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underpass

underpass

12 2.7
A tunnel under a road or railway that people use to cross safely
  • noun
  • /ˈʌndərˌpæs/
translation icon : paso subterráneo
  • I was driving west on Elm Street toward the Triple Underpass in a rented car—a blue Valiant.
  • a pedestrian underpass
  • a triple underpass
  • a freeway underpass

OK, think about underpasses, subways, All right, so here we are.

Examples

  • Anyone who knows the area can tell you those underpasses are way low.

    Blog text (24)
  • Ahead of us, the road slopes downward, leading into an underpass which disappears in the darkness.

  • We're going to the underpass now.

  • Towards the underpass, I saw two men.

  • The vehicles are entering the underpass.

  • I'll see you at the underpass.

  • Maximum height of this particular underpass is 13 feet and 7 inches.

  • The street surface was dry and lit by bright lamps on the ceiling of the underpass.

    Fiction book (1996)
  • Boren Street underpass was especially wide, almost a tunnel.

    Fiction book (1996)
  • The vehicles are entering the underpass to avoid the busy intersection above.

Synonyms

tunnel
vsunderpass
615 1.0

An underground passage for cars, trains, or people to travel through

is specifically for crossing under roads or railways rather than any use
subway
vsunderpass
  • UK
54 1.0

An underground passage for people to cross under a road or railway

also used by vehicles as well as pedestrians for safe crossing
underground tunnel
vsunderpass
7 3.2

A passage built under the ground for people or vehicles to pass through

focuses on roads or rail crossings for safe passage not utilities
underbridge
vsunderpass
5.4

A bridge that goes under a road or railway to let traffic pass below

is a passage beneath a road or railway rather than a supporting structure

How Big

railroad tunnel
  • US
1 3.5
tunnel
615 1.0
underpass
12 2.7
culvert
  • Specialized
9 6.8

Surface Forms

underpass singular
underpasses plural

Morphology

underpass = pass (transparent) = under + pass

The meaning is a straightforward combination: a passage located under something, which learners can derive from 'under' + 'pass'. [Postprocessing: moved 'under' from base_words to prefix]

Etymology

Underpass comes from the simple parts under ('below') and pass ('a way through'), so it literally means a 'way under' something. That's why an underpass is a passage that runs beneath a road or railway, letting people or vehicles cross safely.