oblique plural of bouteret (rare in the singular), from Frankish *bôtan, from Proto-Germanic *bautaną (“to push”). Ultimately cognate with beat.

der

Crowell Buttresses, Dismal Buttress

All that day they rode into broken land. The prairie with its grass and rolling hills was behind them, and they entered a sparse, dry, rocky country, full of draws and short cañons and ominous buttresses.

2005, Will Cook, Until Darkness Disappears, page 54:

Two short pitches up a chimney-crack are followed by a traverse right to the centre of the buttress.

2010, Tony Howard, Treks and Climbs in Wadi Rum, Jordan, →ISBN, page 84:

(climbing) A feature jutting prominently out from a mountain or rock.

рид

feature jutting out from mountain; crag, bluff


descender

(climbing) A belay device used in rock climbing, or as a fire escape.


edging

en-noun

edging (countable and uncountable, plural edgings)

(climbing) A technique involving the placement of the edge of the climbing shoe on a sharp hold.


rock up

en-verb

rock up (third-person singular simple present rocks up, present participle rocking up, simple past and past participle rocked up)

rocks up (present singular third-person)
rocking up (participle present)
rocked up (participle past)
rocked up (past)

(climbing) To work one's way vertically up a chimney or cleft using a rocking movement.


gripped

en-adj

gripped (comparative more gripped, superlative most gripped)

more gripped (comparative)
most gripped (superlative)

(climbing, slang) Afraid; too anxious to continue a climb.


toehold

toeholds (plural)
toe-hold (alternative)
toe hold (alternative)

(climbing) A foothold small enough to support just the toe.


mantelshelf

(climbing) Synonym of mantel (“type of maneuver to surmount a ledge”)


seconder

From second + -er (measurement suffix) or + -er (agent noun suffix).

(climbing) A person who seconds; a person who climbs after the leader


rebolter

(climbing) A person who replaces dangerous or broken climbing bolts in frequently-used climbs


climbing bolt

(climbing) A bolt permanently fixed to a rock face to allow climbers to attach ropes etc


piton

(climbing) A spike, wedge, or peg that is driven into a rock or ice surface as a support (as for a mountain climber).


piton

en-verb

piton (third-person singular simple present pitons, present participle pitoning, simple past and past participle pitoned)

pitons (present singular third-person)
pitoning (participle present)
pitoned (participle past)
pitoned (past)

(climbing) To put pitons into a rock/ice to facilitate climbing.


free climbing

free-climbing (alternative)
freeclimbing (alternative)

(climbing) Rock climbing without the aid of ropes or other equipment, sometimes in an urban environment


crash pad

crash pads (plural)
crashpad (alternative)

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-crash pad.wav

(climbing) A protective foam pad placed on the ground, used as protection in case of falling from the wall.


jumar

From the name of the Swiss firm Jümar Pangit which manufactured it, in turn from the surnames of Adolf Jüsy and Walter Marti.

Jacob handed her the ATC belay device and jumar.

2019, Namwali Serpell, The Old Drift, Hogarth, page 552:

(climbing) A device, used to clip on a rope, that tightens when weight is applied, thus allowing the rope to be climbed.


spray

spray (third-person singular simple present sprays, present participle spraying, simple past and past participle sprayed)

sprays (present singular third-person)
spraying (participle present)
sprayed (participle past)
sprayed (past)

From Middle Dutch sprāien, sprayen, spraeyen (“to spray, sprinkle, spread”), ultimately from Proto-Germanic *sprēwijaną (“to spray, sprinkle”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)per- (“to sow, scatter”).
Cognate with Middle High German spræjen, spræwen (“to squirt, spray, dust, splash, straw”), Danish dialectal språe (“to open up, burst forth”), Swedish dialectal språ (“to sprout, shoot forth, burst”), Norwegian dialectal spra, spræ (“to splash, splatter, spout, burst forth”), Dutch sproeien (“to spray, sprinkle”), German sprühen (“to spray, sparkle”).

der

(climbing, slang, derogatory) To give unwanted advice.


carabine

en-verb

carabine (third-person singular simple present carabines, present participle carabining, simple past and past participle carabined)

carabines (present singular third-person)
carabining (participle present)
carabined (participle past)
carabined (past)

From French carabine. Doublet of carbine.

w:Webster's Dictionary#Webster's New International Dictionary 1909

(transitive, nautical or climbing) To attach via carabiner.


traditionalist

traditional climbing
traditional climbing

(climbing) A traditional climbing climber.


trad

en-noun

trad (countable and uncountable, plural trads)

Traditional climbing
traditional climbing


skyhook

(climbing) A small hook for gripping small and slippery protrusions.


prusik

Named for Austrian mountaineer Karl Prusik.

