lane
gb/lˈeɪn/ us/lˈeɪn/
A2
English
~ 2800
Senses
0 senses
Noun
A2
entity
1
Marked part of a roadway
A part of a road marked for cars to travel in one line.
Usage pattern:
[vehicle] in the [adjective] lane
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'lane' with 'road'. A 'road' is the whole street, while a 'lane' is just one part of it for traffic.
Synonyms
carriageway (Used in British English for the main part of the road, but less specific to one marked section.)
Antonyms
shoulder (The edge of the road where vehicles do not normally drive.)
Collocations
fast lane
|slow lane
|inside lane
|outside lane
|change lanes
Themes
transport
|daily life
|transportation
|travel
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Stay in the right lane unless you are passing.
- The accident blocked two lanes of traffic.
- Cyclists should use the bike lane whenever possible.
- He drifted into the opposite lane without signaling.
Learner examples
- The bus is in the left lane.
- Please drive in your own lane.
- The bike lane is next to the sidewalk.
Noun
B1
entity
2
Narrow rural road or path
A small road or path, often in the countryside or between houses.
Common mistake:
Some learners confuse 'lane' with 'street'. A 'street' is usually in a town or city; a 'lane' can be rural or very narrow.
Synonyms
alley (Usually refers to a narrow passage between buildings, especially in towns.)
Antonyms
highway (A wide main road designed for fast traffic.)
Collocations
country lane
|narrow lane
|quiet lane
Themes
geography
|daily life
|travel
|housing
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- We walked down a quiet lane to the village.
- The cottage is at the end of a winding country lane.
- Delivery trucks can't get through such a narrow lane.
Learner examples
- They live on a small lane.
- We walked along the country lane.
- The lane goes to the farm.
Noun
B1
entity
3
Strip for one competitor in sport
One part of a track or pool where one person competes in a race.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this meaning with road lanes. In sports, lanes are for competitors, not cars.
Synonyms
track section (Describes the same concept but is more descriptive and not a fixed term.)
Collocations
swimming lane
|running lane
|change lanes
Themes
sports
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- She swam in the middle lane during the race.
- Each runner must stay in their own lane.
- The inside lane offers the shortest distance around the track.
Learner examples
- He runs in lane three.
- She swims in her own lane.
- Stay in your lane during the race.
Grammar
Dictionary form
lane
IPA
GB/lˈeɪn/
US/lˈeɪn/
Syllables & stress
lane (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (lane)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: lane
- Plural: lanes
Word family
Forms
lanes
noun
Related words
laneway
noun
Expressions
fast lane
1/fˈæst lˈeɪn/
fixed phrase
High-speed traffic lane or lifestyle
The part of the road for fast cars; also, a way of living that is exciting and busy.
Examples
- He always drives in the fast lane.
- After college, she moved to New York and started living in the fast lane.
memory lane
1/mˈɛmɚi lˈeɪn/
fixed phrase
Path of past memories
A way of talking about remembering things from your past.
Examples
- Looking at those old photos took me down memory lane.
- Visiting my old school was a walk down memory lane.
stay in your lane
1/stˈeɪ ˈɪn jˈʊɹ lˈeɪn/
idiom
informal
Mind your own business or role
To do only what you are responsible for and not try to do other people's jobs.
Examples
- I know you're trying to help, but stay in your lane.
- The coach told the players to stay in their lanes and trust each other.