turnpike

/'tə:npaik/

Thân thiện

A car drives through a turnpike toll booth.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A toll road, especially a major highway where a fee is charged for passage: A "turnpike" is a high-speed, limited-access road on which drivers must pay a toll to use it.
   • A gate or barrier set across a road to stop travelers until a toll is paid (historical): Historically, a "turnpike" was a gate on a road, often a pivoting pike or barrier, which was turned aside once a toll was paid.

Usage Examples

• Noun (Modern):
  • We took the turnpike to get to the city quickly, but we had to pay a toll.
  • The state turnpike is well-maintained but expensive for daily commuters.
• Noun (Historical):
  • In the 18th century, travelers often encountered a turnpike every few miles.
  • The coach had to stop at the turnpike to pay the fee before proceeding.

Advanced Usage

• "to be on the turnpike": to be traveling on a toll highway.
  • We made good time once we were on the turnpike.
• "turnpike authority": the governing body responsible for operating and maintaining a toll road.
  • The turnpike authority announced an increase in toll rates.

Variants and Related Words

• Turnpiking (n, historical): The practice or system of maintaining roads by charging tolls.
  • Turnpiking was common in Britain before the railways.
• Toll road (n): A road for which a charge (toll) is levied for passage; a synonym for the modern sense of "turnpike."
• Tollway (n): Another term for a toll road, similar to "turnpike."

Synonyms

• Toll road: A road requiring payment for use.
• Thruway (US): A major highway, sometimes a toll road.
• Expressway: A high-speed road, which may or may not be a toll road.

Related Phrases

• Hit the turnpike (idiom, informal): To begin a journey on a major highway.
  • It's late; we should hit the turnpike now if we want to get there by morning.
• Turnpike cruiser (historical): A term for a highwayman or robber who operated on turnpike roads.

Học thuật

Noun

1. an expressway on which tolls are collected
2. (from 16th to 19th centuries) gates set across a road to prevent passage until a toll had been paid

Từ đồng nghĩa

• toll road