(climbing, chiefly attributive) A type of friction hitch.


prusik

en-verb

prusik (third-person singular simple present prusiks, present participle prusiking, simple past and past participle prusiked)

prusiks (present singular third-person)
prusiking (participle present)
prusiked (participle past)
prusiked (past)
prussik (alternative)

(climbing) To climb a rope using a prusik.


windboard

windboards (plural)
wind-board (alternative)

(climbing, skiing) The hard crust formed by high winds on exposed snow.


on sight

(climbing) An ascent of a route without falling, on the first attempt, without having been advised on it or having seen it prior.


traverse

From Middle English traversen, from Old French traverser, from Latin trans (“across”) + versus (“turned”), perfect passive participle of Latin vertere (“to turn”).

(climbing) A route used in mountaineering, specifically rock climbing, in which the descent occurs by a different route than the ascent.


traverse

traverse (third-person singular simple present traverses, present participle traversing, simple past and past participle traversed)

traverses (present singular third-person)
traversing (participle present)
traversed (participle past)
traversed (past)

(climbing) To climb or descend a steep hill at a wide angle (relative to the slope).


death zone

death zones (plural)
Death Zone (alternative)
lethal zone (alternative)

Coined by Swiss physician and alpinist Edouard Wyss-Dunant in 1953 as lethal zone.

coinage

That makes life even harder in the freezing temperatures of the death zone. High in the mountains the cold affects you quickly. You get goose bumps as your skin tries to trap warm air in the fine hairs that cover your body.

2009 03, Ross Piper, Death Zone: Can Humans Survive at 26,000 Feet?, Capstone, →ISBN, page 10:

(climbing) A area of land at sufficiently high altitudes in which there is not enough oxygen to sustain human life.


climbing wall

(climbing) An artificial wall used for the sport of climbing


cragfast

en-adj

cragfast (comparative more cragfast, superlative most cragfast)

more cragfast (comparative)
most cragfast (superlative)
crag-fast (alternative)

a cragfast sheep

Eventually, having seen the dangers of the ledge still more clearly, and the body of a sheep which had become cragfast at the same spot, he spotted a solution to his difficulty. As he looked down he could see stones on the ledge far beneath him which must have been piled there by a shepherd trying vainly to reach the cragfast sheep whose body he had just passed.

2010, John Beer, Coleridge's Play of Mind, Oxford University Press, →ISBN, page 100:

Mountain rescue crews say the men, who were “soloing” or not using any ropes, called for help after becoming cragfast on Jacob’s Ladder around 4pm on Saturday.

2017 December 17, Graeme Murrary, “‘Cragfast’ climbers rescued 600ft up Cairngorms peak”, in The Scotsman:

(climbing) Stranded on a crag (inaccessible rock).


high point

high points (plural)
highpoint (alternative)

(climbing) The point of the highest elevation in a given area.


chockstone

From chock + stone. The climbing sense derives from the wedges' use as artificial chockstones.

Coordinate term: piton

(climbing) A metal wedge or nut, threaded on a wire, used in rock climbing for protection by wedging it into a crack in the rock.


piolet

Borrowed from French piolet, or its source, Franco-Provençal piolet (“small axe”).


layback

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From lay + back (presumably from confusion between lay and lie).

A layback, on the other hand, forces you to pull with your arms. A layback can protrude so far from the main rock face, that your legs will be dangling uselessly in the air, while your arms support all of your body weight. The tricky thing about the layback is that not only do you need the upper-body strength to hold yourself up and climb hand over hand, but you also need the flexibility and balance to clear the edge of the overhang.

