street

SaySTREET/stɹit//stɹiːt/

17 meanings of street

1
public roadnouncountable
A road in a town or city, usually with houses, shops, or other buildings along its sides.
Our street has a small bakery, a bank, and a toy store.
Shops line both sides of the busy street.
UsageSay she lives on Elm Street. Across the street means on the other side.
Similarroad
2
grid roadnounUScountable
In a city grid, the roads that cross the avenues at right angles.
Like a checkerboard, where one set of lines crosses the other set.
Each street crosses the avenue at a right angle.
We walked two blocks down the avenue, then turned onto a numbered street.
Note
3
stock marketnounabbreviationellipsis
Short form of Wall Street. It means the U.S. stock market and the people who trade and work there.
The Street reacted badly to the surprise interest-rate hike.
Analysts on the Street expect strong earnings this quarter.
UsageUsually said as the Street.
Note
4
public opinionnounslangplural
Ordinary people seen as a source of news or opinions.
Word on the street is that the old factory will close.
The street says prices will keep rising.
UsagePeople say word on the street is ... to pass on a rumor.
Similarpublic, people, populace
Note
5
rough city lifenoun
Life in the poor, rough parts of a city, such as being homeless or in gangs, and the people living it.
The street took the runaway in and taught him to survive.
He spent five years living on the streets after losing his job.
UsageLiving on the streets means having no home.
Note

Less common meanings

6
black marketnoun
An illegal source where things like drugs can be bought.
He bought the pills on the street instead of at a pharmacy.
Those guns came straight off the street.
UsageSay bought on the street. Street drugs are sold illegally.
Note
7
trendy styleadjectiveslang
Cool and in tune with modern city style and trends.
Like music or clothes that feel like they belong in a busy city, not an office.
Those sneakers give the whole outfit a street look.
His style is really street.
UsageYou can say his look is really street.
Similarurban, hip, cool, edgy, trendy
Oppositesquare, uncool
Note
8
urban lingonounslanguncountable
The slang spoken by people on city streets.
He talks street with his friends but speaks formally at work.
You need to know a little street to follow that song's lyrics.
UsageSay one word is street for another: toaster is street for gun.
Similarslang, vernacular
Note
9
neighborsnoun
All the people who live along one road, seen together as a group.
The whole street threw a party for the new neighbors.
Our street organized a cleanup last weekend.
UsageSay the whole street for all the neighbors.
Similarneighborhood, community, neighbors
Note
10
far aheadnounfigurativelycountable
A very large amount, used to say that something is far ahead of the rest.
Like being so far ahead in a race that no one can catch you.
Their technology is streets ahead of the competition.
This restaurant is streets better than the chain next door.
UsageSay streets ahead of the others, meaning much better.
Similarmiles, leagues
Note
11
skateboardingnoununcountable
A kind of skateboarding done on stairs, rails, and other things found in cities.
Like doing skateboard tricks on the steps and rails around town, not on a smooth ramp.
He likes to skate street more than smooth ramps.
Street is harder to learn than skating around a flat park.
Note
12
beat easilyverbtransitive
To beat someone very easily, by a large amount.
Like winning a game when the other side is left far behind.
Our team streeted the visitors six to nothing.
They will street any side that turns up unprepared.
Similarthrash, trounce, crush, rout, hammer
Note
13
verb
To become available for people to buy.
14
verbrare
To throw someone out of a building, such as their home or a bar, and onto the street.
15
verbrare
To build roads through an area so people can travel across it.
There is a cemetery next to the Mission, a small part of the huge one which was streeted over.
2011, Robert White, Romantic Getaways in San Francisco & the Bay Area
16
nounslang
In poker, one of the rounds in a hand when cards are dealt and players bet.
17
verbrare
To preach your religion to people out in public places.
A person I met streeting in Osaka told me the above Kanji examples as well as many others that I have since forgot.
2000, Dow Glenn Ostlund, The Lost Tribes of Isuraeru: Belief Tales Among Mormon Missionaries in Japan

Practice

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Origin

It comes from Old English strēt, an early borrowing from Latin (via) strāta, meaning a paved road, from a Latin word meaning to spread out or pave.

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 3 facts

Street comes from Old English strēt. en.wiktionary.org
Latin strāta meant a paved road. en.wiktionary.org
The Latin source ultimately derives from a verb meaning to spread out or pave. en.wiktionary.org