pavement
n. C / Un. the hard path at the side of a road for people to walk on. It keeps walkers safe from cars and bikes.
n. a hard-surfaced path for pedestrians alongside a road. In British English, it refers to the sidewalk, whereas in American English, it often refers to the road surface itself.
Please walk on the pavement to stay safe from the cars.
The city council is repairing the cracked pavement to prevent pedestrians from tripping.
Urban planners often prioritise the widening of the pavement in high-traffic districts to encourage walking and reduce the reliance on public transport.
From Middle English pament, from Anglo-Norman pavement and reinforced by Middle French pavement; both from Latin pavīmentum (“paved surface or floor”), from pavīre (“to beat, to ram, to tread down”). Morphologically pave + -ment.
Countable when referring to a specific stretch of path; uncountable when referring to the material or the surface in general.
The cars are driving on the pavement.The cars are driving on the road.In British English, 'pavement' is only for pedestrians; learners often confuse it with the general road surface.