2006 July 2, Antonio Graceffo, “A Day of Rocks and Sea: Kayaking and Climbing in Taiwan”, in asiantribune.com:

(climbing) A maneuver to scale a vertical crack, by pulling with the arms and jamming the legs underneath, and shuffling up one limb at a time.


layback

en-verb

layback (third-person singular simple present laybacks, present participle laybacking, simple past and past participle laybacked)

laybacks (present singular third-person)
laybacking (participle present)
laybacked (participle past)
laybacked (past)

(climbing) To climb using layback maneuvers.


thrutch

thrutch (third-person singular simple present thrutches, present participle thrutching, simple past and past participle thrutched)

thrutches (present singular third-person)
thrutching (participle present)
thrutched (participle past)
thrutched (past)

From Middle English thrucchen (“to push, rush”), from Old English þryċċan (“to push, press, trample on, crush”), from Proto-West Germanic *þrukkijan, from Proto-Germanic *þrukkijaną (“to press”). Cognate with West Frisian drukke (“to press”), Dutch drukken (“to press, squeeze”), German drücken (“to press, push, squeeze”), Swedish trycka (“to press, push, squeeze”).

cog

I thrutched up the final crack to a small pinnacle.

(caving, climbing) To push, press, or squeeze into a place; move sideways or vertically in an upright position by wriggling the body against opposing rock surfaces. Compare chimney.


thrutch

(caving, climbing) An obstacle overcome by thrutching; an act of thrutching (See verb #5)


ropemate

(climbing) someone to whom one is connected by a rope


boulderer

(climbing) A climber who takes part in bouldering.


fist jam

(climbing) A climbing technique where the fist is forced into a crack and clenched.


deck out

en-verb

deck out (third-person singular simple present decks out, present participle decking out, simple past and past participle decked out)

decks out (present singular third-person)
decking out (participle present)
decked out (participle past)
decked out (past)

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(intransitive, climbing) To fall off a mountain or climbing wall and hit the ground.


fourteener

Alternative form: 14er

(US, climbing) A mountain rising to more than 14,000 feet above mean sea level.


bouldery

en-adj

bouldery (comparative more bouldery, superlative most bouldery)

more bouldery (comparative)
most bouldery (superlative)

(climbing) Involving, or resembling, bouldering.


autoblock

en-noun

autoblock (usually uncountable, plural autoblocks)

autoblocks (plural)
auto-block (alternative)

(climbing) A technique used in rappelling and ascending, with a friction hitch around the climbing rope.


autoblock

en-verb

autoblock (third-person singular simple present autoblocks, present participle autoblocking, simple past and past participle autoblocked)

autoblocks (present singular third-person)
autoblocking (participle present)
autoblocked (participle past)
autoblocked (past)
auto-block (alternative)

(climbing) To use the autoblock technique.


gaston

(climbing) A grip using one hand with the thumb down and elbow out.


gaston

gaston (third-person singular simple present gastons, present participle gastoning, simple past and past participle gastoned)

gastons (present singular third-person)
gastoning (participle present)
gastoned (participle past)
gastoned (past)


tape up

tape up (third-person singular simple present tapes up, present participle taping up, simple past and past participle taped up)

tapes up (present singular third-person)
taping up (participle present)
taped up (participle past)
taped up (past)

(climbing) To use tape on the fingers to protect them from gritstone rash.


quickdraw

(climbing) A set of two carabiners connected by a strap.

jatko

a set of two carabiners connected by a strap


fingery

en-adj

fingery (comparative more fingery, superlative most fingery)

more fingery (comparative)
most fingery (superlative)

Coordinate term: technical

(climbing) Requiring the use of fingers to climb.


onsight

Reardon made hundreds of free-solo ascents of challenging climbing routes done onsight, meaning without rehearsal or practice.

2007 July 18, Bill Becher, “Rock Climber Presumed Dead After Accident Off Irish Coast”, in New York Times:

(climbing) Without having previously seen the terrain.


onsight

en-verb

onsight (third-person singular simple present onsights, present participle onsighting, simple past and past participle onsighted)

onsights (present singular third-person)
onsighting (participle present)
onsighted (participle past)
onsighted (past)

(climbing, transitive) To perform a climb without having previously seen the terrain.


quick-draw

quick-draws (plural)
quickdraw (alternative)

(climbing) A runner: a short sling with a karabiner on either end, used to link the climbing rope to a bolt, nut, Friend, or similar.


rockwork

en-noun

rockwork (countable and uncountable, plural rockworks)

Lord John was an experienced mountaineer, and Summerlee had done some rough climbing at various times, so that I was really the novice at rock-work of the party; but my strength and activity may have made up for my want of experience.

