cross-country
cross-country — adjective
1. covering the full span of a nation by travelling between its far ends.
covering the full span of a nation by travelling between its far ends.
The cross-country train from Seoul to Busan takes about two and a half hours.
attributive use: cross-country + noun
Faisal's family took a cross-country road trip from California to New York last summer.
The airline offers cross-country flights between Taipei and Kaohsiung several times daily.
A cross-country bus service connects small towns across the whole country every morning.
- nationwide
focuses on covering the whole nation; less common for describing a single journey
- transcontinental
specifically across a continent, not just one country; more formal and less common
- local
limited to a small area rather than covering the whole country
文法句型
cross-country + noun
用法筆記
Usually appears before a noun describing a transport method (flight, train, bus, drive) or journey.
常見錯誤
2. (of a sport or activity) taking place across natural land such as fields, forest
(of a sport or activity) taking place across natural land such as fields, forests, and hills rather than on prepared tracks, roads, or ski slopes.
Haruto joined the cross-country running team at school and trains every morning before class.
collocation: cross-country running
Cross-country skiing requires special lightweight skis that let you lift your heels.
collocation: cross-country skiing
The cross-country race took the runners through muddy fields and dense woodland.
Élise prefers cross-country cycling to road cycling because she enjoys the quiet forest trails.
文法句型
cross-country + sport noun
用法筆記
Commonly paired with sport names: cross-country running, cross-country skiing, cross-country cycling. Unlike "off-road", this term specifically implies distance over natural terrain rather than technical obstacles.
常見錯誤
cross-country — adverb
1. across an entire nation, from one far boundary to another.
across an entire nation, from one far boundary to another.
Lauren drove cross-country for five days to reach her new home in Montreal.
verb of motion + cross-country
The couple travelled cross-country by train, stopping in seven different cities along the way.
Soraya's photographs documented her journey cross-country through the mountainous western provinces of China.
Kemi shipped her furniture cross-country rather than selling it and buying new pieces at the new location.
- transnationally
more formal; can imply crossing national borders rather than staying within one country
- nationwide
adverb usage exists but is less common for describing physical movement
文法句型
verb + cross-country
用法筆記
Follows verbs of movement or transport (drive, travel, fly, ship, move). Describes a journey, not a permanent state.
2. across fields, forests, and other natural land rather than along roads, tracks,
across fields, forests, and other natural land rather than along roads, tracks, or paths.
The soldiers trained by running cross-country with heavy backpacks through the forest.
verb + cross-country for off-road movement
Ife and her friends hiked cross-country through the national park for three days.
In the winter the family travelled cross-country on skis to reach their remote wooden cabin.
Minho rode his mountain bike cross-country over streams and through open meadows.
文法句型
verb + cross-country
用法筆記
Common with movement verbs that describe human-powered or animal-powered travel (run, hike, ski, ride). Implies covering distance over open terrain, not technical rock-climbing or extreme obstacles.
常見錯誤
cross-country — noun
1. a sport in which runners compete over long distances across natural land such as
a sport in which runners compete over long distances across natural land such as fields, woods, and hills rather than on a track or road.
Dahlia won first place in cross-country at the regional school championships last week.
uncountable: in / at cross-country
Mira stumbled across the finish line of the cross-country race on Hampstead Heath, covered in mud and gasping for air.
concrete scene: finish-line moment
Sirin joined the cross-country team in her second year of high school.
Training for cross-country involves running on hills, through woods, and across open fields every week.
- fell running
British term for running on hills and mountains; a more specific type of cross-country
- trail running
running on paths in natural areas; usually shorter distances and on marked trails
- track running
running on a prepared oval track
- road running
running on paved roads
用法筆記
Always uncountable. Use "a cross-country race" or "a cross-country event" for countable instances. Do not use "a cross-country" to mean one race — that form is non-standard.
常見錯誤
2. a type of skiing in which skiers travel across fields and through forests on lig
a type of skiing in which skiers travel across fields and through forests on lightweight skis, using their own body movements to move forward rather than ski lifts or steep downhill slopes.
Selim took up cross-country after moving to Sweden, where the flat trails are perfect for beginners.
Cross-country burns more calories than downhill skiing because you are constantly pushing with your arms and legs.
Adina's parents go cross-country every weekend at the resort near their mountain cabin.
The equipment for cross-country is lighter and less expensive than downhill ski gear.
- Nordic skiing
the technical name for the sport; includes both classic cross-country and skate skiing styles
- XC skiing
abbreviated form commonly used in sports contexts
- downhill skiing
skiing on steep slopes using chairlifts; also called alpine skiing
- alpine skiing
another term for downhill skiing on prepared slopes
用法筆記
Always uncountable. The phrase "cross-country skiing" is also common and helps avoid confusion with the running sport. Cross-country skis have bindings that attach only at the toe, allowing the heel to lift naturally.