across
Pluralacrosses
- 1From one side of a particular thing, such as a road, river, or table, to its opposite side, whether going over it or lying or reaching over it.
They drove across the desert in just under two days.
A cold wind blew across the open field all afternoon.
UsageAcross is usual for surfaces and lines (across the road); through is usual for movement inside something that surrounds you (through the forest).
Similarover
- 2Through all parts of something; throughout a whole area or group.
The new policy was applied across all departments at once.
Support for the team grew across the entire region.
UsageOften strengthened with all (all across the country), and it often opens a sentence to set the scene: Across Japan, companies are racing.
Similarthroughout
Note
Coverage rather than crossing: the idea is every part of an area or group, not a path from edge to edge.
- 3On the other side of something such as a street, room, or area; often across from.
The library stands across the square from the courthouse.
Her cousin lives across the valley from the old mill.
UsageAdd from for the place you measure from: across the square from the courthouse.
Similaropposite
Note
Position rather than movement: nothing travels, and the thing simply sits on the far side. The same phrase can carry either reading, so the verb decides. He came across the street describes a trip, while the store is across the street gives an address. With be, stand or live, listeners hear location rather than the motion sense.
- 4Moving from one side to the other side of a gap or space.
The bridge was out, but a ferry took us across.
She grabbed the rope and pulled herself across.
Similarover
- 5Placed after a measurement to state the width of something, or the diameter of something round, taken from edge to edge.
The crater left by the meteor is nearly a mile across.
Some of the lily pads in the pond grow to more than six feet across.
Less common meanings
- 6Already located on the far side of a space, such as a road or room, rather than moving over it.
If we set sail at noon, we should be across before dark.
Once the whole group was safely across, they pulled up the rope bridge.
- 7So as to cross or pass over something at an angle rather than alongside it.
She wore the sash diagonally across her chest, from one shoulder to the opposite hip.
A fallen branch lay across the railroad tracks at a sharp angle.
Oppositealongside
- 8Crosswise; at right angles to the length of something rather than along it.
Cut each carrot across into thin round slices for the soup.
Slice the cucumber across rather than lengthwise to get thin, round coins for the salad.
Oppositealong
- 9Said after a crossword clue's number to show which way its answer goes: horizontally, from left to right.
She announced that nine across spelled the name of a famous river.
The clue for twelve across mentioned a Greek letter.
UsageThe number comes first, and the pair works like a name: stuck on 4 across, nine across.
Oppositedown
Note
Crossword solvers use it as a label. A clue number followed by across, as in 4 across or nine across, names the answer that reads left to right. Its partner is down, for answers read top to bottom, and the two split a standard grid between them.
- 10A crossword answer that runs horizontally in the grid, or its matching clue.
The long across at the top stumped the whole table.
He penciled in three acrosses before checking any of the downs.
UsagePlural acrosses: finish all the acrosses before the downs.
- 11Fully informed about something and up to date on its latest developments; abreast of it.
She stays across every change in the regulations.
Our team is fully across the client's latest requirements.
UsageUsually after be or stay, and with fully for force: be across the details, fully across the new rules.
Showing meanings only.
Practice
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Origin
Anglo-Norman an ("in, on") and croiz ("cross") combined into early Middle English a-croiz, later Middle English acros. On the surface it is simply a- + cross.