motorway
(ˈməʊtəweɪ)
[f. motor n. + way1.]
A specially designated class of highway with two or more lanes in each direction, designed and regulated for use by fast motor traffic. Also attrib., as motorway box, a rectangular system of motorways; motorway madness colloq., reckless driving on a motorway, esp. in fog.
| 1903 Car 4 Nov. 327 (title) Concerning motor-ways. Ibid. 327/1 The Motor-way is bound to come! 1930 Troubridge & Marshall John Ld. Montagu of Beaulieu xx. 254 Where the economic conditions guarantee an adequate volume of traffic, as between large cities, direct roads solely for fast traffic, i.e. motorways, must be constructed. 1937 [see autobahn]. 1955 Times 6 July 10/1 Motorways, 345 miles in total length, for motor traffic only, are to be built by the Government. 1959 Radio Times 23 Oct. 3/1 A motorway differs from all other types of roads in that it has no crossroads, no traffic lights, no pedestrian crossings. Certain categories of road-users are barred from it altogether; these include pedal cyclists, invalid carriages and ‘L’ drivers. 1964 Daily Tel. 22 Jan. 14 The British are relative newcomers to the motorway age. 1967 Economist 4 Nov. 495/1 The more central, shorter, but more expensive ‘motorway box’ favoured by the GLC. 1971 Daily Tel. 14 Sept. 2/6 This supports the ‘motorway madness’ theory of a false sense of security which makes drivers behave quite differently on motor⁓ways than on ordinary roads. 1972 J. Mann Mrs Knox's Profession v. 31 She had pulled into the motorway café, hating the look of it. 1973 R. Busby Pattern of Violence i. 15 He..gave them a name and the time of arrival of a motorway coach. 1973 Guardian 15 Oct. 14/1 Fog is the number one motorway menace with irresponsible..driving coming second. Mix the two, and the headlines next morning scream ‘Motorway madness’ yet again. |