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Glite Dictionary
to take the road

to take the road

6.4
To travel to different towns to perform plays
  • phrasal verb
  • Jargon
translation icon : salir de gira
  • Are they going to take the road this summer?

Examples

  • The theater troupe decided to take the road and perform in various cities across the country.

  • After rehearsals, the actors packed their bags and took the road to begin their tour.

  • After months in the capital, the troupe decided to take the road and perform in rural towns.

  • By the end of the year, the company had taken the road to audiences across the country.

  • The actors were exhausted but thrilled to take the road with their new play.

  • The theater company will take the road next week.

  • The performance team was excited to take the road for their first series of live shows this summer.

Synonyms

to tour
vsto take the road
184 1.9

To travel to several places for work or pleasure

is specifically about starting to give performances while moving between places
to hit the road
vsto take the road
  • Informal
90 2.5

To leave a place and start a journey by car or bus

is about beginning to travel while starting performances along the way
to get the show on the road
vsto take the road
  • Informal
3 5.2

To start something after getting everything ready

is specifically about starting to give performances while moving between places

Antonyms

to stay put
  • Informal
133 2.0

Remain in the same place without moving

to hang up one's fiddle
  • Archaic
9.6

To stop doing an activity, especially to stop playing music for good

How Much Touring

world tour
18 2.5
to take the road
  • Jargon
6.4
on tour
85 2.7
to tour
184 1.9

Surface Forms

take the road infinitive
taking the road present participle
takes the road third person singular
took the road past
taken the road past participle

Morphology

take + the + road

The phrase literally combines 'take' (go via/choose a route) and 'road' (route), so a learner who knows the words can infer it involves setting out on a journey; however the specialized theatrical sense of 'going on tour' or 'beginning to give performances while traveling' is a pragmatic extension that is not fully predictable from the parts. Because the core motion meaning is transparent but the performative/touring interpretation requires cultural or usage knowledge, it is best classified as semi-transparent.

Etymology

Take the road comes from theatre groups who would literally take a road, leaving town to travel from place to place and put on shows. So, it now means 'to travel and perform'.