right of way
The term 'right of way' is used to describe legal entitlements related to passage, whether in traffic, across land, or in specific utilities and infrastructure contexts.
Definition
B2Traffic
(legal, regulatory)The legal entitlement allowing a driver, pedestrian, or vehicle to proceed before others in a particular situation, ensuring orderly and safe movement.
Example
- At the intersection, the car on the main road has the right of way.
- Pedestrians have the right of way at marked crosswalks.
C1Land Access
(legal, property)The legal privilege to pass over another person's land, often granted for specific routes like roads or trails.
Example
- The farmer granted a right of way to the hikers across his field.
- Utility companies often have a right of way to lay cables under private property.
C1Utilities and Infrastructure
(technical, legal)A designated strip of land where transportation or utility structures like railways or power lines are located, acquired through legal means.
Example
- The new railway will be built along an existing right of way.
- Power lines often run along a right of way established by the city.
C2Fencing
(sports, technical)The priority given to the first person who initiates a valid attack.
Example
- In fencing, the right of way determines who scores the point in a simultaneous attack.
Similar
Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "right of way":
give wayrule of the roadby rightmake wayin right ofservice roadaccess roadout of the way