Definition

1. Noun:
   • A public road in a city, town, or village, typically with buildings and sidewalks on one or both sides: A "street" is a paved public thoroughfare for vehicles and pedestrians, usually lined with houses or other structures.
   • The people living or working on a particular street: "Street" can refer collectively to the residents or community of a specific road.
   • A situation or sphere of activity regarded as a place for a particular kind of work or transaction: Used metaphorically to describe a field of opportunity or a two-way interaction.
   • The environment or life of homeless or impoverished people in a city: Refers to the world of those living without a home, often associated with hardship.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • She lives on a quiet, tree-lined street.
  • The whole street was decorated for the festival. (Referring to the residents)
  • In politics, trust is a two-way street.
  • Charities work to help people living on the street.

Advanced Usage

• "to be streets ahead of (someone)": To be much better or more advanced than someone else.
  • Their new software is streets ahead of the competition.
• "to be (not) in the same street as (someone)": To be (not) of comparable ability or quality.
  • As a pianist, I'm not in the same street as a professional.
• "on the street":
  • Literally: Located on the public road. The cafe has tables on the street.
  • Figuratively (Finance): Referring to over-the-counter trading. The shares were traded on the street.
  • Figuratively: Homeless or engaging in prostitution. He ended up on the street after losing his job.
• "up one's street" (British English; "up one's alley" in American English): Suited to one's interests or abilities.
  • A job involving travel would be right up my street.

Variants and Related Words

• Streetwise (adj): Having the experience and knowledge necessary to deal with the potential difficulties or dangers of life in a city.
  • The streetwise kid knew how to navigate the neighborhood.
• Streetcar (n, chiefly North American): A tram.
• Streetlight (n): A light illuminating a street.

Synonyms

• Road: A wide way leading from one place to another, especially one with a prepared surface for vehicles.
• Avenue: A broad road in a town or city, often tree-lined.
• Thoroughfare: A main road or public highway.

Related Phrases (Phrasal Verbs)

• Street is primarily a noun and does not commonly form phrasal verbs. However, it is part of many compound nouns and fixed phrases.

Related Idioms

• "The man/woman on the street": An ordinary, average person.
  • Politicians need to listen to the woman on the street.
• "To walk the streets": To walk around in a town or city, often implying a sense of purpose (e.g., looking for work) or, in some contexts, prostitution.
  • He walked the streets for hours looking for a job.
• "To be in Queer Street" (archaic): To be in financial difficulty.
• "To hit the streets": To become available for sale to the public; or, to go out into public places (e.g., to protest).
  • The new product hits the streets next week. / Protesters hit the streets to demand change.

Noun

1. people living or working on the same street
   • the whole street protested the absence of street lights
2. a situation offering opportunities
   • he worked both sides of the street
   • cooperation is a two-way street
3. the streets of a city viewed as a depressed environment in which there is poverty and crime and prostitution and dereliction
   • she tried to keep her children off the street
4. the part of a thoroughfare between the sidewalks; the part of the thoroughfare on which vehicles travel
   • be careful crossing the street
5. a thoroughfare (usually including sidewalks) that is lined with buildings
   • they walked the streets of the small town
   • he lives on Nassau Street