right of way

or right-of-way

noun

, plural rights of way, right of ways.

1. a common law or statutory right granted to a vehicle, as an airplane or boat, to proceed ahead of another.
2. a path or route that may lawfully be used.
3. a right of passage, as over another's land.
4. the strip of land acquired for use by a railroad for tracks.
5. land covered by a public road.
6. land over which a power line passes.
7. Fencing. the right to attack or continue an attack, and thus to be credited with a hit, by virtue of having first extended the sword arm or having parried the opponent's attack.

right of way

noun

1. the right of one vehicle or vessel to take precedence over another, as laid down by law or custom
2. 1. the legal right of someone to pass over another's land, acquired by grant or by long usage
   2. the path or road used by this right
3. the strip of land over which a power line, railway line, road, etc, extends

Word History and Origins

Origin of right of way¹

First recorded in 1760–70

Example Sentences

We had a clear right-of-way, however, and reached Edinburgh before nine o'clock.

From Project Gutenberg

If he was having trouble over his right-of-way, his recourse was to the law, and he took the law into his own hands.

From Project Gutenberg

Railroads cause fires by their locomotives sending out sparks through the smokestack or dropping hot ashes along the right-of-way.

From Project Gutenberg

He made a jump off the right-of-way, and as the handcar flashed by he watched its flight from the covert of a weed tangle.

From Project Gutenberg

They could not pass it on the river, and Archer would not yield his right-of-way at Moores Rapids.

From Project Gutenberg