traffic1 nountraffic2 verb
traffictraf‧fic1 /ˈtræfɪk/ ●●● S1 W2 noun [uncountable] 
WORD ORIGINtraffic1
Origin:
1500-1600 Early French trafique, from Old Italian traffico, from trafficare ‘to trade’EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- There's been a lot more traffic around here since they opened the mall.
- And the traffic is thick along the Grand Loop, which carves a large figure-eight through the center of the park.
- At present, around half of transatlantic telephony traffic is carried via satellite.
- Ballymena Division Warden Street, Ballymena - single lane traffic on existing one-way street.
- It shows steady increases in accidents with injuries, as traffic volumes mounted.
- People are running, roller-blading, dancing in traffic.
- The answer to the first problem is obviously to try to do something about your domestic traffic problems.
- There had been little traffic so far: mostly long-distance lorries.
WORD SETS
abet, verbaccusation, nounaccuse, verbaffray, nounarson, nounassault, nounassault and battery, nounbackhander, nounbattery, nounbigamy, nounblack market, nounblack marketeer, nounbreak-in, nounbreaking and entering, nouncaper, nouncapital, adjectivecarjacking, nouncat burglar, nouncontract, nouncosh, nouncounterfeit, adjectivecounterfeit, verbcover, nouncrack, verbcriminal, adjectivecriminal, nouncriminal law, nouncriminal record, nouncriminology, nouncrook, nounculpable, adjectiveculprit, noundefamation, noundefraud, verbdelinquency, noundelinquent, adjectivedelinquent, noundesperado, noundisorderly, adjectivedrug baron, noundrug runner, nounDUI, nounembezzle, verbexpropriate, verbextort, verbeyewitness, nounfelon, nounfelony, nounfence, nounfiddle, nounfiddle, verbfiddler, nounfilch, verbfinger, verbfire-raising, nounfirst offender, nounflash, verbflasher, nounforge, verbforger, nounforgery, nounfoul play, nounframe, verbframe-up, nounfratricide, nounfraud, nounfreebooter, noungang, noungang-bang, noungang rape, noungangster, nounGBH, noungenocide, noungetaway, noungodfather, noungrand larceny, noungrass, noungrievous bodily harm, nounheist, nounhijack, verbhijack, nounhijacking, nounhit, nounhit-and-run, adjectivehit man, nounincriminate, verbindecent assault, nounindecent exposure, nouninfanticide, nounjob, nounjoyriding, nounjuvenile delinquent, nounkidnap, verblarceny, nounlibel, nounlibel, verblibellous, adjectivelow life, nounmafioso, nounmalpractice, nounmanslaughter, nounmassacre, nounmassacre, verbmatricide, nounmisappropriate, verbmisconduct, nounmisdeed, nounmisdemeanour, nounmobster, nounmoll, nounmug, verbmugshot, nounmurder, nounmurder, verbmurderer, nounmurderess, nounmuscleman, nounnark, nounnefarious, adjectiveneighbourhood watch, nounnick, verbno-go area, nounoffence, nounoffend, verboffender, nounold lag, nounorganized crime, nounoutlaw, nounparricide, nounpatricide, nounpetty larceny, nounPhotofit, nounpiracy, nounplant, verbpoach, verbpoacher, nounpossession, nounprivateer, nounprotection, nounprowl, verbprowler, nounpublic nuisance, nounpull, verbpunk, nounpurloin, verbraid, nounram-raiding, nounrape, verbrape, nounrapist, nounravish, verbreceiver, nounreceiving, nounrecidivist, nounregicide, nounring, nounringleader, nounriotous, adjectiverob, verbrobber, nounrobbery, nounroll, verbrustler, nounscheme, nounscheme, verbshady, adjectiveshoplift, verbshoplifting, nounslander, nounsmuggle, verbsnout, nounspeeding, nounstabbing, nounstalking, nounstatutory offence, nounstatutory rape, nounsteal, verbstoolpigeon, nounsupergrass, nounsuspect, nounswag, nountheft, nounthief, nounthievish, adjectivetorch, verbtraffic, nountrafficker, nountriad, noununder-the-counter, adjectiveunderworld, nounundesirable, nounvagrancy, nounvandal, nounvandalism, nounvandalize, verbvice, nounvigilante, nounvillainy, nounviolate, verbviolation, nounwanted, adjective
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRYverbs
Councillors are looking at ways to reduce traffic congestion in the town centre. The high street is closed and traffic is being diverted. Helen clutched Edward’s arm as they dodged through the traffic. The traffic going into London was very heavy. Sorry we’re late. We got stuck in a traffic jam. We were stuck in a traffic jam for two hours.
