crossroads
/ˈkrɒsrəʊdz/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈkrɔːsrəʊdz/ (ame, ipa)
crossroads — noun
- crossroadssingular
- crossroadsesplural
1. the place where roads cross, letting traffic continue in different directions
the place where roads cross, letting traffic continue in different directions
We waited at the crossroads until Bilal's bus came from the east.
at the crossroads: physical junction
A small shop stands at the crossroads near the rice fields.
Turn left at the crossroads, then follow the river for two miles.
After dark, the police put warning lights at the muddy crossroads.
Iris nearly missed the crossroads because the street sign had fallen.
- intersection
more neutral and common in traffic or city-planning language
- junction
slightly broader and can refer to rail lines as well as roads
- crossing
often stresses the act or point of crossing, not the whole junction area
- dead end
a road end where you cannot continue in another direction
文法句型
at the crossroads
turn left at the crossroads
用法筆記
Usually names a real road junction. Distinguish from sense 2, which is figurative and refers to a big choice rather than a place.
常見錯誤
2. a stage in life or in a plan where you must choose which way to go next
a stage in life or in a plan where you must choose which way to go next
After graduation, Paloma felt she was at a crossroads.
at a crossroads: major life choice
The company is at a crossroads after losing its biggest client.
When Vikram got two job offers, he knew he had reached a crossroads.
Yuna and David's marriage came to a crossroads when they moved abroad.
At this crossroads, the mayor must choose between repairs and layoffs.
- turning point
focuses on change in direction; it does not always imply a deliberate choice
- decision point
more direct and practical, often used in business or planning
- watershed
more formal and usually used when a moment later proves historically important
文法句型
at a crossroads
reach a crossroads
come to a crossroads
用法筆記
Most often appears in the pattern at a crossroads. It suggests that different futures are possible and a real choice cannot be delayed.
常見錯誤
3. a tiny community that grew up around a road junction
a tiny community that grew up around a road junction
Christopher grew up in a dusty crossroads with one church and a cafe.
crossroads = tiny settlement
The bus stopped at a crossroads that had only three houses.
A fire station later turned the crossroads into a busier hamlet.
Old maps mark the crossroads as a trading stop by the river.
- hamlet
a very small village, often the closest everyday equivalent
- settlement
broader and can describe communities of many different sizes
- village
more common and less tied to a road junction
- city
a much larger and more developed place to live
用法筆記
Mostly seen in older, regional, or historical writing. In everyday speech, people usually say village, hamlet, or settlement instead.