byway

IPA/ˈbaɪweɪ/
KK[bˈaɪwˌe]IPA/ˈbaɪweɪ/

byway — 名詞

  • bywaysingular
  • bywaysplural

1. any road that carries very little traffic, especially one that winds through the

1.名詞B2
釋義

小路；偏徑

人車稀少的小路，多指鄉間道路

any road that carries very little traffic, especially one that winds through the countryside away from busier routes

例句

The family took a byway through the hills instead of the main highway.

這家人沒走主要公路，而是沿著山間小路穿過丘陵地帶。

contrast: byway vs highway/main road

Liam discovered a muddy byway behind the old church that led to a hidden lake.

Liam 在老教堂後面發現了一條泥濘的小路，通往一座隱藏的湖泊。

同義詞
  • lane

    a narrow road, often between fields or hedges; slightly more common than byway

  • side road

    a road that joins a main road; more general, can be in towns

  • back road

    informal; a road away from main traffic routes

  • country road

    emphasises the rural setting; broader than byway

反義詞
  • highway

    a main road for fast travel between towns

  • main road

    a primary road with heavy traffic

用法筆記

Used especially of rural roads that are not part of the main road network. Often contrasted with "highway" or "main road."

常見錯誤

❌I turned onto a byway in the city centre.
✅I turned onto a byway in the countryside.
💡byway implies a rural or little-used road, not just any small street in a city.

2. a less important or less explored part of a subject or activity, especially one

2.名詞C1
釋義

冷門領域

學科或活動中較不為人知的方面

a less important or less explored part of a subject or activity, especially one that is not the main focus of most people's attention

例句

Her research explores the byways of 18th-century kitchen medicine rather than well-known medical texts.

她的研究探索的是十八世紀家庭醫藥的冷門領域，而非著名的醫學文獻。

collocation: byways of [subject]

Andrew enjoys the byways of jazz history — obscure musicians who never made records.

Andrew 喜歡爵士樂史中的冷門領域——那些從未錄製唱片的默默無聞的音樂家。

同義詞
  • backwater

    negative connotation; suggests something backward or unimportant

  • sideline

    an activity pursued in addition to one's main work; less metaphorical

  • niche

    a specialised segment of a market or field; more modern and positive

  • nook

    a hidden or tucked-away part; more poetic

反義詞
  • mainstream

    the dominant or most widely accepted part of a field

用法筆記

Almost always used in the plural ('byways') in this sense. Commonly paired with 'of' + a field or subject (e.g., 'the byways of art history').

常見錯誤

❌This is a byway of chemistry.' (sounds unnatural)
✅This is one of the lesser-known byways of chemistry.
💡the plural form with 'of' is the standard pattern.