· Sorry I’m late – I was stuck in traffic.
· I left early, hoping to miss the traffic.
· The congestion charge did cut road traffic in central London.
· At last the traffic was moving again.
(=made to go in another direction)· Traffic was diverted onto the A166 as emergency services cleared the wreckage
ADJECTIVES/NOUN + traffic· We ran into heavy traffic near the airport.
· The traffic is fairly light at this time of day.
· The traffic was terrible this morning.
· Traffic’s very slow going out of New York.
· I left early to try to miss the rush-hour traffic.
· There is quite a lot of local traffic.
British English, freeway traffic American English:· As motorway traffic worsens, commuters may have to find other ways of getting to and from work.
(=traffic coming towards you)· The driver, too busy watching oncoming traffic, doesn’t notice the pedestrian ahead.
traffic + NOUN (=a line of cars that have stopped, or are moving very slowly)· She spent two hours sitting in a traffic jam.
(=when the roads are full of traffic)· efforts to cut traffic congestion
(=the steady movement of traffic)· The road widening should help to improve traffic flow.
· He’s been involved in a traffic accident.
(=police dealing with traffic problems and illegal driving)· The teenagers got stopped by the local traffic police.
· You get a lot of traffic noise living here.
phrases· The new ring road will reduce the volume of traffic through the village.
(=a long continuous series of cars, trucks etc)· There was a constant stream of traffic.
· The only noise was the distant rumble of traffic on the coastal road.
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES· The number of traffic accidents has gone down.· Portugal has one of Western Europe’s worst road accident rates.
(=when there are a lot of vehicles on the roads and they cannot move)· The first day of the school holidays brought traffic chaos to the roads.
· The new measures are aimed at reducing commuter traffic into the capital.
Councillors are looking at ways to reduce traffic congestion in the town centre. (=of how many vehicles pass through a place)· We went to the main road at 9 am to begin our traffic count.
· The roadworks are likely to cause serious traffic delays.
The high street is closed and traffic is being diverted. Helen clutched Edward’s arm as they dodged through the traffic. (=the crime of bringing drugs into a country)· The maximum penalty for drug smuggling was 25 years in jail.
· Cars parked in the wrong places can cause a traffic hazard.
The traffic going into London was very heavy. (=the number of people using the Internet)· An estimated 40% of the nation’s Internet traffic begins or ends in California.
Sorry we’re late. We got stuck in a traffic jam.· the constant noise of motorway traffic
· It was peaceful there, with no traffic noise at all.
· Speeding is the most common traffic offence.
British English· Traffic police closed the motorway after the accident.
We were stuck in a traffic jam for two hours.· Speeding is one of the most common traffic violations.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADJECTIVE· Once the cab had left Wandsworth behind it ran into heavy traffic.· Positioning of the meat, produce, bakery, and dairy departments around the store perimeter assures heavy perimeter traffic.· On a day of heavy traffic it could take an hour.· Drive own limo to experience heavy traffic.· I stayed with him in the heavy traffic round the ring road, skirting the city centre and out towards Bingley.· All four lanes were heavy with traffic.· He could hear the rumble of heavy traffic only a few kilometres away.· The physical effort required in speaking would also be less than against a background noise of heavy traffic.
· Meanwhile, the development of city centres for business and commercial use is encouraging increased traffic.· The chairman will write to object to the increased traffic that such a scheme would generate in Juniper Green.· More recently, increased air traffic, tightened procedures, and stricter operating limits have made it harder to achieve.· In spite of the vastly increased volume of traffic, fewer people are now killed on our roads than at any time since 1948.· Councillors are concerned the new development will mean increased traffic and are to ask for some sort of restrictions for lorries.· The sharply increased volume of traffic increased the opportunities for profits, but also for crippling losses.· Noise has become one of the great pollutants of modern city life and increased traffic is the greatest culprit.· We face the vastly increased traffic projections for the twenty-first century with roads adequate to deal with the conditions of the nineteenth.
