# station

/ˈsteɪʃən/ (US) · /stˈeɪʃən/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/station
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. transport stop

noun · CEFR A1

a place where trains or buses regularly stop for passengers to get on or off.

For teachers: a designated stopping place for public transport, typically featuring infrastructure for passenger boarding and alighting.

- We met at the train station ten minutes before the express arrived.
- The central station serves as a major transit hub, connecting the metropolitan subway system with long-distance rail networks.

### 2. service building

noun · CEFR A2

a building used by a specific organization, like the police or the fire department.

For teachers: a headquarters or base of operations for a specific public service or utility.

- The police station is located right next to the town hall.
- The fire station dispatched three engines immediately after the emergency call was logged by the dispatcher.

### 3. broadcasting

noun · CEFR A2

a company or channel that sends out radio or television programmes.

For teachers: an establishment equipped for radio or television transmission.

- She listens to a local radio station that plays music from the eighties.
- The television station announced a change in its evening programming to accommodate the breaking news coverage.

### 4. social rank

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal · Literary

a person's social position or status in society.

For teachers: the social standing, rank, or position of an individual within a hierarchy.

- In the old days, people were expected to marry someone of their own station.
- Despite his humble origins, he eventually achieved a station in life that commanded respect from the city's elite.

### 5. large farm

noun · CEFR B2 · British English · Dialect

a very large farm for sheep or cattle, especially in Australia or New Zealand.

For teachers: a large pastoral landholding for raising livestock, particularly sheep or cattle.

- They spent the summer working on a remote sheep station in the outback.
- Managing a cattle station of that size requires significant logistical planning and a large team of seasonal workers.

Teaching tip: This sense is specific to Australian and New Zealand English; American speakers would typically use 'ranch'.

### 6. to assign a post

verb · CEFR B2

to send someone to a specific place to work or wait, especially in the military.

For teachers: to assign a person, especially military personnel, to a particular post or location.

- The guards were stationed at every entrance to the palace.
- The regiment was stationed along the border for six months during the peacekeeping mission.

Usage: Usually used in the passive voice ('be stationed').

## Examples

- I will meet you at the train station at five o'clock.
- The fire station is located just two blocks away from the main hospital to ensure quick response times.
- While the central station serves as a major transit hub, several smaller stops along the periphery provide essential access for the city's growing suburban population.

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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.