1912, Arthur Conan Doyle, The Lost World […], London; New York, N.Y.: Hodder and Stoughton, →OCLC:

(climbing) The act of climbing a rock face, cliff, etc.


slabby

en-adj

slabby (comparative slabbier, superlative slabbiest)

slabbier (comparative)
slabbiest (superlative)

From slab (“solid object that is large and flat”) + -y.

af

(climbing) Characterized by smooth relatively low-angle rock face or slab that lacks significant vertical features.


ice climbing

(climbing) the branch of mountaineering that specializes in climbing on frozen surfaces.

攀冰

activity of ascending inclined ice formations


chalk bag

chalk bags (plural)
chalkbag (alternative)

(climbing) A small pouch attached to a climber's harness, designed to filled with climbing chalk.


klet

(climbing, informal) Short for kletterschuh.


ledgy

en-adj

ledgy (comparative ledgier, superlative ledgiest)

ledgier (comparative)
ledgiest (superlative)

(climbing) Containing one or more ledges


underpull

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Higher the climb followed the line of least resistance up a succession of slabs, flakes, and cracks, where the ordinary hold was an underpull for the hands and friction for the feet.

1912, Harold Spender, In Praise of Switzerland, page 158:

Using the icicle as an underpull, I chipped a good jug over the top and made two footholds on the steep slab.

1971, Don Whillans, Alick Ormerod, Don Whillans: Portrait of a Mountaineer, page 184:

(climbing) A handhold that allows one to pull oneself up from below.


chickenhead

For quotations using this term, see Citations:chickenhead.

(climbing) A bulbous protrusion on a rock face easily grabbed, stepped on, or tied off on when climbing.


guppie

(climbing) A climbing hold, refers to the way the climber's hand is turned sideways and grips a hold by cupping it with the little-finger side of the hand.


top out

en-verb

top out (third-person singular simple present tops out, present participle topping out, simple past and past participle topped out)

tops out (present singular third-person)
topping out (participle present)
topped out (participle past)
topped out (past)

(intransitive, climbing) To complete a route by reaching and climbing over its top.


crimpy

en-adj

crimpy (comparative crimpier or more crimpy, superlative crimpiest or most crimpy)

crimpier (comparative)
more crimpy (comparative)
crimpiest (superlative)
most crimpy (superlative)


top-rope

(climbing) A rope, used for the climber's safety, which runs from a belayer at the foot of a route through one or more carabiners connected to an anchor system at the top of the route and back down to the climber, usually attaching to the climber by means of a harness.


top-rope

en-verb

top-rope (third-person singular simple present top-ropes, present participle top-roping, simple past and past participle top-roped)

top-ropes (present singular third-person)
top-roping (participle present)
top-roped (participle past)
top-roped (past)

(climbing) To belay from a fixed anchor point above the climber.


trad bolted

traditional climb
traditional climbing#English

(climbing) Being a bolted traditional climb.


foothole

footholes (plural)
foot hole (alternative)

From foot + hole, possibly influenced by foothold.

(mining, climbing) A hole into which the foot can be wedged to aid in climbing; a foothold.


micronut

(climbing) A small nut (piece of metal jammed into the rockface to protect a climb).


kneebar

(climbing) A climbing technique in which the climber uses a knee for leverage or support.


figure four

From figure + four. From creating a figure that is akin to the glyph "4".


heel hook

(climbing) An action using the heel to balance on a wall or rock.


thirteener

thirteeners (plural)
Thirteener (alternative)

From thirteen + -er (suffix denoting people characterized by something, or people or things to which certain measurements or numbers apply).

affix

oner · twoer · fiver · sixer · Sevener · niner · tenner · elevener · twelver · fourteener · fifteener · sixteener · hundreder · thousander · twenty-five-thousander

There are six summits in Colorado above thirteen thousand feet named "Grizzly." Four of them are in the highest two hundred summits. This one was once rated a Fourteener, but new surveys demoted it so that it is now the highest Thirteener.

1992, Mike Garratt, Bob Martin, “Grizzly Peak (13,988 feet), Garfield Peak (13,780 feet)”, in Colorado’s High Thirteeners (A Climbing & Hiking Guide), 3rd edition, Boulder, Colo.: Johnson Books, →ISBN, page 38:

Few who venture into this region know that the area is a superb place to go after thirteener ski descents.