· This will mean that you have to look only one way for the oncoming traffic.· We came around a bend, and soon found out why the oncoming traffic had stopped.· There was the fork ahead of him, and he slowed for a gap in the oncoming traffic.· He kept fading into the oncoming traffic or blindly passing slower vehicles at the most inopportune moments.· It was left parked next to a bus stop, facing oncoming traffic, with its headlights on.· A centre island had been built to divide the oncoming and ongoing traffic.
NOUN· The over-confident driver or motorcyclist may overtake without due caution, thus increasing the risk of causing a road traffic accident.· Their young son had been injured seriously in a terrible traffic accident.· The car, with all its hidden costs in pollution, traffic accidents and congestion, will continue to be more popular.· S., for example, there are 1, 844, 000 alcohol-related traffic accidents a year.· Of those calls, 16 were to road traffic accidents and of that 16 the longest response time was 18 minutes.· And the second story that night was all about a one-car traffic accident, with sketchy details about injuries.· Fifty two people died in traffic accidents in the first eight months of this year on the roads of Merseyside.
· Controllers were demanding doubled wages, improved conditions, and the creation of an air traffic department independent of the Transport Ministry.· Flight control warned air traffic of a slight change.· We will reduce airport congestion by increasing the capacity of our air traffic control.· When air traffic controllers needed even the simplest pieces of equipment, the procurement process took 9 to 12 months.· They included warning local air traffic control and having hundreds of gallons of water and pumps standing by in case of accident.· Denver said, waiting for air traffic controllers to confirm they could trace his signal.· Additional government spending is particularly important in such areas as advanced wing design, air traffic management systems and low-cost manufacturing.· The center handling air traffic in Washington and Oregon, near Auburn, Wash., was operating on backup power.
· Also it should be lit at night and have traffic cones placed in an oblique line on the approach to it.· Motorists wend their way through orange traffic cones and detour signs.· It displayed no owner identification marks and was without benefit of either warning traffic cones or night lights.
· There was traffic congestion when the Milk Race passed through city centre.· Solve rush-hour traffic congestion by making people pay to drive in the peak hours: more toll roads and higher fees.· Time allowed 00:19 Read in studio Cyclists have brought a city centre to a halt in a protest over traffic congestion.· Downed power lines resulted in traffic congestion because of intersections without traffic lights.· The boroughs also express fears that redevelopment will mean worsening traffic congestion and the loss of homes and jobs.· Sure, some motorists still gripe about traffic congestion along the 3. 6-mile line from El Cajon to Santee.· Parking problems and traffic congestion have prompted one local councillor to describe the International Air Tattoo as a shambles.· The motorway, used by sixty five thousand vehicles a day, has done the job of easing traffic congestion elsewhere.
· Bioplan's scheme for traffic control had been accepted by Durham county council and Darlington council officers.· We will reduce airport congestion by increasing the capacity of our air traffic control.· Air traffic control and other facilities could be shared, Coun Mike Hughes, chairman of Warrington's planning committee, said.· Some of the old hands have got themselves in at the cop stations and traffic control rooms.· I would have needed an air traffic control centre to keep track of where everyone was at any given moment.· The co-operation of air traffic control is central.· It is the international language for air traffic control.· This was not an aircraft taxi-ing down the runway, only to be called back by air traffic control.
· They questioned whether air traffic controllers should have over-ruled Captain Fuchs and insisted on him using a remote runway.· Piloting a career at any level without honest feedback is the equivalent of dismissing all the air traffic controllers at the airport.· The personnel include air and ground crews, communications experts and air traffic controllers.· When air traffic controllers needed even the simplest pieces of equipment, the procurement process took 9 to 12 months.· United looked like traffic controllers, directing the flow straight down the arterial routes towards Swindon's goal.· And the air traffic controllers and pilots on board asked for autographs.· Pilots and other flight crew immediately come to mind; so too do maintenance engineers and air traffic controllers.· The pilot had been in regular contact with air traffic controllers but did not report any difficulties.
· Sasha says he donates about 100 roubles, or $ 3.50, a day to the traffic cops.· Silicon Valley also is playing a major role in policing the Internet jam, like a traffic cop in downtown San Francisco.· Tell that to Huseyin Ertan, a retired naval officer who is the Bosporus's chief traffic cop.· As the reader might expect, I had my hands full acting like a traffic cop.
· He had needed expert searchers for his battle against the drug traffic.· There were casinos, betting parlors, drug traffic.· When drug traffic escalates, they appoint a national drug czar.
