Definition

Noun: 1. A public road or street that is open at both ends and allows for through passage from one place to another. This is the primary meaning, referring to any public way that facilitates movement and traffic. 2. A main road or route that carries a significant amount of traffic. This sense emphasizes the function of the road as a major artery for travel and transport.

Examples

• The city council is discussing how to reduce congestion on the main thoroughfare.
• The old bridge was once a vital thoroughfare for trade between the two regions.
• The narrow street, though charming, is not a suitable thoroughfare for large trucks.
• A sign was posted at the entrance of the private drive: "No Thoroughfare."

Advanced Usage

• "No thoroughfare": This is a formal or legal phrase used on signs to indicate that a road or path is closed to through traffic or is not a public right-of-way. It means passage is prohibited.
• Figurative Use: The word can be used metaphorically to describe something that serves as a channel or conduit for other things.
  • Example: The internet has become the primary thoroughfare for information in the modern age.

Variants and Related Words

• Thorough (adjective): Complete, exhaustive, or careful. While "thoroughfare" contains this word, their meanings are distinct. "Thorough" relates to completeness, not directly to roads.
• Arterial road (noun phrase): A major road, similar in meaning to the second sense of "thoroughfare."
• Throughway/Thruway (noun): A high-speed, limited-access highway, a specific type of major thoroughfare.

Synonyms

• Road
• Street
• Highway
• Avenue
• Boulevard
• Artery (especially for a major route)

Related Phrases

• Main thoroughfare: Emphasizes that the road is a primary route.
  • Example: Most of the city's shops are located along the main thoroughfare.
• Busy/bustling/congested thoroughfare: Describes a road with heavy traffic or activity.
  • Example: The accident blocked the busy thoroughfare during rush hour.

Noun

1. a public road from one place to another