A lane is a narrow road, especially in the country.
...a quiet country lane.
Follow the lane to the river. [+ to]
Synonyms: road, street, track, path More Synonyms of lane
2. countable noun
Lane is also used in the names of roads, either in cities or in the country.
...The Dorchester Hotel, Park Lane.
3. countable noun [usually adjective NOUN]
A lane is a part of a main road which is marked by the edge of the road and a painted line, or by two painted lines.
The lorry was travelling at 20mph in the slow lane.
I pulled out into the eastbound lane of Route 2.
Synonyms: track, way, road, channel More Synonyms of lane
4. countable noun
At a swimming pool or athletics track, a lane is a long narrow section which is marked by lines or ropes.
The pool is divided into three sections with a crawler lane for beginners.
Drawn in lane three, she had all her rivals in sight.
5. countable noun [usually noun NOUN]
A lane is a route that is frequently used by aircraft or ships.
The collision took place in the busiest shipping lanes in the world.
6.
See the fast lane
lane in British English1
(leɪn)
noun
1.
a.
a narrow road or way between buildings, hedges, fences, etc
b.
(capital as part of a street name)
Drury Lane
2.
a.
any of the parallel strips into which the carriageway of a major road or motorway is divided
b.
any narrow well-defined route or course for ships or aircraft
3.
one of the parallel strips into which a running track or swimming bath is divided for races
4.
the long strip of wooden flooring down which balls are bowled in a bowling alley
Word origin
Old English lane, lanu, of Germanic origin; related to Middle Dutch lāne lane
lane in British English2
(leɪn)
adjective Scottish dialect
1.
lone or alone
2. one's lane
lane in American English1
(leɪn)
noun
1.
a narrow way between hedges, walls, buildings, etc.; narrow country road or city street
2.
any narrow way, as an opening in a crowd of people
3.
a.
a path or route designated, as for reasons of safety, for ships or aircraft
b. US
a marked strip of road wide enough for a single line of cars, trucks, etc.
4.
any of the parallel courses marked off for contestants in a race
5. Basketball
free throw lane
6. Bowling
a.
a long, narrow strip of highly polished wood, along which the balls are rolled; alley
b. [usually pl.]
a bowling establishment
Word origin
ME < OE lanu, akin to Du laan < ? IE base *elā-, to be in motion, go
lane in American English2
(leɪn)
adjective
Scottish
lone
More idioms containing
lane
the fast lane
Examples of 'lane' in a sentence
lane
There is more to be seen along the sides of country lanes than might be expected.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
All planned cycle lanes should be halted and existing ones torn up.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
To an earlier generation, landscape would have meant drove roads and sunken lanes.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Cops stopped the driver after spotting the car in the motorway's fast lane.
The Sun (2016)
Our neighbours access their part of the drive from our drive, which is next to a country lane.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Continue your stroll to supper along this narrow cobbled lane, where paintings and sculptures by local artists fill the doorways.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
This allows lanes or roads to be shut.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
One man struggled free and ran from the slow lane to the grass verge.
The Sun (2014)
The bowling lane floor will be adjusted to ensure that it meets health and safety requirements.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
The census checkpoint on a busy dual carriageway saw one lane in each direction closed.
The Sun (2015)
Whether cars queue in two lanes or three on the approach is neither here nor there.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Beside her sat a granddaughter recovering from years of life in the fast lane.
Christianity Today (2000)
Above the river it is a filthy web of alleys and lanes crammed with humanity.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
There will be no more forays down memory lane.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Today it stands beside the most dangerous shipping lane in the world.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
To see who is doing what at the end of which implausibly narrow lane.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
The king of the pit lane wants to be king of the fast lane.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
What is the difference between that and a bus going into a cycle lane?
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
And that was the joy of the old bowling lanes.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
The vehicles in lanes two and three slow down because of heavy traffic.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
The island will not be a danger to the shipping lanes.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
There were other cars about that had to slow down to pass us on the narrow lanes.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Button was cheered as he walked down the pit lane at the end of qualifying.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
He drives off up a country lane for a couple of miles and turns right down a dirt track.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
And they want to condemn Britain to the slow lane.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
It's down a beautiful country lane.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Speed in all lanes rose sharply when the car pool lanes were opened to all vehicles at 7pm.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
BRITAIN'S first'fast track' lane for shoppers was launched today.
The Sun (2015)
In other languages
lane
British English: lane /leɪn/ NOUN
A lane is a type of road, especially in the country.
...a quiet country lane.
American English: lane
Arabic: زُقَاقٌ
Brazilian Portuguese: vereda
Chinese: 小路
Croatian: put
Czech: silnice venkovská
Danish: bane
Dutch: landweggetje
European Spanish: carril
Finnish: kuja
French: chemin
German: Weg
Greek: πάροδος
Italian: corsia
Japanese: 小道
Korean: 좁은 길
Norwegian: smal vei
Polish: ścieżka
European Portuguese: ruela
Romanian: alee
Russian: переулок
Latin American Spanish: carril
Swedish: smal väg
Thai: ตรอก
Turkish: dar yol
Ukrainian: стежка
Vietnamese: làn đường
All related terms of 'lane'
air lane
a route for travel by air; airway
bike lane
A bike lane is a part of the road which is intended to be used only by people riding bicycles.
bus lane
A bus lane is a part of the road which is intended to be used only by buses.
fast lane
On a motorway, the fast lane is the part of the road where the vehicles that are travelling fastest go .
