free soloadj.n.
/friː ˈsəʊləʊ/, U.S. /ˌfri ˈsoʊˌloʊ/ Rock Climbing.
A. adj.
Designating a climber who does not use any artificial aids, ropes, or other safety equipment; designating a climb, etc., undertaken alone without aids or safety equipment.
ΚΠ
1974 D. K. Scott Big Wall Climbing ii. 231/1 With so many climbers using these insidious little gadgets [sc. chocks].., the harder climbs are no longer the preserve of the few... To be a free solo climber in this context—is everything.
1977 B. Godfrey & D. Chelton Climb! iv. 233/2 One hears of more and more free solo ascents of difficult routes.
2012 Independent (Nexis) 3 May 40 Daredevil Mich Kemeter clings by his fingertips to a sheer 500ft rockface as he makes a free solo climb in the Verdon National Park.
B. n.
A climb undertaken alone without the use of any artificial aids, ropes, or other safety equipment.
ΚΠ
1977 B. Godfrey & D. Chelton Climb! iv. 230/2 His free solo of this previously unclimbed line required superb confidence in his own ability.
1988 S. Boga Risk! 6 He did an ‘on-sight’ (unpracticed and unrehearsed) free solo of Moratorium.
2019 Mich. Daily (Univ. of Mich., Ann Arbor) (Nexis) 25 Mar. (Arts section) 1 Alex Honnold is one of the best rock climbers in the world... His free solo of El Cap is one of the most singular and mind-blowing accomplishments I've seen a single person achieve.
This is a new entry (OED Third Edition, September 2021; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
free solov.
/friː ˈsəʊləʊ/, U.S. /ˌfri ˈsoʊˌloʊ/ Rock Climbing.
transitive. To climb (a rock face, route, etc.) alone without using any artificial aids, ropes, or other safety equipment. Also intransitive.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > mountaineering or climbing > mountaineer or climb [verb (transitive)] > climbing techniques
traverse1813
rope1855
bridge1909
chimney1940
solo1962
free-climb1968
jam1968
top-rope1974
free solo1977
hand jam1982
redpoint1986
crimp1991
society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > mountaineering or climbing > mountaineer or climb [verb (intransitive)] > climbing techniques
glissade1837
sidle1867
traverse1897
abseil1908
to back up1909
bridge1909
to rope down1935
jam1950
rappel1950
prusik1959
solo1964
free-climb1968
hand jam1968
jumar1969
layback1972
pendule1973
top-rope1974
crimp1989
free solo1992
1977 B. Godfrey & D. Chelton Climb! iv. 230/2 Erickson free soloed a number of other new routes during 1972 and 1973.
1992 Taos (New Mexico) News 21 May (Summer Guide section) 26\\2 (caption) Local climber Ed Jaramillo free solos on John's Wall.
2016 Westmorland Gaz. (Nexis) 27 May I free soloed most of the route, but I used a rope on a few sections where the rock was really loose or really hard.
This is a new entry (OED Third Edition, September 2021; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
<
adj.n.1974v.1977- groove cast
- groove into
- groove-board
- groove-fellow
- groove-going
- groove-hole
- groove-like
- groove-locating unit
- groove-piece
- groove-roller
- grooveboard
- grooved
- groovefellow
- groovegoing
- groovehole
- grooveless
- groovelike
- groovelocating unit
- groovepiece
- groover
- guanethidines
- guango
- guangos
- guanidine
- guanidines