# away

/əˈweɪ/ (US) · /ɐwˈeɪ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/away
Updated: 2026-04-30

## Senses

### 1. to another place

adverb · CEFR A1

to or at a distance from a particular place, person, or thing.

For teachers: indicating movement to a distance or a position of separation from a specific point.

- The cat ran away when it heard the loud noise from the street.
- The suspect turned and walked away from the scene before the authorities could arrive to question the witnesses.

### 2. distance in space or time

adverb · CEFR A2

at a certain distance from a place or a point in time.

For teachers: denoting a specific interval of space or time from the present or a reference point.

- The nearest gas station is about five miles away from here.
- The wedding is still six months away, yet the couple has already finalized the guest list and the venue.

### 3. continuously

adverb · CEFR B2

to do something continuously or with a lot of energy.

For teachers: indicating persistence, continuity, or intensity in an action.

- She was working away at her computer late into the night.
- The researchers have been chipping away at the problem for years, finally reaching a breakthrough in the last quarter.

### 4. storing something

adverb · CEFR A2

putting something in its usual place, like a cupboard or drawer.

For teachers: indicating the movement of an object into a designated storage or secure location.

- Please put your toys away before you go to bed.
- After the dinner party, they carefully tucked the fine china away in the velvet-lined cabinet.

### 5. absent

adjective · CEFR A1

not present in a place; gone somewhere else for a while.

For teachers: not present in a given location; absent or traveling.

- I will be away on vacation for the next two weeks.
- The manager is currently away on a business trip and will not be responding to emails until Monday morning.

### 6. sports

adjective · CEFR A2

played at the opponent's ground rather than your own.

For teachers: relating to a game played at the opponent's stadium or grounds.

- Our team has a difficult away game against the league leaders this Saturday.
- The team struggled during their away fixtures this season, failing to secure a single victory outside their home stadium.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.