headway

/ˈhedweɪ/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈhedweɪ/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈhed-ˌwā/ (ame, mw)

headway — 名詞

1. movement toward a goal or positive development in a task, project, or situation

1.名詞B2
釋義

進展

在任務或目標上取得進展

movement toward a goal or positive development in a task, project, or situation — almost always used in the phrase 'make headway'

例句

The rescue team made slow headway through the thick forest after the earthquake.

搜救隊在地震後穿越茂密森林，進展緩慢。

collocation: make slow headway

Ananya was pleased to see that her team had made significant headway on the marketing report.

Ananya 開心地看到她的團隊在行銷報告上取得了顯著進展。

collocation: make significant headway on [topic]

同義詞
  • progress

    more general and neutral in tone; 'headway' often implies some difficulty or slow pace

  • advancement

    more formal, frequently used for careers, technology, or systematic development

  • forward movement

    more literal, describing physical motion rather than abstract progress

反義詞
  • setback

    an event that slows or stops progress

  • hindrance

    something that actively prevents forward movement

文法句型

make + headway

make + headway + on/with/in/towards

用法筆記

Almost always used with the verb 'make'. Does not take an article ('a' or 'the') — it is uncountable. The phrase 'make headway' is fixed; saying 'gain headway' or 'have headway' is unusual.

常見錯誤

❌We made a headway on the report this week.
✅We made headway on the report this week.
💡'headway' is uncountable and does not take the article 'a'.
❌The project's headway was slow.
✅The project made slow headway.
💡'headway' nearly always appears with the verb 'make'.

2. the amount of vertical space between an obstacle (such as a bridge, arch, or cei

2.名詞C1
釋義

淨空

可供通過的垂直空間

the amount of vertical space between an obstacle (such as a bridge, arch, or ceiling) and the person or vehicle passing under it

例句

João checked the headway under the low bridge before driving his van under it.

João 在開貨車通過低矮橋樑前，先檢查了下方的淨空。

headway + under [structure]

The sign warned that the tunnel had only three metres of headway for vehicles.

標誌警示隧道僅有三公尺的車輛淨空。

headway measured in units

同義詞
  • headroom

    more common in everyday speech; 'headroom' typically refers to space above a person's head, while 'headway' is broader (vehicle clearance under a bridge)

  • clearance

    the most general term for the space between two objects; used in engineering and driving contexts

  • vertical space

    descriptive rather than lexicalised; used when explaining the concept

文法句型

(the) headway + under/between

headway + of + [measurement]

用法筆記

Used as an uncountable noun describing a physical dimension. Often appears with a quantifier ('three metres of headway') or in the pattern 'the headway under/between [something]'. More technical than the everyday word 'headroom', but the two are interchangeable in many contexts.

常見錯誤

❌The headway is too low for the truck.
✅The headway under the bridge is too low for the truck.
💡'headway' in this sense usually needs a phrase specifying where the space is measured.
❌There are two metres headway.
✅There is two metres of headway.
💡'headway' is uncountable and takes a singular verb even with a measurement phrase.