Definition

1. Noun:

   • A paved surface having compressed layers of broken rocks held together with tar: "tarmac" refers to a durable, smooth road or runway surface made from a mixture of tar and crushed stone.
   • A paving material of tar and broken stone; mixed in a factory and shaped during paving: It also denotes the specific material itself, used for constructing such surfaces.

2. Verb:

   • To surface with macadam: To cover or pave an area, typically a road or runway, with tarmac material.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The airplane taxied on the tarmac before takeoff.
  • The new parking lot was made of high-quality tarmac.
• Verb:
  • The city council voted to tarmac the old gravel road.
  • The airport's runway was recently tarmacked.

Advanced Usage

• "The tarmac": Often used metonymically to refer to the paved area of an airport where aircraft are parked, loaded, or serviced.
  • Passengers waited on the tarmac for the delayed flight.
• As a proper noun (Tarmac): Can be a trademark or company name for businesses specializing in road construction materials.
  • The contract was awarded to Tarmac Limited.

Variants and Related Words

• Tarmacadam (n): The full, original term for the material, from which "tarmac" is derived.
• Asphalt (n): A similar black, viscous material used for road surfaces, often used interchangeably with "tarmac" in general contexts, though technically different.
• Macadam (n): A type of road construction using layers of compacted stone, which forms the basis for tarmacadam.

Synonyms

• Pavement: A general term for a hard, level surface, especially of a road or sidewalk.
• Blacktop: A bituminous material used for surfacing roads, similar to tarmac or asphalt.
• Runway: Specifically for the paved surface on an airport where aircraft take off and land.

Related Phrasal Verbs/Verb Phrases

(Note: As a specific material/verb, "tarmac" does not commonly form phrasal verbs. The action is typically expressed simply as "to tarmac [something].")

Related Idioms

(Note: There are no common idioms centered specifically on the word "tarmac.")

Noun

1. a paved surface having compressed layers of broken rocks held together with tar
2. a paving material of tar and broken stone; mixed in a factory and shaped during paving

Verb

1. surface with macadam
   • macadam the road