a horizontal beam that extends across something
"The carpenter installed a sturdy traverse to support the floorboards above."
A route used in mountaineering, specifically rock climbing, in which the descent occurs by a different route than the ascent.
"The climbers decided to traverse by descending a rugged gully that they had avoided during their steep ascent up the granite face."
In plain English: A traverse is an obstacle that blocks your path and forces you to go around it instead of going straight through.
Usage: As a noun, "traverse" refers to a specific climb where the descent follows a different path than the ascent, distinct from general hiking routes. Avoid using this term for any simple crossing or journey unless you are specifically discussing mountaineering techniques.
travel across or pass over
"The caravan covered almost 100 miles each day"
To travel across, often under difficult conditions.
"The mountaineers had to traverse the treacherous ridge before sunset."
In plain English: To traverse means to move across something from one side to the other, usually on foot or by vehicle.
"The hikers decided to traverse the mountain pass before sunset."
Lying across; being in a direction across something else.
"The narrow bridge traverses the deep canyon, connecting two distant cliffs."
"The traversed mountain path was steep and rocky."
athwart; across; crosswise
"The hikers traversed the narrow ridge from left to right before descending into the valley."
In plain English: To traverse means to move across something from one side to the other.
"They decided to traverse the city on foot during their lunch break."
The word traverse comes from the Latin phrase trans versus, which literally means "turned across." It entered English via Middle English and Old French to describe moving or extending in a direction that crosses something.