ˌright of ˈway noun (plural rights of way) 1 [uncountableU]TTR the right to drive into or across a road before other vehicles 〔车辆的〕先行权,优先通行权 I never know who has right of way at this junction. British EnglishBrE 我从来搞不清楚这个交叉口谁有先行权。
The law here says that pedestrians always have the right of way. 这儿的法律规定永远是行人优先通行。
2 [countableC] British EnglishBrE a) TTRthe right to walk across someone else’s land 〔在他人土地上的〕通行权,穿行权 Walkers are often quite aggressive about their rights of way. 步行者经常很在意自己的通行权。
b) TTRa path that people have the right to use 公用通道 The path is not a public right of way. 这条小路不是公共通道。
have the right of way• They should be designed with the needs of cycle traffic in mind and should normally have the right of way at crossroads.• If this happens then the parents have the right of way, so to speak. public right of way• Such roads may or may not be subject to a public right of way or rights of way to specific landowners.
From Longman Business Dictionary
right of wayˌright of ˈway noun (plural rights of way) [countableC, uncountableU]LAWPROPERTY the legal right to pass across land that does not belong to youThe court said California must pay compensation in exchange for a public right of way over beachfront property.