2020, Ben Conners, Brian Miller, “Cronin Peak—Northeast Face”, in Climbing and Skiing Colorado’s Mountains: Over 50 Select Ski Descents, 2nd edition, Lanham, Md.: Falcon Guides, Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group, →ISBN, page 169:

(US, climbing) A mountain rising to more than 13,000 feet (about 4,000 metres) but less than 14,000 feet above mean sea level.

kolmetoista tuhatta korkea vuori

mountain rising to more than 13,000 feet but less than 14,000 feet above mean sea level


slab line

What a Difference a Day Makes ( E5 6a Steve Howe and Iwan Jones ) takes a groove and slab line to the left while , Lasagne Verdi ( E5 6b-Pritchard and Dixon) takes a left to right diagonal across the crag.

Serious slab line right of S-Direct.

2012, Stewart M. Green, Rock Climbing Utah, page 460:

(climbing) A climbing route that is characterized by a relatively low-angle rock face or slab that lacks significant vertical features such as large holds or overhangs.


self-arrest

en-noun

self-arrest (countable and uncountable, plural self-arrests)

(climbing) Any of various mountaineering maneuvers in which a climber who has fallen and is sliding down a slope halts the slide without recourse to a rope or other belay system.


redpoint

en-verb

redpoint (third-person singular simple present redpoints, present participle redpointing, simple past and past participle redpointed)

redpoints (present singular third-person)
redpointing (participle present)
redpointed (participle past)
redpointed (past)

From red + point, as a calque of German Rotpunkt, coined by Kurt Albert in the mid-1970s at Frankenjura. He would paint a red X on a fixed pin that he could avoid using for a foothold or handhold.

(climbing, transitive) To free-climb (a route), while lead climbing, after having practiced the route beforehand.


rockover

(climbing) A maneuver that involves rocking the body over onto one foot in a foothold, to get balance.


holdless

(climbing) Without holds (footholds and handholds)


crashmat

crashmats (plural)
crash mat (alternative)

(climbing) A protective foam pad placed on the ground, used as protection in case of falling from the wall.


testpiece

(climbing) A difficult climb, one that tests the climber.


lead climbing

(climbing) A climbing technique, in which the climber places anchors while ascending a rock.


lead climb

lead climb (third-person singular simple present lead climbs, present participle lead climbing, simple past and past participle lead climbed)

lead climbs (present singular third-person)
lead climbing (participle present)
lead climbed (participle past)
lead climbed (past)

(climbing) To climb by placing anchors while ascending a rock.


lead climber

(climbing) One who climbs with the use of anchors.


chossy

en-adj

chossy (comparative more chossy, superlative most chossy)

more chossy (comparative)
most chossy (superlative)

(climbing, of rock) Unsuitable for rock climbing, e.g. because it is too soft, unstable, or overgrown.


figure of eight

en-noun

figure of eight (plural figures of eight)

figures of eight (plural)
figure-of-eight (alternative)

(climbing, caving) A device for abseiling, so-called for its shape.


ultra-prominent

(climbing, of a peak) Having a topographic prominence of 1,500 metres or more.


freeclimb

en-verb

freeclimb (third-person singular simple present freeclimbs, present participle freeclimbing, simple past and past participle freeclimbed)

freeclimbs (present singular third-person)
freeclimbing (participle present)
freeclimbed (participle past)
freeclimbed (past)
free-climb (alternative)
free climb (alternative)

(climbing) To go rock climbing without equipment. To participate in free climbing.


freeclimb

freeclimbs (plural)
free-climb (alternative)
free climb (alternative)

(climbing) A climb made by free climbing.


via ferrata

en-noun

via ferrata (plural via ferratas or vie ferrate)

via ferratas (plural)
vie ferrate (plural)

/ˌviːə fəˈɹɑːtə/

Unadapted borrowing from Italian via ferrata (literally “iron road”).

ubor

In the three places in this book where the vie ferrate are of a slightly more advanced level, alternative trails have been suggested.

2001, Henry Stedman, Trekking in the Dolomites, Trailblazer, →ISBN, page 9:

Vie ferrate are frequently demanding undertakings requiring experience in many aspects of mountaineering.

2001, Hoffler Werner, translated by Cecil Davies, Via Ferrata: Scrambles in the Dolomites, Cicerone Press, →ISBN, page 11:

The loss of welfare for vie ferrate in Pale di S. Martino was twice as large as that in Tofane, indicating the vie ferrate are probably more appealing.

