n.
Pronunciation: ' str ē t
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English strete, from Old English str ǣ t, from Late Latin strata paved road, from Latin, feminine of stratus, past participle ― more at STRATUM
Date: before 12th century
1 a : a thoroughfare especially in a city, town, or village that is wider than an alley or lane and that usually includes sidewalks b : the part of a street reserved for vehicles c : a thoroughfare with abutting property <lives on a fashionable street >
2 : the people occupying property on a street <the whole street knew about the accident>
3 : a promising line of development or a channeling of effort <a crafty politician working both sides of the street > <success through compromise is a two-way street >
4 capitalized a : a district (as Wall Street or Fleet Street) identified with a particular profession b : the people who work in such a district <doing better than the Street expected>
5 : an environment (as in a depressed neighborhood or section of a city) of poverty, dereliction, or crime <grew up on the mean street s >
– on the street or in the street
1 : idle, homeless, or out of a job
2 : out of prison : at liberty
– up one's street or down one's street : suited to one's abilities or taste