· If everyone knows and obeys the rules traffic flow and safety at roundabouts is much improved.· Measure O backers say the university-financed roadway improvements are necessary to improve traffic flow, including emergency trips to Stanford medical facilities.· Driver-only buses have become the norm, and may have increased privatised profitability, but they've decreased traffic flow.· Whatever option is picked should allow the maximum unimpeded traffic flow on to and off of city streets.· This may be achieved through better driving habits, improved traffic flow systems and road networks and car pooling.· He checked the traffic flow, watching the lemon-drop headlights approach in pairs.· The diamond rivers of traffic flow inexhaustibly on.· A police officer negligently sent the plaintiff, another police officer, into the tunnel, against the traffic flow.
· Finally, in 1940, freight traffic ceased and the track was removed in 1941.· In Arizona, approximately 93 % of the freight traffic and 95 % of the passenger traffic is interstate.· The local Station served the surrounding community and carried a fair amount of passenger and freight traffic.· Until 1987 there were two separate train ferry operations for through freight traffic between Britain and the continent, Dover-Dunkerque and Harwich-Zeebrugge.· This short-sighted analysis by Serpell is shown up most clearly in the section on freight traffic.· On 1 May 1956 this branch finally closed, having been opened to passenger and freight traffic in 1863.· The miners were joined by striking railway workers, who halted freight traffic.· For all sorts of environmental reasons rail should be encouraged to increase its share of freight traffic.
· The tramway station is now effectively a traffic island, surrounded by a one-way system and linked by pedestrian crossings. 3.· Somehow his Volkswagen had climbed up on to a traffic island.· In Bombay, for instance, every thousand people have only 0.1 hectares of open space - and this includes traffic islands.· We round a couple of buoys beaded with cats' eyes; sea traffic islands.· No one ever walks round a traffic island.· This viewpoint today would come from the middle of a traffic island.· I guided him to the traffic island in the middle.· At second traffic island following sign to Beaumaris.
· We don't want bus lanes on motorways and we don't want traffic jams.· Nevertheless, telecommuting is destined to increase, he said, pushed along by snowstorms, traffic jams and technological progress.· Streets around the normally tranquil town of Morton in Marsh were sealed and long traffic jams built up.· I had the same advantage of recklessness as a driver in a traffic jam with a rent-a-car.· There was a long halt, as a traffic jam piled up ahead.· You arrive just in time for a rolling traffic jam in a town crammed with shops, apartments and construction cranes.· Why do we want to watch traffic jams on telly?· Just look at these cabins, and you forget traffic jams, mortgages and mayhem back home.
· The letters are divided into traffic light colours to signal to customers whether their endowment will pay off their mortgage.· Anger is like a red light at the traffic lights.· Downed power lines resulted in traffic congestion because of intersections without traffic lights.· As I followed him across the road, he roared off-straight through green traffic lights and into the distance.· Cars have been stolen at traffic lights.· Julie didn't answer, but drove on towards the traffic lights, glancing again in the rear-view mirror.
· On the traffic management front, the county say that the consideration of local traffic needs will have to cover two situations.· Additional government spending is particularly important in such areas as advanced wing design, air traffic management systems and low-cost manufacturing.· Unquestionably, the physical measures and publicity have resulted in considerable success in achieving this most crucial aim of environmental traffic management.· In addition, there are traffic management measures, including red routes, of which the hon. Gentleman is aware.· It will usually be desirable for the landlord to have power to make regulations about traffic management.· Its construction formed part of an overall traffic management programme aimed at getting through traffic flows out of the city centre.
· The youngsters learn that there is nothing to fear and, after a time, they also totally ignore the traffic noise.· Win could hear traffic noises, excited air.· It also reduces a certain amount of heat loss, as well as cutting down traffic noise.· Traffic starts to build about six, and so does the traffic noise.· It was incredibly quiet, with distant traffic noise making it seem even quieter.· It must be nearly dawn, for there are more traffic noises breaking into the darkness outside.· There were more traffic noises outside and a thin light came through the window.
· It was suggested that 400 passenger services be withdrawn or modified and 2,000 stations and 5,000 route miles closed to passenger traffic.· In Arizona, approximately 93 % of the freight traffic and 95 % of the passenger traffic is interstate.· There, passenger traffic was light, and was generally regarded as a nuisance.· Bishop's Castle Railway opened for passenger traffic.· By 1919 much of the passenger traffic had moved to rail and road and only cargo steamers were then employed.· The station opened in 1933, designed for continuing growth in passenger traffic.· And the abiding memory of the eighties must be of the greatest achievement, the enormous increase in passenger traffic.· Swindon and Peterborough probably have more commuters going to them than their total everyday passenger traffic in the steam age.
