across - Master This Word
Master this word with our 5-step learning method – Learn English in English
across Word Meanings
- from one side to the other
- in various directions
- to the other side of something
across Example Sentences
Example sentences are the start of understanding. Don't rush to memorize. First feel how the word works in a sentence.
across Phonetic & Pronunciation
UK
/əˈkrɒs/
US
/əˈkrɔs/
across Word Etymology
Across: a- = on, cross = across. From Middle English ‘acros’ from Old French ‘à travers’ from Latin ‘quasi trans’. Imagine a bridge connecting two sides, symbolizing crossing over.
Note 1: These definitions and etymologies are not standard dictionary definitions, but extended explanations provided to help with memorization and understanding of the actual application of words. Through this background information, we strive to make words more vivid and easier to understand, and help you remember their meanings in real life.
Note 2: LexiTalk designs the learning flow around the linguistics principle of “Comprehensible Input.” When learners encounter material that is slightly above their level but still understandable from context, the brain naturally absorbs the language. That’s why we keep every word inside authentic contexts, using examples and associations to help you understand it and use it flexibly.
Read the FAQ explanation of Comprehensible InputEnglish Brain Route
I bend my knees, push off the curb, and step across the street. I keep my eyes ahead, adjusting my pace as I go from one sidewalk to the far curb. The rhythm feels like a tiny test: move, shift, and set my footing until I reach the far side. By the time I place my foot on the other curb, the idea of across clicks in—from one side to the other, a line drawn by where I am now.
Real Context
Across is a versatile word that helps you describe movement from one side to another, or that something extends in many directions. As a preposition, you say a road goes across the valley, or you walk across the street. As an adverb, you can say the wind blew across from left to right, or the map shows the town spread across in multiple districts. It also appears in phrases like across from, across the hall, or across the board. Remember that across is not always a synonym for through or over; it emphasizes crossing a boundary or span.
Usage Reminders
- • Across is often about crossing boundaries, not just moving through.
- • It pairs with nouns (across the street) and with phrases (across from, across the board).
- • Don’t confuse across with through when you mean “from one side to the other.”
- • It can describe both physical and figurative directions.
- • Check collocations and practice with varied contexts to sound natural.
Common Misconceptions
- It is always a direct synonym of through or over.
- It only describes physical movement, not ideas or spreads.
- It must always come before the noun (across the street) and never after the verb.
- It cannot be used with abstract concepts or time.
- Across always means from one side to the opposite side; it cannot mean along.
Thinking Differences
In English, across often highlights a boundary or span to cross, with a strong sense of directionality and surface-based movement. Learners may overgeneralize it to mean merely 'through' or use it with time phrases. Practicing varied collocations (across from, across the board) helps prevent stiffness and keeps usage natural.
Learning Tips
- Practice with street-level phrases (across the street).
- Learn fixed expressions (across from, across the board).
- Compare across with through and over in context.
- Visualize crossings on maps to fix spatial sense.
- Use across in both physical and figurative meaning.
- Listen for natural collocations in spoken English.
5-Step Learning Method - Learn English in English
Step 1: Meaning
What does the word 'across' mean?
A.Up
B.Through
C.Behind
D.Nearby
Step 2: Usage
In which of the following sentences is 'across' used correctly?
A.He walked down the river
B.I sat on the across bench
C.She looked around the park
D.They swam across the lake
Step 3: Similar Words
Which word is most similar to 'across'?
A.Within
B.Under
C.Over
D.Beside
Step 4: Opposite Words
What is the opposite of 'across'?
A.Adjacent
B.Around
C.Below
D.Amidst
Step 5: Mastery
In what real-life context might you use the word 'across'?
A.Reading a book
B.Cooking a meal
C.Giving directions
D.Playing a game
Related Listening
🔥 Advanced
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