View synonyms for right of way

right of way

or right-of-way

noun

, plural rights of way, right of ways.

a common law or statutory right granted to a vehicle, as an airplane or boat, to proceed ahead of another.
a path or route that may lawfully be used.
a right of passage, as over another's land.
the strip of land acquired for use by a railroad for tracks.
land covered by a public road.
land over which a power line passes.
Fencing. the right to attack or continue an attack, and thus to be credited with a hit, by virtue of having first extended the sword arm or having parried the opponent's attack.

right of way

the right of one vehicle or vessel to take precedence over another, as laid down by law or custom
1. the legal right of someone to pass over another's land, acquired by grant or by long usage
2. the path or road used by this right
the strip of land over which a power line, railway line, road, etc, extends

First recorded in 1760–70

We had a clear right-of-way, however, and reached Edinburgh before nine o'clock.

If he was having trouble over his right-of-way, his recourse was to the law, and he took the law into his own hands.

Railroads cause fires by their locomotives sending out sparks through the smokestack or dropping hot ashes along the right-of-way.

He made a jump off the right-of-way, and as the handcar flashed by he watched its flight from the covert of a weed tangle.

They could not pass it on the river, and Archer would not yield his right-of-way at Moores Rapids.

April 19, 2024tortuous

[tawr-choo-uhs ]

Start each day with the Word of the Day in your inbox!

By clicking "Sign Up", you are accepting Dictionary.com Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policies.

Browse