lane-way
a lane
sea lane
Sea lanes are particular routes which ships regularly use in order to cross a sea or ocean .
slow lane
On a motorway or freeway, the slow lane is the lane for vehicles which are moving more slowly than the other vehicles.
cycle lane
a specially designated and indicated section of the roadway for use by cyclists
Drury Lane
a street in the West End of London , formerly famous for its theatres
filter lane
a lane governed by a filter at a traffic light, from which traffic can turn left or right while other traffic is held up by a red light
inside lane
the inside , and therefore the shortest, route around a circular or oval multi-lane running track
memory lane
If you take a trip down memory lane , you revisit aspects of your past or a common shared past
one's lane
on one's own
carpool lane
a lane of a major road or motorway that is reserved for vehicles with a minimum number of passengers , designed to encourage carpooling
country lane
a narrow country road , often bordered by hedges
crawler lane
a lane on an uphill section of a motorway reserved for slow vehicles
lane closure
the closing of a lane on a motorway
lane markings
white lines on the road that mark lanes
lovers' lane
any secluded place frequented by young couples so as to engage in lovemaking in their parked vehicles
Lundy's Lane
the site , near Niagara Falls , of a major battle (1814) in the War of 1812, in which British and Canadian forces defeated the Americans
outside lane
the lane on a motorway where overtaking of other vehicles is permitted and vehicles can travel fastest
shipping lane
a regularly used route for commercial ships
contraflow lane
a traffic lane whose normal direction is reversed temporarily
emergency lane
a surfaced verge running along the edge of a motorway for emergency stops
the fast lane
If you say that someone lives their life in the fast lane , you mean that they live in a way which seems full of activity and excitement but which often involves a lot of pressure .
down memory lane
If you say that someone is taking a walk or trip down memory lane , you mean that they are talking , writing , or thinking about something that happened to them a long time ago .
free throw lane
a rectangular area under each basket between the free-throw line and the end line, used to line up the players during a free throw
Chinese translation of 'lane'
lane
(leɪn)
n(c)
(in country) 小路 (xiǎolù) (条(條), tiáo)
(in town) 巷 (xiàng)
(Aut)[of road]车(車)道 (chēdào) (条(條), tiáo)
[of athletics track, swimming pool]道 (dào)
1 (noun)
Definition
a narrow road, esp. in the country
a quiet country lane
Synonyms
road
There was very little traffic on the roads.
street
a small, quaint town with narrow streets
track
We set off once more, over a rough mountain track.
path
We followed the path along the clifftops.
strip
a busy commercial strip in North Dallas
way
He came round the back way.
passage
I spotted someone lurking in the passage between the two houses.
trail
He was following a broad trail through the trees.
pathway
footpath
passageway
an underground passageway that connects the two buildings
thoroughfare
a busy thoroughfare
2 (noun)
Definition
one of the parallel strips into which the carriageway of a major road or motorway is divided
The lorry was travelling at 20 mph in the slow lane.
Synonyms
track
way
road
channel
We'll be lodging a complaint through the official channels.
strip
corridor
He raced down the corridor towards the exit.
alley
The citadel is reached through a series of narrow alleys.
aisle
the frozen food aisle
Additional synonyms
in the sense of aisle
Definition
a passageway separating seating areas in a church, theatre, or cinema, or separating rows of shelves in a supermarket
the frozen food aisle
Synonyms
passageway,
path,
lane,
passage,
corridor,
alley,
gangway
in the sense of alley
Definition
a narrow passage between or behind buildings
The citadel is reached through a series of narrow alleys.
Synonyms
passage,
walk,
lane,
pathway,
alleyway,
passageway,
backstreet
in the sense of channel
Definition
a means of access or communication
We'll be lodging a complaint through the official channels.
Synonyms
means,
way,
course,
approach,
medium,
route,
path,
avenue
Synonyms of 'lane'
lane
Explore 'lane' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of corridor
Definition
a passage in a building or a train
He raced down the corridor towards the exit.
Synonyms
passage,
alley,
aisle,
hallway,
passageway
in the sense of passage
Definition
a channel or opening providing a way through
I spotted someone lurking in the passage between the two houses.
Synonyms
alley,
way,
opening,
close (British),
course,
road,
channel,
route,
path,
lane,
avenue,
thoroughfare
in the sense of passageway
Definition
corridor or passage
an underground passageway that connects the two buildings
Synonyms
corridor,
passage,
hallway,
hall,
lane,
lobby,
entrance,
exit,
alley,
aisle,
wynd (Scottish)
in the sense of path
Definition
a surfaced walk, such as through a garden
We followed the path along the clifftops.
Synonyms
way,
road,
walk,
track,
trail,
avenue,
pathway,
footpath,
walkway (US),
towpath,
footway,
berm (New Zealand)
in the sense of street
Definition
a public road that is usually lined with buildings, esp. in a town
a small, quaint town with narrow streets
Synonyms
road,
lane,
avenue,
terrace,
row,
boulevard,
roadway,
thoroughfare
in the sense of strip
a busy commercial strip in North Dallas
Synonyms
street,
road,
avenue,
row,
lane,
terrace,
boulevard,
roadway,
thoroughfare
in the sense of thoroughfare
Definition
a way through from one place to another
a busy thoroughfare
Synonyms
road,
way,
street,
highway,
roadway,
passageway,
avenue
in the sense of trail
Definition
a rough path across open country or through a forest