Words / A1

zebr-uh-KROS-ing/ˌzebrə ˈkrɒsɪŋ/

A zebra crossing is a place on a British road with black and white stripes where people can walk across; cars should stop. Countable: a zebra crossing, zebra crossings. Two words: zebra crossing. Traffic lights use red and green; a kerb is the stone edge of the pavement, not the stripes. Mix-up: zebra (the striped animal) alone — here it is a road marking, not an animal on the road.

Meaning

A place on a road with black and white stripes where people can walk across (British).

Examples

• “Stop at the zebra crossing for the children.”
• “Wait at the zebra crossing until the cars stop.”
• “The school is next to a zebra crossing.”

Good to know

a zebra crossing (British, stripes, walk). Contrast: traffic lights (red/green), kerb (edge). Mix-up: zebra the animal.

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