2008, Tourism Economics: The Business and Finance of Tourism and Recreation, page 279:

Like its counterparts in the Dolomites, where the first vie ferrate were built to help move troops through the mountains during World War I, this one has a steel cable bolted into the rock, paralleling the Rings.

2009 March, Michael Lanza, “Higher Calling”, in Backpacker, page 83:

Hidden away among steep crags and dense forests, Chisà is the starting point for several interesting hikes, and also for possibly the most thrilling via ferrata in Corsica.

2010, Jean-Bernard Carillet, Miles Roddis, Neil Wilson, Corsica, Lonely Planet, →ISBN, page 166:

However, the dramatic beauty and tricky rock faces attracted the attention of local and foreign climbers, and during the 1930s the construction of a via ferrata to the base of difficult climbs began.

2010, Brendan Sainsbury, Hiking in Italy, Lonely Planet, →ISBN, page 48:

Vie ferrate are growing fast in number and popularity around the country.

2021, Best Day Walks: Spain, Lonely Planet, →ISBN:

(climbing) A protected climbing route, usually with iron cables and hooks.


multipitch

(climbing) Involving multiple pitches (sections of a climb between belays or stances).


figure 9

figure 9s (plural)
figure nine (alternative)

From figure + 9. From the shape of the glyph "9", and creating a figure akin to that shape.

(climbing) A technical climbing technique used in ice climbing to gain a respite and lessen slack and distance from the undersurface/ceiling which one is climbing underneath, which appears like a number "9" in shape, with one arm anchoring the climber to the surface while hanging upside-down, and one leg wrapped around that arm, forming a figurative "9" in shape.


figure 4

figure 4s (plural)
figure four (alternative)

From figure + 4. From the shape of the glyph "4", and creating a figure akin to that shape.

(climbing) A technical climbing technique used in ice climbing to gain a respite and lessen slack and distance from the undersurface/ceiling which one is climbing underneath, which appears like a number "4" in shape, with one arm anchoring the climber to the surface while hanging upside-down, and one leg wrapped around that arm, forming a figurative "4" in shape.


base camp

base camps (plural)
basecamp (alternative)

(climbing) An encampment used temporarily for storing supplies and preparing for a larger activity (especially one at a higher altitude or farther afield), such as mountain climbing or hunting.

perusleiri

encampment used for preparing for a larger activity


campus board

(climbing) A piece of training equipment consisting of thin horizontal slats affixed to a larger, inclined vertical board. The climber uses only their hands to ascend.


gumby

Eddy Delwood wove an exaggerated tale about him. It was a story about the day's big climb.
"So the gumby's up there fifteen minutes now...He's not movin', just standin' there."

1984, Steve Roper, Ascent: The Mountaineering Experience in Word and Image, page 61:

"Beattie...What's a gumby?"
"It's what I thought you were the first day: a beginner, a rookie, green as grass and wet behind the ears. Something you've never been, Spider-Man. Though the way you climbed just now...well..."

2008, V. M. Jones, Out of Reach, page 230:

You do notice one guy (not a gumby, he's done A5 climbs) who doesn't really hoist any equipment, never leads the climb, never finds routes, and conveniently forgets to bring his ropes.

2011, Stephen E. Schmid, Climbing - Philosophy for Everyone, page 155:

Caroline was silent. Probably standing there, watching with pity. Or maybe she'd left. Why would she stay to watch the gumby climb anyway?

2018, Sarah Nicole Lemon, Valley Girls, page 183:

(climbing, slang, sometimes derogatory) An inexperienced climber.


deep-water solo

en-noun

deep-water solo (plural deep-water solos)

(climbing) A climb without safety equipment over water deep enough to provide safety after a fall.


deep-water solo

en-verb

deep-water solo (third-person singular simple present deep-water soloes, present participle deep-water soloing, simple past and past participle deep-water soloed)

deep-water soloes (present singular third-person)
deep-water soloing (participle present)
deep-water soloed (participle past)
deep-water soloed (past)

(climbing) To climb without safety equipment over water deep enough to provide safety after a fall.


free solo

(climbing) An ascent in which the climber does not use ropes or other protection for safety.


free solo

free solo (third-person singular simple present free soloes, present participle free soloing, simple past and past participle free soloed)

free soloes (present singular third-person)
free soloing (participle present)
free soloed (participle past)
free soloed (past)

(climbing) To climb without ropes or other protection.


free soloist

(climbing) A climber who engages in free solo climbing, i.e. without ropes or other protection.


natural protection

(climbing) Trees, rocks and other natural features which are used to anchor safety equipment.


