telescope

Meanings

Noun

a magnifier of images of distant objects
A monocular optical instrument that magnifies distant objects, especially in astronomy.
Any instrument used in astronomy for observing distant objects (such as a radio telescope).
A retractable tubular support for lights.

Verb

crush together or collapse
- "In the accident, the cars telescoped"
- "my hiking sticks telescope and can be put into the backpack"
make smaller or shorter
- "the novel was telescoped into a short play"
To extend or contract in the manner of a telescope.
To slide or pass one within another, after the manner of the sections of a small telescope or spyglass.
To come into collision, as railway cars, in such a manner that one runs into another.
To collapse, via cancellation.

Origin / Etymology

From tele- + -scope.
From Latin tēlescopium, from Ancient Greek τηλεσκόπος (tēleskópos, “far-seeing”), from τῆλε (têle, “afar”) + σκοπέω (skopéō, “I look at”).
Coined in 1611 by the Greek mathematician Giovanni Demisiani for one of Galileo Galilei's instruments presented at a banquet at the Accademia dei Lincei. Doublet of Telescopium.

Synonyms

scope

Scrabble Score: 13

telescope is a valid Scrabble (US) TWL word
telescope is a valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
telescope is a valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 16

telescope is a valid Words With Friends word