subway

Pluralsubways

Formssubways, subwaying, subwayed

1. 1
   noundialectalCanadaScotlandSouth AfricaUScountable

   An electric train system that runs through tunnels under a city.

   Like a bus, but it travels in tunnels under the ground.

   We took the subway downtown to avoid the heavy traffic.

   The subway arrives every few minutes during rush hour.

   Similarmetro, underground, tube

   Note
2. 2
   noundialectalCanadaScotlandSouth AfricaUScountable

   A train that runs in the tunnels of a city's underground railway.

   Like a bus that comes one after another, but it runs underground.

   A crowded subway pulled into the station.

   We just missed the subway and waited ten minutes for the next one.

   Note
3. 3
   nounCanadaUScountable

   A city train system, even when some of its tracks run above the ground.

   Like a city train system that goes underground in some places and over the streets in others.

   Chicago's subway includes many tracks that run high above the streets.

   The whole subway shut down after a power failure.

   Similarmetro

   Note
4. 4
   nounBritishcountable

   A path under a road or railway that lets people walk across safely.

   Like a tunnel for people to walk through instead of cars.

   Use the subway to cross under the busy main road.

   The subway under the station was dark and a bit scary at night.

   Similarunderpass, tunnel

   Note
5. 5
   nouncountable

   A tunnel or passage built underground to carry pipes, wires, or sewers.

   Like a hidden tunnel under the road that holds pipes and wires.

   Workers ran new cables through the subway beneath the street.

   A leak in the subway flooded the pipes below the road.

   Similartunnel, conduit

6. 6
   verbcolloquialUSintransitive

   To get from place to place by riding an underground train.

   Like catching an underground train to get where you need to go.

   I subway to work most mornings.

   They subwayed downtown to catch the game.

   Note
7. 7
   nouncountable

   An underground tunnel or path that animals use to move around.

   Like a secret underground path animals use, the way ants make tunnels.

   Bats poured out of the subway at dusk.

   The cave system had a narrow subway where the animals passed through.

   Similartunnel, passage

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