highway English · revision 4958

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=compound|attested=859|origins=en high, en way}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈhaɪ.weɪ/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|heghewei]], [[inh|ang|hēahweġ|t=main road]],^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024) a compound of hēah “high” in the sense “main” and weg “way”,^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024)^(SOED 2002) the sources of [[high]] and [[way]].^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A public road open to all, a main road from one town to another: 859 in the OED.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Before the 17th century the usual word for such roads, especially the Roman roads, was ''high street'' (Old English hēahstrǣte), which later became the name of a town's main street.^(Etymonline) The main route by land or water is from about 1400,^(OED 1989) and a direct course of conduct to some end from 1598.^(OED 1989) ''Take to the highway'', to become a highwayman, is from 1722.^(OED 1989) ''Highway robbery'', robbery near a highway, once the only kind punishable by death under common law, is from 1707, and a joking term for an excessive price by 1886.^(Etymonline) In computing a highway is a path for signals (1949).^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 859 – a public road.^(OED 1989)

+ * c. 1400 – a main route.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1598 – a course of conduct.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1707 – ''highway robbery''.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1886 – ''highway robbery'', an excessive price.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A public [[road]] that everyone may use.^(Collins 2023)^(LDOCE 2009)

+ # ''(chiefly US)'' A wide main road joining towns or cities.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)^(LDOCE 2009)

+ # A direct way to reach something: ''the highway to success''.^(AHD)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[superhighway]]

+ * [[highwayman]]

+ * [[belt highway]]

+ * [[divided highway]]

+ * [[highway patrol]]

+ * [[highway robbery]]

+ * [[King's highway]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[high]]

+ * [[way]]

+ * [[high street]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}