· At times, even in the cities, an anthill occupied by a Cobra can be the cause of great traffic problems.· Councillors had feared the nursery might generate traffic problems.· Because of this reduced funding, government strategies for addressing our potential traffic problems had to change.· It causes no widespread congestion or great traffic problems.· A recent major study of traffic problems in the Edinburgh area recognised road safety as a major factor for consideration.· But residents were concerned about the traffic problems and danger from parked cars.· Will there be enough parking provision and will the development cause traffic problems once it is complete?
· The over-confident driver or motorcyclist may overtake without due caution, thus increasing the risk of causing a road traffic accident.· There was no house in sight; no form of transport; indeed hardly any road traffic.· Panic would result in a rapid encounter with the main road traffic to our rear.· Of those calls, 16 were to road traffic accidents and of that 16 the longest response time was 18 minutes.· The linkages were already in evidence from one point of view: road traffic.· At the beginning of the 20C the sides were raised and in 1950 the bridge was closed to road traffic.· Salop public wanted main road traffic growth increase of 50% since 1979.
· A traffic warden, finding an empty car, gave the Vicar a parking ticket.· The traffic warden helped by urging them on.· I called on a conveniently passing traffic warden to help me out.· Back in the car park, I found that an officious traffic warden had decided to make my day.· Four days from the nearest tarmac discourages the average vandal, factory unit or traffic warden.· A traffic warden is at the sharp end of the twentieth century guy.· A moment later they closed the ambulance door, a siren started up and the traffic warden began waving me on.
VERB· The cars slew to a halt, blocking the traffic.· When they did, traffic got worse; then they blocked it off and traffic improved.· Members of a breakaway group who blocked traffic in University Square the same evening were forcibly dispersed by police.· Some firewalls place a greater emphasis on blocking traffic, and others emphasize permitting traffic.· Protesters hung banners from lamp-posts and forced police to block through traffic.· The activists blocked traffic Saturday along the Tijuana border crossing.· They erected barricades to block traffic, but these were removed following peaceful negotiations with police.· The force of the impact sent concrete dividers into the eastbound lanes, blocking traffic there, too.
· This has continued in use to the present day and carries a vast traffic between Oxford and Coventry and Birmingham.· S.-supported facilities carry traffic other than that dedicated to the particular application that justified the link.· One will be for a fast and reliable commuter line across Kent, which could incidentally carry cross-Channel traffic.· Today, all regional providers carry commercial traffic.· Few would deny that the railway is admirably suited to carrying this type of traffic.· Brown envisions Octavia Street as a boulevard to carry traffic over Market Street.· The yard looks busy, but close examination reveals that very few wagons were carrying traffic.· Cable-television companies are racing to re-engineer their systems to carry Internet traffic as well as sitcoms and sports.
· Police were directing the traffic, waving traffic on.· Miss Rose pulled on galoshes and spent the noon hour directing traffic.· They direct traffic, investigate thefts and search for illegal weapons at roadblocks.· The midday power outage also caused traffic snarls as police officers directed traffic through intersections whose signals had gone dark.· He had detailed another man to direct the traffic.· Sherron Brown, the minister, directed traffic.· He'd been directing traffic at a census point in Weedon, Northamptonshire.· Flaggers will direct traffic, giving preference to northbound traffic in the morning and southbound in the evening.
· Small channels are built to divert some of the traffic to the new route.
· The site was revamped two months ago and a new system was installed to enable Tesco to handle increased levels of traffic.· OP-20-G secretly handled naval traffic.· The trains which handled the local traffic took ninety minutes for the journey.· Everyone agrees the road was never meant to handle this kind of traffic.· The center handling air traffic in Washington and Oregon, near Auburn, Wash., was operating on backup power.· It can also handle more types of traffic.
· One new shopping centre planned for Budapest would increase traffic in and out the city by an estimated 20,000 cars a day.· In-ad coupons may feature private label products and may be intended to increase store traffic.· The station and office development together will increase the traffic on Euston road during the evening peak hours by 70 percent.· They say it would increase traffic on nearby roads and make them unsafe.· The site was revamped two months ago and a new system was installed to enable Tesco to handle increased levels of traffic.· The council postponed reading of an ordinance to increase traffic fines in Grand Forks until the new council takes office.· It is estimated that its completion alone will increase lorry traffic across frontiers by between 30 and 50 percent.· He added a practical note: the proposals, he pointed out, would undoubtedly increase tourist traffic at the Falls.
