telescoping — to slide sections into one another so that the whole thing becomes shorter, like the parts of a telescope
Part of speech: VERB
Definition: to slide sections into one another so that the whole thing becomes shorter, like the parts of a telescope
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈtɛl.əˌskoʊ.pɪŋ/
Example Sentences
- My grandpa's old telescoping cane is so long when extended that he uses it to reach the top shelf.
- The two cars ended up telescoping into each other after the sudden brake on the highway.
- In the movie, three years of the character's life are telescoped into a single five-minute montage.
telescoping
VERB[/ˈtɛl.əˌskoʊ.pɪŋ/]
to slide sections into one another so that the whole thing becomes shorter, like the parts of a telescope
The astronomer's telescoping tripod extends smoothly to reach the perfect height.
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
Telescoping derives from the noun telescope, which originates from Greek tele (far, distant) and skopein (to look, to see). The verb telescope emerged from the physical structure of telescopes, whose sections nest and slide within each other to adjust length, metaphorically extending to mean 'to compress or contract by nesting together'.
Breakdown
tele- (far, distant) + -skop- (look, view, from skopein) + -ing (present participle). The root telescope literally means 'far-seeing instrument,' and the suffix -ing transforms it into a gerund or adjective describing the action of compressing or collapsing inward.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“My grandpa's old telescoping cane is so long when extended that he uses it to reach the top shelf.”
“The two cars ended up telescoping into each other after the sudden brake on the highway.”
“In the movie, three years of the character's life are telescoped into a single five-minute montage.”
“I love my telescoping selfie stick—it's tiny in my bag but stretches out like a giraffe's neck.”
📚Related Words
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