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headwall

American  
[hed-wawl] / ˈhɛdˌwɔl /

noun

  • headwalls
    plural
  1. Physical Geography. a steep slope at the back of a cirque or the head of a valley.

  2. Civil Engineering. a supporting or protective wall, such as one built around the opening of a culvert or tunnel.


headwall Scientific  
/ hĕd′wôl′ /
  1. A steep slope or precipice rising at the head of a valley or glacial cirque.


Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

Worse, where the trail passes beneath the bowl, the steep headwall can shed ice and boulders when it is warmed by the afternoon sun.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 2, 2023

But a hike up the Kinso River bags you four of its finest unharnessed falls culminating in Søtefossen, a giant double leap down the headwall of the Husedalen.

From The Guardian ● Aug. 1, 2019

Groundwater seepage can be seen in Box Canyon in Idaho, where approximately 10 cubic meters per second of seepage emanates from its vertical headwall.

From Textbooks ● Sep. 6, 2018

With a bit of exploring, waterfalls sprouting from the headwall can be found.

From Washington Times ● Aug. 8, 2015

We were now practically of our destination, and after carefully bumping the nose of the canoe against the headwall of the canal, we landed at the steps.

From Through Canal-Land in a Canadian Canoe by Vincent Hughes

By incorporating completed pieces like headwalls, construction managers don’t need to source, order and manage each subcomponent, which means they can hire fewer workers with specialized skills, Mr. Flynn said.

From New York Times ● Apr. 26, 2022

During the first wave of Covid-19 illnesses, Amico headwalls were used in field hospital sites to speed their construction.

From New York Times ● Apr. 26, 2022

The volcano also has an ocean-facing south flank that periodically slumps seaward during landslides whose lofty headwalls are called “palis.”

From Scientific American ● May 8, 2018

These blacks and double blacks, such as Polar Bear and Black Bear, resemble cascading waterfalls with several nifty headwalls punctuating mellower cruising zones.

From Time Magazine Archive

Experts beeline to the summit bowls for chutes, glades and headwalls; intermediates are awash in long groomers on newly opened Mt.

From Time Magazine Archive

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