n. [ AS. rād a riding, that on which one rides or travels, a road, fr. rīdan to ride. See Ride, and cf. Raid. ] 1. A journey, or stage of a journey. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

With easy roads he came to Leicester. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. An inroad; an invasion; a raid. [ Obs. ] Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A place where one may ride; an open way or public passage for vehicles, persons, and animals; a track for travel, forming a means of communication between one city, town, or place, and another. [ 1913 Webster ]

The most villainous house in all the London road. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ The word is generally applied to highways, and as a generic term it includes highway, street, and lane. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. [ Possibly akin to Icel. reiði the rigging of a ship, E. ready. ] A place where ships may ride at anchor at some distance from the shore; a roadstead; -- often in the plural; as, Hampton Roads. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Now strike your saile, ye jolly mariners,
For we be come unto a quiet rode [ road ]. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

On the road, or
Uponthe road, traveling or passing over a road; coming or going; traveling; on the way. [ 1913 Webster ] My hat and wig will soon be here,
They are upon the road. Cowper. [ 1913 Webster ] --
Road agent, a highwayman, especially on the stage routes of the unsettled western parts of the United States; -- a humorous euphemism. [ Western U.S. ] [ 1913 Webster ] The highway robber -- road agent he is quaintly called. The century. [ 1913 Webster ] --
Road book, a guidebook in respect to roads and distances. --
road kill See roadkill in the vocabulary. --
Road metal, the broken, stone used in macadamizing roads. --
Road roller, a heavy roller, or combinations of rollers, for making earth, macadam, or concrete roads smooth and compact. -- often driven by steam. --
Road runner (Zool.), the chaparral cock. --
Road steamer, a locomotive engine adapted to running on common roads. --
To go on the road, to engage in the business of a commercial traveler. [ Colloq. ] --
To take the road, to begin or engage in traveling. --
To take to the road, to engage in robbery upon the highways. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Way; highway; street; lane; pathway; route; passage; course. See Way. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. In railroads, the bed or foundation on which the superstructure (ties, rails, etc.) rests; in common roads, the whole material laid in place and ready for travel. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. sing. & pl. The body of an animal killed by a vehicle on a road; as, it is illegal in most places for a restaurant to serve roadkill as food for people. Also used metaphorically; as, “roadkill on the information superhighway” (a person or corporation defeated by others more expert at using the internet). [ PJC ]

a. Destitute of roads. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who makes roads. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Land adjoining a road or highway; the part of a road or highway that borders the traveled part. Also used ajectively. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Road, 4 + stead a place. ] An anchorage off shore. Same as Road, 4. [ 1913 Webster ]

Moored in the neighboring roadstead. Longfellow. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. (Naut.) A clumsy vessel that works its way from one anchorage to another by means of the tides. Ham. Nav. Encyc. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A horse that is accustomed to traveling on the high road, or is suitable for use on ordinary roads. [ 1913 Webster ]

A sound, swift, well-fed hunter and roadster. Thackeray. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A bicycle or tricycle adapted for common roads rather than for the racing track. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. One who drives much; a coach driver. [ Eng. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

5. A hunter who keeps to the roads instead of following the hounds across country. [ Eng. Slang. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A road; especially, the part traveled by vehicles. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]