RURP

Brand name, originally an acronym for realized ultimate reality piton.

(climbing) A very tiny piton used in thin, shallow seams.


knifeblade

(climbing) A kind of piton used in thin cracks.


off-width

(climbing) Pertaining to crack climbing in which the width of the crack is too great for one-hand holds but not wide enough to be used as a chimney.


screwgate

(climbing) A kind of carabiner that is fastened by means of a screw thread.


top-out

(climbing) The act of topping out, reaching the top of a route.


climbing hold

(climbing) A grip fixed to a climbing wall that climbers can grab or step on


climbing iron

(climbing) A kind of crampon attached to the shoe to aid with climbing.


climbing gym

(climbing) A building used for climbing, which includes such artificial climbing walls.


hand traverse

(climbing) A maneuver involving traversing (a ledge) using only the hands


girdle traverse

en-noun

girdle traverse (plural girdle traverses)

(climbing) A problem involving horizontally traversing along a cliff


ropeline

Gombu then went forward and with the aid of oxygen succeeded in cutting steps and fixing ropelines up to the so-called Yellow Band and finally reached the Geneva Spur.

1970, B. N. Mullik, The Sky was His Limit: The Life and Climbs of Sonam Gyatso, page 64:

For the optimal ropeline one has to consider the way the rope runs along the body of the lead climber, as well as the way the rope runs in the entire climbing route. In a fall, the correct ropeline along the body is paramount for avoiding injuries.

2016, Detlef Heise-Flecken, Rock Climbing: Technique:

(climbing) A line of rope that is used for climbing.


drop-knee

(climbing) Having the hip close to the wall and swinging the knee of the upper leg downward while rolling the torso from the hip.


technical climbing

(climbing) Climbing involving a rope and some means of protection, as opposed to scrambling or glacier travel


lead through

en-verb

lead through (third-person singular simple present leads through, present participle leading through, simple past and past participle led through)

leads through (present singular third-person)
leading through (participle present)
led through (participle past)
led through (past)

We 'led through', each in turn climbing to the full length of the rope, and then belaying […]

1946, Scott C. Russell, Mountain Prospect, page 98:

The climbing was nowhere difficult, perhaps only Moderate by British standards, but it was sometimes exposed. We led through, taking it in turns to lead alternate pitches. Probably a guide would have moved up continuously, […]

1964, Showell Styles, Modern Mountaineering, page 128:

You lead "through" instead — your companion leads a pitch, then you join him. But instead of swapping over at the ice axe belay, you carry on in the lead, cutting or kicking steps until you are about twenty feet above.

1967, Anthony Greenbank, Instructions in Mountaineering, page 84:

(climbing) To take turns leading an expedition.


pumpy

en-adj

pumpy (comparative more pumpy, superlative most pumpy)

more pumpy (comparative)
most pumpy (superlative)

a pumpy climb


reachy

reachy (comparative more reachy, superlative most reachy)

more reachy (comparative)
most reachy (superlative)

(climbing) Involving a long reach to get to a hold


juggy

juggy (comparative more juggy, superlative most juggy)

more juggy (comparative)
most juggy (superlative)

(climbing) Involving one or more jugs as hand holds


sport climber

sport climber (comparative more sport climber, superlative most sport climber)

more sport climber (comparative)
most sport climber (superlative)

(climbing) Someone who participates in sport climbing


traditional climber

traditional climber (comparative more traditional climber, superlative most traditional climber)

more traditional climber (comparative)
most traditional climber (superlative)

(climbing) Someone who participates in traditional climbing


cruxy

cruxy (comparative more cruxy, superlative most cruxy)

more cruxy (comparative)
most cruxy (superlative)

(climbing) The most difficult (part of a climb).


boulderable

boulderable (comparative more boulderable, superlative most boulderable)

more boulderable (comparative)
most boulderable (superlative)

(climbing) suitable for, or possible to, boulder


vibs

On iced rocks, hard-frozen scree, or ledges of wet earth or vegetation, Vibs are treacherous.

The other school of thought (the majority) will wear crampons in vibs — short points flex less — and vibs give better foot insulation than nailed boots.