· Cycling officers were asked what measures they used to reduce traffic speed and if they had a cycling programme.· Meantime, businesses increasingly are providing employee incentives to reduce traffic.· The Commission calls for higher fuel taxes and vehicle excise duty to be used to reduce traffic growth.· This was planned to reduce traffic volume by 40 percent.· There also is the obvious environmental benefits to biking, since it reduces air pollution and reduces traffic.· We will improve public transport, reduce traffic congestion, and encourage pedestrianisation and cycling schemes.
· Slachman's stuck in traffic, but I can just about fit you in.· Then his cab got stuck in traffic, for which I thanked the Lord.· It follows torrential rain yesterday, which flooded roads, and caused chaos as hundreds of commuters were stuck in traffic jams.· When you're stuck in traffic with Libby Purves on radio.· Congestion makes things worse: cars stuck in traffic jams pollute three times as much as those on the open road.· Says he was stuck in traffic.
· The liaison officer and local police were on the nearby road, ready to stop the traffic.· While stopped in traffic, practice asking for a raise.· I stop at the traffic light when I have a visual experience which others would describe as seeing a green light.· At First Avenue, we stopped dead in traffic.· The entrances to the path will be protected by bollards and a chicane, to stop any unauthorised traffic.· Police say he was stopped for a traffic violation.· He accepts that Skinnergate should be pedestrianised to stop the traffic chaos.· Luckily, we were stopped at a lengthy traffic light.
PHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES► speed/traffic humps
1the vehicles moving along a road or street: - It was left parked next to a bus stop, facing oncoming traffic, with its headlights on.
- No oncoming traffic, he said.
- The pause became so long that Paula looked anxiously at her passenger, his face illuminated by the headlights of oncoming cars.
- The person driving was forced to stop when Glover walked himself and Paul almost into the oncoming car.
- There was the fork ahead of him, and he slowed for a gap in the oncoming traffic.
- This will mean that you have to look only one way for the oncoming traffic.
- We came around a bend, and soon found out why the oncoming traffic had stopped.
There wasn’t much traffic on the roads. The sound of the traffic kept me awake.2the movement of aircraft, ships, or trains from one place to another: air traffic control the problems of air traffic congestion in Europe3formal the movement of people or goods by aircraft, ships, or trainstraffic of Most long-distance traffic of heavy goods is done by ships.4the secret buying and selling of illegal goods: drugs traffictraffic in traffic in firearmsCOLLOCATIONSverbsbe stuck/caught/held up in traffic· Sorry I’m late – I was stuck in traffic.avoid/miss the traffic· I left early, hoping to miss the traffic.cut/reduce traffic· The congestion charge did cut road traffic in central London.traffic moves/flows· At last the traffic was moving again.traffic is diverted (=made to go in another direction)· Traffic was diverted onto the A166 as emergency services cleared the wreckageADJECTIVES/NOUN + trafficheavy· We ran into heavy traffic near the airport.light· The traffic is fairly light at this time of day.bad/terrible· The traffic was terrible this morning.slow/slow-moving· Traffic’s very slow going out of New York.rush-hour traffic· I left early to try to miss the rush-hour traffic.local traffic· There is quite a lot of local traffic.motorway traffic British English, freeway traffic American English:· As motorway traffic worsens, commuters may have to find other ways of getting to and from work.oncoming traffic (=traffic coming towards you)· The driver, too busy watching oncoming traffic, doesn’t notice the pedestrian ahead.traffic + NOUNa traffic jam (=a line of cars that have stopped, or are moving very slowly)· She spent two hours sitting in a traffic jam.traffic congestion (=when the roads are full of traffic)· efforts to cut traffic congestiontraffic flow (=the steady movement of traffic)· The road widening should help to improve traffic flow.a traffic accident· He’s been involved in a traffic accident.the traffic police (=police dealing with traffic problems and illegal driving)· The teenagers got stopped by the local traffic police.traffic noise· You get a lot of traffic noise living here.phrasesthe volume of traffic· The new ring road will reduce the volume of traffic through the village.a stream of traffic (=a long continuous series of cars, trucks etc)· There was a constant stream of traffic.the roar/rumble/hum of traffic· The only noise was the distant rumble of traffic on the coastal road.traffic1 nountraffic2 verb
traffictraffic2 ●○○ verb (past tense and past participle trafficked, present participle trafficking) [transitive] VERB TABLE
traffic
| Simple Form | ||
| Present | I, you, we, they | traffic |
| he, she, it | traffics | |
| Past | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | trafficked |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have trafficked |
| he, she, it | has trafficked | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had trafficked |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will traffic |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have trafficked |
| Continuous Form | ||
| Present | I | am trafficking |
| he, she, it | is trafficking | |
| you, we, they | are trafficking | |
| Past | I, he, she, it | was trafficking |
| you, we, they | were trafficking | |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have been trafficking |
| he, she, it | has been trafficking | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had been trafficking |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will be trafficking |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have been trafficking |
EXAMPLES FROM THE CORPUS
- By 2015, bitter enmities played themselves out in gang warfare, narcotics traffic, and addiction.
