causeway
/ˈkɔːz.weɪ/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: 3.04 in modern English
16
Scrabble Score
8
Letters
2
Syllables
7
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
A road that is raised so as to be above water, marshland, and similar low-lying obstacles, which in some cases may flood periodically (e.g. due to tides). Originally causeways were much like dykes, generally pierced to let water through, whereas many modern causeways are more like bridges or viaducts.
Example Sentences
- "1836, Account of the Old Bridge at Stratford-le-Bow in Essex from Alfred Burges, Esq. addressed to Sir Henry Ellis https://archive.org/details/archaeologiaorm01londgoog . . .the passage over the water of the Luye at Stratford atte Bowe, anciently used to be in a certain place which is called the Old Forde, which is distant from the place where the bridges and causeway now are nearly one mile, at which passage many persons passing over it at divers times were drowned, and in great danger, and when after so much danger came to the knowledge of Lady Matilda, Queen of England […]"
- "Egbert went quickly up to the causeway into the castle, where they heard the sentry sing out as usual, ‘Halt, who goes there?’"
- "Throughout the parish are ancient causeways paved with irregular slabs of local marble, and in some places the outline of the fossils of small snails can be seen in the stone. The causeways were laid as hard paths for heavily laden pack-animals bringing in wool from outlying hamlets and farms."
- "In thus limiting his judgment, I understand that he has not pronounced any opinion in regard to the formation and causewaying of streets […]"
- "The Glasgow Town Council decided at their last meeting to causeway the following streets at the respective costs given […]"
- "There had been a previous partial allocation, but the final allocation was made in 1875; and the whole sums payable by the owners of the streets for paving and causewaying them, as resolved upon by the Commissioners, have been duly paid."
Etymology
From Middle English cawcewey, with the first element from Middle English cauce, from Anglo-Norman, Old Northern French caucee or Old French caucie, cauchie (“route, highway”), from Vulgar Latin *calciāta (compare modern French chaussée from Old French chaucie, itself from the same source), either from Latin calx, calcis (“limestone”), or alternatively from Latin calciō (“to stamp with the heels, tread”), from calx (“heel”). The second element corresponds to English way.
Origin
Word Breakdown
- Root: cawcewey, cauce, -, caucee, caucie, *calciāta