Hello, you have come here looking for the meaning of the word
headway. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
headway, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
headway in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
headway you have here. The definition of the word
headway will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition of
headway, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
English
Etymology
Partly from Middle English hauedwei, from Old English hēafodweġ (“head-road, main-road”), equivalent to head + way; partly as a shortening of ahead-way, the source of the nautical sense.
Pronunciation
Noun
headway (countable and uncountable, plural headways)
- Movement ahead or forward.
- (nautical) Forward motion, or its rate.
- (countable, transport) The interval of time or distance between the fronts of two vehicles (e.g. buses) moving in succession in the same direction, especially along the same pre-determined route.
1961 December, “Planning the London Midland main-line electrification”, in Trains Illustrated, page 719:The whole of the main lines to be electrified were being equipped with four-aspect colour-light signals, automatically operated, where appropriate, and spaced to give a 5min headway throughout.
2019 October, William Barter, “West Coast capacity study”, in Modern Railways, page 66:Sixty minutes divided by the headway gives a potential figure for 'trains per hour' - the simplest possible and most simplistic definition of capacity, termed line capacity.
- (uncountable, figuratively) Progress toward a goal.
- (countable) The clearance beneath an object, such as an arch, ceiling or bridge; headroom.
1941 January, the late John Phillimore, “The Forth Bridge 1890-1940”, in Railway Magazine, page 5:So as not to impede navigation the two principal spans of the bridge were designed to provide a clear headway of 157 ft. above high water for a distance of 500 ft.; [...].
- (mining) A crossheading.
Derived terms
Translations
clearance beneath an object
forward motion, or its rate
time or distance interval between the fronts of two vehicles
See also
References