to own the road
1
8.6
- idiom
- Informal
:
dominar la carretera
- The delivery driver seemed to own the road as he cut off other cars to meet his deadline.
So if you control the egress from the mine and you own the road, great.
- So if you control the egress from the mine and you own the road, great.
Examples
-
He drives his powerful truck in a way that suggests he owns the road, weaving between lanes without hesitation.
-
Bicycles shouldn't be allowed to own the road.
Blog text (32) -
She confidently navigated the busy streets, making it clear that she truly owns the road.
Antonyms
How Assertive
- Formal
12
3.2
- Informal
1
8.6
Surface Forms
Morphology
The sense arises from a straightforward metaphorical extension of 'own' (to possess or control) applied to 'road' — i.e., to dominate or control driving space. Although the constituent meanings point toward this idea, the figurative nuance ('drive assertively as if no one else matters') is not purely literal and may require prior exposure, so it is only partially predictable for a B1 learner.
Etymology
The phrase own the road comes from the image of a driver who acts as if they really own the road, taking space and moving without care. So, it means 'to drive in a confident or pushy way, acting like no one else matters on the road'.