parking

[ par-king ]

noun

1. the act of a person or thing that parks, especially a vehicle.
2. space in which to park vehicles, as at a place of business or a public event:

   There's plenty of free parking at the stadium.

3. permission to park vehicles:

   Is there parking on this side of the street?

4. the activity or occupation of a person who operates or works in a parking lot, garage, or the like.
5. parking strip.
6. Informal. the act of kissing and caressing in a parked car:

   Some of the couples went parking on their way home from the dance.

adjective

1. of, pertaining to, used for, or engaged in parking, especially of vehicles:

   parking regulations; a parking ticket; a parking space; a parking attendant.

Other Words From

• un·parking adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of parking¹

First recorded in 1520–30; park + -ing ¹, -ing ²

Example Sentences

“It doesn’t just go down for that extra 20,000, it goes down for everybody because now you have to get that many people into parking lots, into restrooms on concourses, everything.”

From Los Angeles Times

Earlier this year, Parisians voted to triple parking rates for cars weighing 1.6 tonnes or more to €18 an hour in the inner city, although this does not apply to residents.

From BBC

Avon and Somerset Police said a man - believed to be in his 80s - collided with pedestrians at a low-speed while manoeuvring out of a parking space.

From BBC

A woman is being taken to court for £1,906 after she took longer than five minutes to pay for parking.

From BBC

Pavement parking is being permitted along one of Belfast city centre's busiest streets because of a lapse in legislation.

From BBC

Related Words

• embracing