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3. A place where one may ride; an open way or public passage for vehicles, persons, and animals; a
track for travel, forming a means of communication between one city, town, or place, and another.
The most villainous house in all the London road. Shak. The word is generally applied to highways, and as a generic term it includes highway, street, and lane.
4. [Possibly akin to Icel. reiði the rigging of a ship, E. ready.] A place where ships may ride at anchor
at some distance from the shore; a roadstead; — often in the plural; as, Hampton Roads. Shak.
Now strike your saile, ye jolly mariners,
For we be come unto a quiet rode [road]. Spenser. On, or Upon, the road, traveling or passing over a road; coming or going; on the way.
My hat and wig will soon be here,
They are upon the road. Cowper. — Road agent, a highwayman, especially on the stage routes of the unsettled western parts of the
United States; — a humorous euphemism. [Western U.S.]
The highway robber — road agent he is quaintly called. The century. — Road book, a guidebook in respect to roads and distances. — Road metal, the broken, stone
used in macadamizing roads. — Road roller, a heavy roller, or combinations of rollers, for making
earth, macadam, or concrete roads smooth and compact. — often driven by steam. — Road runner
(Zoöl.), the chaparral cock. — Road steamer, a locomotive engine adapted to running on common
roads. — To go on the road, to engage in the business of a commercial traveler. [Colloq.] — To
take the road, to begin or engage in traveling. — To take to the road, to engage in robbery upon
the highways.
Syn. — Way; highway; street; lane; pathway; route; passage; course. See Way.
Roadbed
(Road"bed`) n. In railroads, the bed or foundation on which the superstructure (ties, rails, etc.)
rests; in common roads, the whole material laid in place and ready for travel.
Roadless
(Road"less), a. Destitute of roads.
Roadmaker
(Road"mak`er) n. One who makes roads.
Roadside
(Road"side`), n. Land adjoining a road or highway; the part of a road or highway that borders
the traveled part. Also used ajectively.
Roadstead
(Road"stead) n. [Road, 4 + stead a place.] An anchorage off shore. Same as Road, 4.
Moored in the neighboring roadstead. Longfellow. Roadster
(Road"ster) n.
1. (Naut.) A clumsy vessel that works its way from one anchorage to another by means of the tides.
Ham. Nav. Encyc.
2. A horse that is accustomed to traveling on the high road, or is suitable for use on ordinary roads.
A sound, swift, well-fed hunter and roadster. Thackeray. 3. A bicycle or tricycle adapted for common roads rather than for the racing track.
4. One who drives much; a coach driver. [Eng.]
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