Legal Definitions - navigate

The term "navigate" refers to the act of planning, directing, or controlling the course of movement, often through a complex or specific environment, whether physical or metaphorical. It involves understanding one's position and determining the best path to a destination, or successfully moving through obstacles or challenges.

• Example 1 (Physical Travel - Vehicle): A commercial airline pilot must carefully navigate a passenger jet through a severe thunderstorm, relying on radar and air traffic control instructions to avoid dangerous updrafts and lightning while staying on course to their destination.

  Explanation: This example illustrates "navigate" in the context of steering and directing a vehicle (the jet) through a challenging physical environment (the thunderstorm) to maintain a safe and efficient path.

• Example 2 (Physical Movement - Person): During a busy holiday sale, shoppers had to skillfully navigate the crowded aisles of the department store, weaving around displays and other customers to reach the checkout counter.

  Explanation: Here, "navigate" describes a person's ability to make their way through a dense and potentially obstructive physical space (the crowded store aisles) to achieve a specific goal (reaching the checkout).

• Example 3 (Abstract/Procedural): A new university student spent their first few weeks learning to navigate the institution's online portal, which contained course registration, financial aid information, and academic resources.

  Explanation: In this scenario, "navigate" is used metaphorically to describe the process of understanding and moving through a complex system or set of procedures (the university's online portal) to find necessary information and complete tasks.