traffic
noun /ˈtræfɪk/
/ˈtræfɪk/
[uncountable]
enlarge imagethe vehicles that are on a road at a particular time- There's always a lot of traffic at this time of day.
- There are currently delays of 40 minutes due to heavy traffic.
- She left home early to avoid the rush-hour traffic.
- The road will be closed to through traffic for eight weeks.
- The car veered across the road into the path of oncoming traffic.
- in traffic They were stuck in traffic and missed their flight.
- a plan to reduce traffic congestion
- traffic police (= who control traffic on a road or stop drivers who are breaking the law)
- She was badly injured in a road traffic accident.
- The delay is due simply to the volume of traffic.
- We got used to the constant noise of the traffic.
Collocations DrivingDrivingHaving a car- have/own/(British English) run a car
- ride a motorcycle/motorbike
- drive/prefer/use an automatic/a manual/(North American English, informal) a stick shift
- have/get your car serviced/fixed/repaired
- buy/sell a used car/(especially British English) a second-hand car
- take/pass/fail a (British English) driving test/(both North American English) driver’s test/road test
- get/obtain/have/lose/carry a/your (British English) driving licence/(North American English) driver’s license
- put on/fasten/(North American English) buckle/wear/undo your seat belt/safety belt
- put/turn/leave the key in the ignition
- start the car/engine
- (British English) change/(North American English) shift/put something into gear
- press/put your foot on the brake pedal/clutch/accelerator
- release the clutch/(especially British English) the handbrake/(both North American English) the emergency brake/the parking brake
- drive/park/reverse the car
- (British English) indicate left/right
- (especially North American English) signal that you are turning left/right
- take/miss (British English) the turning/(especially North American English) the turn
- apply/hit/slam on the brake(s)
- beep/honk/(especially British English) toot/(British English) sound your horn
- a car skids/crashes (into something)/collides (with something)
- swerve to avoid an oncoming car/a pedestrian
- crash/lose control of the car
- have/be in/be killed in/survive a car crash/a car accident/(North American English) a car wreck/a hit-and-run
- be run over/knocked down by a car/bus/truck
- dent/hit (British English) the bonnet/(North American English) the hood
- break/crack/shatter (British English) the windscreen/(North American English) the windshield
- blow/(especially British English) burst/puncture (British English) a tyre/(North American English) a tire
- get/have (British English) a flat tyre/a flat tire/a puncture
- inflate/change/fit/replace/check a tyre/tire
- be caught in/get stuck in/sit in a traffic jam
- cause congestion/tailbacks/traffic jams/gridlock
- experience/face lengthy delays
- beat/avoid the traffic/the rush hour
- break/observe/(North American English) drive the speed limit
- be caught on (British English) a speed camera
- stop somebody for/pull somebody over for/(British English, informal) be done for speeding
- (both informal) run/(British English) jump a red light/the lights
- be arrested for/charged with (British English) drink-driving/(both US English) driving under the influence (DUI)/driving while intoxicated (DWI)
- be banned/(British English) disqualified from driving
Wordfinder- accelerate
- brake
- car
- commute
- driving
- licence
- motorist
- road
- road tax
- traffic
Wordfinder- clamp
- cone
- contraflow
- pedestrian
- roadworks
- speed hump
- tailback
- toll
- traffic
- zebra crossing
Extra ExamplesTopics Transport by car or lorrya1- Building larger roads could generate more traffic.
- I stood waiting for a gap in the oncoming traffic.
- She waved her arms at the passing traffic, pleading for someone to stop.
- Sheep are a traffic hazard in the hills.
- The traffic was terrible on the way here.
- Traffic clogs the streets of the city centre.
- Traffic thins noticeably after 9 a.m.
- Traffic was held up for six hours by the accident.
- We joined the traffic heading north.
- We set off early to beat the traffic.
- a policeman on traffic duty
- Expect traffic delays around the area.
- Flooding caused traffic chaos.
- He pleaded guilty to a minor traffic offence.
- He used to be a traffic cop.
- The area is closed to through traffic.
- The town's medieval streets cannot cope with modern commuter traffic.
- Traffic flow has improved since the charge was introduced.
- Traffic fumes are the main cause of air pollution.
- Traffic was lighter than usual.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- bad
- bumper-to-bumper
- busy
- …
- stream
- generate
- increase
- cut
- …
- build up
- thicken
- grow
- …
- accident
- fatality
- hazard
- …
- the volume of traffic
- the movement of ships, trains, aircraft, etc. along a particular route
- transatlantic traffic
- The line is used by both passenger and freight traffic.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- bad
- bumper-to-bumper
- busy
- …
- stream
- generate
- increase
- cut
- …
- build up
- thicken
- grow
- …
- accident
- fatality
- hazard
- …
- the volume of traffic
- the movement of people or goods from one place to another
- commuter/freight/passenger traffic
- the traffic of goods between one country and another
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- bad
- bumper-to-bumper
- busy
- …
- stream
- generate
- increase
- cut
- …
- build up
- thicken
- grow
- …
- accident
- fatality
- hazard
- …
- the volume of traffic
- the movement of messages and signals through an electronic communication system
- the computer servers that manage global internet traffic
- web/network traffic
- Telecom operators have upgraded their networks to improve their capacity as data traffic increases.
Extra Examples- Our company will help you generate site traffic.
- These tips should help you generate more targeted traffic to your website.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- radio
- telephone
- data
- …
- boost
- build
- generate
- …
- flow
- grow
- increase
- …
- pattern
- load
- capacity
- …
- traffic (in something) illegal trade in something
- the traffic in firearms
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- illegal
- arms
- drug
- …
- traffic in something
Word Originearly 16th cent. (denoting commercial transportation of merchandise or passengers): from French traffique, Spanish tráfico, or Italian traffico, of unknown origin. Sense 1 dates from the early 19th cent.