Standard Lemma guide
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
adj
At the venue of the opposing team or competitor; on the road.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: Canada, US, attributive, not-comparable
Topics: hobbies, lifestyle, sports
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
adj
Of or pertaining to a road bike.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: not-comparable
Topics: cycling, hobbies, lifestyle, sports
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
A way used for travelling between places, originally one wide enough to allow foot passengers and horses to travel, now (US) usually one surfaced with asphalt or concrete and designed to accommodate many vehicles travelling in both directions. In the UK both senses are heard: a country road is the same as a country lane.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Roads in general as a means of travel, especially by motor vehicle.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: uncountable
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
A physical way or route.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: dated
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
A path chosen, as in life or career.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: figuratively
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
An underground tunnel in a mine.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
A railroad.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: US, archaic
Topics: rail-transport, railways, transport
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
A single railroad track (railway track).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: UK, US
Topics: rail-transport, railways, transport
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
The act of riding on horseback.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
A hostile ride against a particular area; a raid.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
A partly sheltered area of water near a shore in which vessels may ride at anchor; a roadstead.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: plural-normally
Topics: nautical, transport
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
A journey, or stage of a journey.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
A hard, flat pitch, typically favourable for batters.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: ball-games, cricket, games, hobbies, lifestyle, sports
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
a way or means to achieve something
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: means, agency, way
Narrower terms: royal road
noun
an open way (generally public) for travel or transportation
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: route
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: way
Narrower terms: access road, slip road, byway, bypath, byroad, causeway, clearway, corduroy, detour, roundabout way, drive, parkway, driveway, private road, highway, main road, line, railway line, rail line, post road, roadway, shortcut, cutoff, crosscut, side road, skid road, speedway, thoroughfare, track, cart track, cartroad, turnoff
History
From Middle English rode, rade (“ride, journey”), from Old English rād (“riding, hostile incursion”), from Proto-West Germanic *raidu, from Proto-Germanic *raidō (“a ride”), from Proto-Indo-European *reydh- (“to ride”). Doublet of raid, acquired from Scots. Cognates include West Frisian reed (paved trail/road, driveway). The current primary meaning of "street, way for traveling" originated relatively late — Shakespeare seemed to expect his audiences to find it unfamiliar — and probably arose through reinterpretation of roadway (“a way for riding on”) as saying way twice, in other words as a tautological compound.
Across languages
354 source translations are retained for this English entry.
