crossing
B1Neutral/Formal
Definition
Meaning
A place where two lines, paths, or routes intersect, especially a place for people or vehicles to cross a road, river, or railway.
The action or an instance of going from one side to another; a voyage across a sea or ocean; a point where genetic lines intersect.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily a noun. Can refer to both the physical place/point (pedestrian crossing) and the action/event (a rough sea crossing). In genetics, denotes the mating of two organisms.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
British English uses 'pedestrian crossing' and 'zebra crossing' more specifically; 'pelican crossing' and 'toucan crossing' are specific UK terms. US English more commonly uses 'crosswalk'. 'Grade crossing' (US) vs. 'level crossing' (UK) for railway/road intersections.
Connotations
Both use 'crossing' for ocean voyages. In the US, 'crossing' can have historical connotations (e.g., 'the crossing of the Delaware'). In the UK, it strongly evokes regulated road safety features.
Frequency
Higher frequency in UK English due to more specific road terminology. The word is common in both varieties.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[verb] + crossing: make/attempt/use/approach/reach the crossing[adjective] + crossing: safe/dangerous/rough/smooth/illegal/pedestrian/railway crossingVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[]”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare. Possibly in logistics: 'border crossing delays'.
Academic
Used in biology/genetics: 'a genetic crossing'; in geography/history: 'the crossing of the Bering Strait'.
Everyday
Very common: referring to road safety and travel: 'Wait at the crossing.' 'The ferry crossing was calm.'
Technical
Railway engineering: 'level crossing'; genetics: 'crossing over'; navigation: 'rhumb-line crossing'.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The lorry is crossing the Forth Road Bridge.
- Mind the gap while crossing the platform.
American English
- The truck is crossing the George Washington Bridge.
- Use the crosswalk when crossing the street.
adjective
British English
- The crossing point was clearly marked.
- Strong crossing winds delayed ferries.
American English
- The crossing guard held up a stop sign.
- The crossing traffic had the right of way.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Look right and left before you use the crossing.
- The children held hands at the zebra crossing.
- The pedestrian crossing has a new traffic light.
- Our channel crossing by ferry took about 90 minutes.
- Illegal border crossings have increased this year.
- The genetic crossing resulted in a hybrid plant.
- The ship's transatlantic crossing was hampered by severe gales.
- The railway's investment aims to eliminate dangerous level crossings.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a big letter 'X' – it's a crossing of two lines. Or picture a zebra's stripes painted on the road where people cross.
Conceptual Metaphor
LIFE IS A JOURNEY: 'He's at a difficult crossing in his life.' DECISION IS A CROSSROADS: similar conceptual space.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid translating 'crossing' as 'кросс' (which means 'cross-country run' or 'brand').
- Do not confuse with 'перекресток' (crossroads, intersection). 'Crossing' is specifically for crossing *over/through* something (road, sea).
- For a 'pedestrian crossing', use 'пешеходный переход', not 'пешеходный кросс'.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'cross' instead of 'crossing' as a noun: 'I waited at the cross.' (Incorrect) -> 'I waited at the crossing.' (Correct)
- Misspelling as 'crosssing' or 'crosing'.
- Confusing 'crossing' (point/action) with 'crossroads' (a meeting of two roads).
Practice
Quiz
Which of these is a specific British English term for a type of crossing?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. While commonly used for roads ('pedestrian crossing'), it also applies to rivers, seas (a sea crossing), railways (level crossing), and borders (border crossing).
A 'crossing' is a place designated for passing *across* a barrier like a road or river. A 'crossroad' (or crossroads) is where two *roads meet and cross each other*, forming an intersection.
No, 'crossing' is the present participle or gerund of the verb 'to cross'. It functions as a noun in the sense discussed here (e.g., 'a crossing').
Jaywalking is the illegal or unsafe act of crossing a street away from an official crossing point (like a crosswalk or zebra crossing).