lane

lane — noun

1. a narrow road that runs between hedges, fences, or low walls, typical of rural a

1.名詞A2
釋義

a narrow road that runs between hedges, fences, or low walls, typical of rural areas and small villages

例句

Wren parked her bicycle at the top of the lane and walked to the school.

collocation: at the end / top of a lane

The old stone houses on this lane were built over a hundred years ago.

同義詞
  • path

    more general than lane; a path can be through a park, woods, or garden, not necessarily between hedges

  • alley

    a very narrow street between buildings in a city, usually paved and without hedges

  • track

    an unpaved, often rougher way used in rural or outdoor settings

反義詞
  • main road

    a wide, busy road usually built for fast traffic

文法句型

a/the lane

in the lane

at the end of the lane

常見錯誤

❌The car drove on a narrow lane in the city highway.
✅The car drove in the slow lane on the city highway.
💡a narrow country lane (sense 1) and a marked traffic lane (sense 2) are different meanings; learners often mix them.

2. a painted or clearly divided strip on a road, racecourse, or in a swimming pool,

2.名詞A2
釋義

a painted or clearly divided strip on a road, racecourse, or in a swimming pool, designed to separate moving vehicles or competing athletes from one another

例句

The truck changed into the middle lane without checking its mirror.

collocation: change into [lane type] lane

Hamza chose the fastest lane for his heat of the swimming competition.

collocation: fastest lane

同義詞
  • strip

    a more general word for a long narrow piece of something; less specific than lane

  • course

    used in swimming and racing contexts ('swimming course') but broader in meaning

文法句型

[adjective] lane

lane + number

in / into / out of the lane

用法筆記

In swimming, lane is used with "in" (swim in lane four). In traffic, lane often appears with "into" or "out of" (pull into the fast lane, move out of the middle lane).

常見錯誤

❌She drove on the wrong lane.
✅She drove in the wrong lane.
💡the correct preposition for a traffic lane is 'in', not 'on'.

3. a fixed path through the ocean or the sky that vessels and planes travel along o

3.名詞B1
釋義

a fixed path through the ocean or the sky that vessels and planes travel along on regular trips

例句

The shipping lane between the two ports is busy every day of the year.

collocation: shipping lane

Pilots must follow the assigned air lane to avoid other aircraft in the sky.

collocation: air lane

同義詞
  • route

    more general; a route can be on land, sea, or air, and does not have to be regularly scheduled

  • course

    the specific direction a ship or plane travels at a given time, rather than a fixed marked path

  • pathway

    less technical; describes the general area a vessel moves through

文法句型

shipping lane

sea lane

air lane

in the [adjective] lane

4. in basketball, the painted rectangular area on the court that runs from the free

4.名詞B1
釋義

in basketball, the painted rectangular area on the court that runs from the free-throw line to the baseline below the basket, where offensive players cannot stay for more than three seconds without the ball

例句

Asher drove into the lane and passed the ball to an open teammate.

collocation: drive into the lane

The referee called a three-second violation when Talia stayed in the lane too long.

collocation: stay in the lane / three-second violation

同義詞
  • free-throw lane

    the formal name for this area of the court

  • the key

    informal term for the same area; named for its original keyhole shape

文法句型

the lane

free-throw lane

in / into the lane

用法筆記

Also called the free-throw lane or, in informal basketball talk, the key. The three-second rule applies only to offensive players.

常見錯誤

❌He stepped into the lane and the referee called travelling.
✅He stepped into the lane and the referee called a three-second violation.
💡stepping into the lane relates to the three-second rule or blocking fouls, not travelling.

5. an area of knowledge or skill in which a person is qualified — most common in th

5.名詞B2
釋義

an area of knowledge or skill in which a person is qualified — most common in the advice that one should only discuss matters one really understands

例句

Élise sticks to her own lane when the conversation turns to topics outside medicine.

collocation: stick to / stay in one's lane

When the debate moved into politics, Wei stayed in his lane and did not argue.

同義詞
  • field

    more neutral and formal; 'field of expertise' covers a broader academic or professional area

  • domain

    emphasises the boundaries of an area of knowledge; slightly more technical

  • area

    the most general word; less vivid than the metaphorical 'lane'

  • territory

    similar to 'lane' in suggesting boundaries that should not be crossed

文法句型

one's lane

stay in your lane

in/out of someone's lane

用法筆記

This is the only sense that is always metaphorical. The fixed expression "stay in your lane" is the most common form and means "do not get involved in matters outside your knowledge or responsibility."

常見錯誤

❌Please stay in your lane' (said in a serious work disagreement when someone means 'mind your own business').
✅Please stay in your lane' (used appropriately for expertise boundaries, not for personal privacy).
💡The phrase can sound dismissive; it should be reserved for knowledge or skill boundaries, not general personal matters.