travel

1 verb travelled, travelling BrE, traveled, traveling AmE

1 JOURNEY

a) (I) to go from one place to another, or to several places, especially to distant places: If I had a lot of money I'd travel. | They're travelling down from Edinburgh on Monday. | travel by train/car etc: We travelled by train across Eastern Europe. | travel widely (=go to many different places) | travel around (=go to different places over a period of time): I met Tim while I was travelling around. | travel light (=without taking many bags)

b) travel the world/country to go to most parts of the world or most parts of a particular country

2 well-travelled/widely travelled having travelled to many different countries

3 DISTANCE (I, T) to go a particular distance or at a particular speed: The train was travelling at 100 mph. | They travelled 200 miles on the first day.

4 FOOD/WINE travel well to remain in good condition when taken long distances

5 LIGHT/SOUND (I) to move at a particular speed or in a particular direction: Light travels faster than sound.

6 FOR BUSINESS (I) to go from place to place to sell and take orders for your company's products

(+ for): My wife travels for a London firm.

7 MOVE QUICKLY (I) informal to go very fast: That motorbike was really travelling..

8 NEWS (I) to be passed quickly from one place to another: News travels fast.

9 SPORT (I) technical to run while you are holding the ball in basketball

USAGE NOTE: TRAVEL WORD CHOICE: travel (n,v), sb's travels, journey, trip, voyage, flight Travel (U) is only used for the general activity of moving from place to place: He came home after years of foreign travel. The -ing form of the verb travel is also used widely with a similar meaning: I do a bit of travelling abroad (NOT travel (s)).| travel/travelling expenses | air travel/travelling by air If someone moves from place to place over a period of time, you talk about their travels: Did you go to Rome during your travels? | He's on his travels again. A particular time spent and distance covered when you go somewhere is a journey, especially if it is long or travelled regularly: I get tired of the journey to work every day. | The journey to Darjeeling was awful - I was sick all the way. (NOT travel). A journey to a place and back that is not made regularly, and is perhaps short, is a trip. This is my first trip abroad. | The kids are going on a trip to the castle. | How long does the trip take? (travel would not be used in any of these). A journey by sea or in space is a voyage, and by plane a flight. You take a flight or trip and make or go on a voyage or journey (but NOT a travel). GRAMMAR Travel (v) is not often used transitively except when you are talking about: travelling the country/the world. Otherwise it is usually intransitive and a preposition is used with the place involved: He travels a lot/all over the world. | We travelled to Paris/in India/ through many foreign countries (NOT travelled many countries). 2 noun (U)

1 the act or activity of travelling: Snow has disrupted travel in many parts of the country.

2 travels (plural) journeys, especially to places that are a long way away: Tell us more about your travels. | be off on your travels informal (=be travelling for pleasure): Are you off on your travels again this summer?