roadnoun [ C or U ]
uk/rəʊd/us/roʊd/A1 a long, hard surface built for vehicles to travel along:
We live on a busy/quiet road.
Be careful when you cross a main road.
There's a coffee shop on the other side of the road.
The road from here to Adelaide runs/goes through some beautiful countryside.
All roads into/out of the town were blocked by the snow.
I hate flying so I go everywhere by road or rail.
I live in/on Mill Road.
My address is 82 Mill Road.
Is this the Belfast road (= the road that goes to Belfast)?
Most road accidents are caused by people driving too fast.
on the road
If a vehicle is on the road, it is working as it should and can be legally used:
My car was in the garage for a week, but it's now back on the road.
C1 When you are on the road, you are driving or travelling, usually over a long distance:
After two days on the road, they reached the coast.
If a group of actors or musicians are on the road, they are travelling to different places to perform:
Most rock groups spend two or three months a year on the road.
More examples
- The car skidded off the road, hit a tree and overturned.
- New pedestrian pathways are being built alongside the road.
- I bent down and picked up the coins lying on the road.
- Snow and ice have left many roads treacherous, and motorists are warned to drive slowly.
- Wintry conditions are making roads hazardous for drivers in the northeast of England.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Roads & routes in general
- approach
- ascent
- bicycle lane/path
- bike lane/path
- blacktop
- communication
- cycle lane/path
- fast link
- footstep
- inside lane
- one-way
- outside lane
- pass
- passable
- road safety
- road sense
- switchback
- trade route
- two-way
- way
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You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
Machines - Functioning
On the road: driving & operating road vehicles
Spectacles & performances
Idiom(s)
all roads lead to Rome
be on the road to sth
come to the end of the road
get out of the road!
one for the road
road to Damascus
the road to hell is paved with good intentions
take to the road