subway
/ˈsʌbweɪ/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈsʌbweɪ/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈsəb-ˌwā/ (ame, mw)
subway — noun
- subwaysingular
- subwaysplural
1. a city's train network that runs mostly or entirely in tunnels beneath the stree
a city's train network that runs mostly or entirely in tunnels beneath the streets
Sora takes the subway to school every morning because it is faster than the bus.
The subway in Taipei is known for being clean, on time, and easy to use.
collocation: take the subway / ride the subway
A new subway line connecting the airport to the city center opened last year.
Many people ride the subway during rush hour when the streets are crowded with cars.
Isabela checked the subway map to find the quickest route to the museum.
- metro
used for systems in European cities such as Paris or Moscow; also the official name of systems in Washington D.C. and some other cities
- underground
the standard British English term for an urban train system that runs below ground
- tube
informal name for the London Underground, from the shape of its tunnels
文法句型
the subway
by subway
take + the + subway
用法筆記
In the United States, subway is the standard word for an urban underground train system. In the United Kingdom, the same kind of system is called the underground or (in London) the tube. Subway is not used for the London system.
常見錯誤
2. a paved tunnel built under a road or street so that people can walk safely from
a paved tunnel built under a road or street so that people can walk safely from one side to the other
The children used the subway to cross the main road on their way to school.
Tuan walked through the subway and came out on the other side of the street.
walk through a subway / use a subway to cross
The city built a subway under the highway so that people can reach the park.
Layla waited in the subway until the rain stopped before going up to the street.
Graffiti covered the walls of the old subway that connects the two shopping centres.
- underpass
the preferred American English term; can also refer to a road passing under another road
- pedestrian tunnel
more descriptive and neutral across both varieties
文法句型
a subway
the subway
through + a + subway
用法筆記
This meaning is common in British English. In American English, the same structure is usually called an underpass or a pedestrian tunnel. The subway/underpass difference is one of the better-known vocabulary contrasts between British and American English.