- During 1989 a total of 99 people had been beheaded, many of them for drug trafficking offences.
- He was immediately flown to Florida to face drugs trafficking charges.
- Most of those arrested were reported to have been previously convicted of drug and arms trafficking and violent crimes.
- The charges include armed robbery, distribution of stolen property, illegal gun sales and use, and drug trafficking.
- Those now being accused of trafficking in stolen property are dismayed.
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES Councillors are looking at ways to reduce traffic congestion in the town centre. The high street is closed and traffic is being diverted. Helen clutched Edward’s arm as they dodged through the traffic. The traffic going into London was very heavy. Sorry we’re late. We got stuck in a traffic jam. We were stuck in a traffic jam for two hours.
· The number of traffic accidents has gone down.· Portugal has one of Western Europe’s worst road accident rates.
(=when there are a lot of vehicles on the roads and they cannot move)· The first day of the school holidays brought traffic chaos to the roads.
· The new measures are aimed at reducing commuter traffic into the capital.
Councillors are looking at ways to reduce traffic congestion in the town centre. (=of how many vehicles pass through a place)· We went to the main road at 9 am to begin our traffic count.
· The roadworks are likely to cause serious traffic delays.
The high street is closed and traffic is being diverted. Helen clutched Edward’s arm as they dodged through the traffic. (=the crime of bringing drugs into a country)· The maximum penalty for drug smuggling was 25 years in jail.
· Cars parked in the wrong places can cause a traffic hazard.
The traffic going into London was very heavy. (=the number of people using the Internet)· An estimated 40% of the nation’s Internet traffic begins or ends in California.
Sorry we’re late. We got stuck in a traffic jam.· the constant noise of motorway traffic
· It was peaceful there, with no traffic noise at all.
· Speeding is the most common traffic offence.
British English· Traffic police closed the motorway after the accident.
We were stuck in a traffic jam for two hours.· Speeding is one of the most common traffic violations.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSNOUN· Both were later charged with attempted cocaine trafficking.
· Most of those arrested were reported to have been previously convicted of drug and arms trafficking and violent crimes.· Santacruz was awaiting trial for illicit enrichment, money laundering and drug trafficking.· He was immediately flown to Florida to face drugs trafficking charges.· Christie and more than two dozen Hells Angels and associates were indicted last week on drug trafficking charges.· As drug trafficking grew, so did the piles of bodies on the outskirts of Rio Branco.· He faces trial on dozens of charges, including money laundering, drug trafficking and masterminding death squad killings.· During 1989 a total of 99 people had been beheaded, many of them for drug trafficking offences.
PHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES► speed/traffic humps
to take someone to another country and force them to work, for example as a prostitute: - It was left parked next to a bus stop, facing oncoming traffic, with its headlights on.
- No oncoming traffic, he said.
- The pause became so long that Paula looked anxiously at her passenger, his face illuminated by the headlights of oncoming cars.
- The person driving was forced to stop when Glover walked himself and Paul almost into the oncoming car.
- There was the fork ahead of him, and he slowed for a gap in the oncoming traffic.
- This will mean that you have to look only one way for the oncoming traffic.
- We came around a bend, and soon found out why the oncoming traffic had stopped.
He had made a fortune by trafficking young women.traffic in something phrasal verb to buy and sell illegal goods: Lewis was found guilty of trafficking in drugs.