0 a piece of equipment like a small telescope, used for measuring horizontal and vertical angles:
The surveyor set up his theodolite and took some measurements.
The principal instruments used are theodolites and tacheometers, which nowadays are equipped with infrared distance measuring, data bases, communication systems and partly by satellite links.
In the past, and sometimes today, a theodolite was used to track the balloon in order to determine the speed and direction of winds aloft.
Naturally, if you suddenly find a lot of group captains, with theodolites, ready-reckoners and notebooks, in your back garden, you want to know what goes on.
I saw use being made of a kind of theodolite, which speeded up significantly the measurement-taking necessary for court purposes.
The survey equipment offered for sale consisted of theodolites, drawing instruments, measuring tapes and field instruments.
An extensive survey of the concrete basin floor with a theodolite showed it to be horizontal to within 0-5cm, giving a corresponding error in the depth of the water.
Air temperatures oscillated above and below freezing, rain alternated with snow, and they repeatedly had to return to the station to dry out - once even to thaw a frozen theodolite.
A detailed theodolite survey of spill sites and other features was conducted with reference to a temporary benchmark, which enabled the relocation of relevant sites in later seasons.
