ENGLISH
REFERENCE

on the streets

prep. phr..
B1 Intermediate Oxford

prep. phr.. living without a home or spending a lot of time in public areas, often because of a difficult life situation.

prep. phr.. a prepositional phrase functioning as an adverbial or adjectival complement, typically indicating homelessness or a lifestyle involving public urban spaces.


SIMPLE

Many people are sleeping on the streets this winter.

CONTEXTUAL

After losing his job and his apartment, he spent three months living on the streets.

COMPLEX

The charity provides essential medical services and hot meals to those currently living on the streets in the city center.

Usage

usually implies a lack of permanent housing or a rough, urban lifestyle.

Teaching tip

contrast with 'in the street' which usually refers to a physical location on a road; 'on the streets' is the idiomatic way to discuss homelessness or social conditions.

Pitfall

He is living in the streets.He is living on the streets.while 'in the street' is used for physical location, 'on the streets' is the standard idiom for homelessness.

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