1970, Climber and Rambler, volume 9, page 67:

(climbing, slang, rare) Shoes with rubber outsoles made by the Vibram company.


spring-loaded camming device

en-noun

spring-loaded camming device (plural spring-loaded camming devices)

(climbing) A piece of rock climbing or mountaineering protection equipment.


board climbing

And as climbing has evolved, so have woodies — the Moon Board established a worldwide standard for board climbing in 2016.

2022 January 13, Sam Anderson, “Decoy Board Jockeys Into Moon Board, Kilter Board Climbing Market”, in GearJunkie:

(climbing) A form of bouldering performed on a (usually wooden) climbing wall compact enough to fit at home but covered with many climbing holds, often done as practice for standard bouldering.


toehook

(climbing) An manoeuvre using the toes as a support or to hook onto a wall or rock.


belay device

(climbing) a mechanical piece of climbing equipment used to control a rope during belaying


portaledge

A ferocious storm kept the two men trapped on a portaledge—an artificial tent platform hung from pitons over the vertical void—for seven days and nights.

1999, Conrad Anker, David Roberts, The Lost Explorer: Finding Mallory on Mount Everest, New York: Simon & Schuster, →ISBN, page 99:

[Warren] Harding, renowned for being tough and hard headed, had climbed the route in the days before portaledges, hanging every night in cramped and claustrophobic hammocks called 'Bat tents' which would fill with water when it rained.

2008, Andy Kirkpatrick, Psychovertical, London: Arrow Books, published 2009, →ISBN, page 204:

Have you ever been shy to go to the bathroom when you're on a date at someone else's house? Well, when you're living on a portaledge, there's no room for such modesty.

2017 August 18, Sasha DiGiulian, “What Life’s Really Like 1,400 Feet Up a Big Wall”, in Outside, Chicago, I.L.: Outside, Inc., →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 2023-04-15:

It's your little pod, and on El Capitan specifically, you end up spending a tremendous amount of time in these portaledges, it becomes your home. It's where you cook. It's where you sleep. It's where you eat. It's where you go to the bathroom. Anytime you're not climbing, you're in these portaledges.

2018 November 27, Dave Davies, quoting Tommy Caldwell, “'It Looked Impossible': New Film Follows Free Climbers Up The 'Dawn Wall'”, in WFSU-TV, archived from the original on 2023-04-15:

(climbing) A portable tent system used by rock climbers to sleep in during a climb lasting multiple days.


mixed climbing

(climbing) the branch of ice climbing that specializes in climbing on frozen surfaces and bare rock surfaces.


Abalakov thread

Abalakov thread (plural Abalakov threads)

Invented by Soviet climber Vitaly Abalakov.

(climbing) A climbing aid consisting of a hook-like device that allows a length of cord or webbing to be threaded through two holes drilled in the ice.


soloable

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-soloable.wav

(climbing) Able to be climbed on one's own, without a team.


speed climbing

(climbing) A discipline of climbing focusing on speed. In competitions, climbers race to the top of a standardized climbing wall.


speed climber

(climbing) A climber who takes part in speed climbing


bullet climb

en-verb

bullet climb (third-person singular simple present bullet climbs, present participle bullet climbing, simple past and past participle bullet climbed)

bullet climbs (present singular third-person)
bullet climbing (participle present)
bullet climbed (participle past)
bullet climbed (past)

(climbing) To climb Mount Fuji during the night, in order to see the sunrise at the peak.


bullet climb

(climbing) The act of climbing Mount Fuji during the night, in order to see the sunrise at the peak.


route setter

(climbing) A person who designs routes (also called problems) on artificial climbing walls, using grips and holds.


lockoff

Start with your arm and shoulder fully extended, then smoothly pull the handle down into a full lockoff.

2003, Will Gadd, Ice & Mixed Climbing, page 212:

The stronger your lockoff strength (holding your arm in that position), the farther you can reach and the easier long, static moves will feel. If you're a shorter climber, lockoff strength becomes integral to progressing through the grades.

2018, Julie Ellison, Climb to Fitness, page 43:

Most often, the injury mechanism is described as a sudden force on the flexed and supinated forearm by pulling on an undercling into a "lockoff” position followed by a clicking sound [11].

2022, Volker Schöffl, Isabelle Schöffl, Christoph Lutter, Climbing Medicine: A Practical Guide, page 135:

(climbing) The act of pulling down on a hold with one arm until the arm is fully bent at the elbow and using that arm to support one's weight.