Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
- intransitive v. To glide toward the earth in an airplane with the engine cut off.
- intransitive v. To glide toward the earth with the engine cut off. Used of an airplane.
- intransitive v. To make one's way or go by gliding.
- n. The act or an instance of volplaning.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
- n. a steep, controlled dive, especially by an aircraft with the engine off
- v. to make a volplane
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English
- intransitive v. To glide in a flying machine.
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
Examples
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They were to glide, or as it is called "volplane" (pronounced vol-pla-nay, with the accent on the last syllable) to the ground.
Dick Hamilton's Airship, or, a Young Millionaire in the Clouds
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He found he could volplane it without engine by reaching in to grab the stick among the flames although his hand got burnt.
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There was the aerodrome, turn off the cock and put her into a volplane.
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He passed over high buildings, skirted what seemed like a factory district, and began to volplane.
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Then, timing and calculating a volplane glide, he let the machine down easily to the ground.
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Dave turned the head of the machine on a volplane sweep, and the searchlight operator could not locate it again.
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John shut off both engines, and they began to volplane down in a great stillness, sailing like an immense hawk.
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We could not continue, any more than the other fellow, and would have to volplane to the ground.
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Turning again, he concluded to pass between two of the pinnacles, and immediately volplane down on the other side.
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For as Tom shut off his motor, to volplane down, thus reducing all noise on his craft, they could dimly hear the shouts and calls for help, coming from the water craft below them.
Tom Swift Among the Fire Fighters, or, Battling with Flames from the Air
reesetee commented on the word volplane
1) To glide toward the earth in an airplane with the engine cut off. 2) To make one's way or go by gliding.
April 3, 2008