thoroughfare

CEFRC1

/ˈθʌɹəfɛː/

noun

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    noun

    A public road or passage through a place.

  2. 02

    noun

    Extra detail

    A road open at both ends or connecting one area with another; a highway or main street.

Examples

  • The busy avenue is a main thoroughfare through the city.

  • No thoroughfare to the beach.

At a glance

Sits at C1 on the CEFR scale

Senses
5
Parts of speech
1
Citations
5

Deep Dive

noun

Extra meanings

  1. The act of going through; passage; travel, transit.

  2. A passage; a way through.

  3. An unobstructed waterway allowing passage for ships.

More examples

In context

  • This is not a thoroughfare.

  • The sign leading to the other carriage reads: No thoroughfare.

  • In the scullery Smiley had once more checked his thoroughfare, shoved some deck-chairs aside, and pinned a string to the mangle to guide him because he saw badly in the dark.

Quick test

Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.

Question 1 · Quick check

Broadway is a major blank in New York City, filled with cars and pedestrians.

Practise this properly in the app, where the word comes back before you forget it.

Nearby

Origin

noun

From Middle English thurghfare, corresponding to thorough- (“through”) + fare. Compare Old English þurhfaran (“to go through, go over, traverse, pierce, pass through, pass beyond, transcend, penetrate”). Compare also Old English þurhfær (“inner secret place”), German Durchfahrt (“passage through, thoroughfare”).