 Transversality of a map to a submanifold

A smooth map $f:M\to N$ is transverse to an embedded submanifold $S\subset N$ whenThis is a sum of vector subspaces, not necessarily a direct sum. Equivalently the composition of $d{f}_p$ with the quotient to $T_{f(p)}N/T_{f(p)}S$ is surjective. In a slice chart for an embedded submanifold of codimension $k$, the $k$ normal coordinate functions composed with $f$ have surjective derivative on their common zero set. If the preimage is empty the condition holds vacuously.