crossing
- 01 A2 Elementary
a safe place to go across a road, railway, or river.
a designated location where a road, railway, or waterway may be traversed safely.
Simple“Always use the pedestrian crossing when you want to get to the other side of the busy street.”
In context“The local council installed a new signal-controlled crossing to improve safety for students walking to the nearby primary school.”
UsageOften used with 'pedestrian', 'level', or 'border'.
Synonyms - 02 B1 Intermediate
a trip across a large body of water, like a sea or an ocean.
a voyage from one side of a body of water to the other.
Simple“The ferry crossing was very rough because of the stormy weather.”
In context“The transatlantic crossing took nearly six days, during which the passengers enjoyed a variety of shipboard entertainments.”
UsageCommonly modified by adjectives like 'rough', 'smooth', or 'short'.
- 03 C2 Proficiency
the central area of a church where the main parts meet in the shape of a cross.
the space in a cruciform church formed by the intersection of the nave, chancel, and transepts.
Simple“The guide pointed out the beautiful stone arches at the crossing of the cathedral.”
In context“The architect designed a massive central tower to sit directly above the crossing, distributing the weight through four reinforced piers.”
Teacher's tipThis is a highly specialised term used mainly in art history or architectural descriptions.
Synonyms - 04 C1 Advanced
the act of mixing two different types of animals or plants to create a new one.
the process of interbreeding different species or varieties to produce hybrid offspring.
Simple“The crossing of these two types of roses resulted in a beautiful new colour.”
In context“Experimental crossing of drought-resistant strains has led to a significant increase in crop yields across the arid region.”
Synonymshybridizationcross breeding
By surface analysis, cross + -ing.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.