headway

English

Etymology

Partly from Middle English headway, from Old English hēafodweġ (“head-road, main-road”), equivalent to head- +‎ way; partly as a shortening of ahead-way, the source of the nautical sense.

Noun

headway (countable and uncountable; plural headways)

1. Movement ahead or forward.
2. (nautical) Forward motion, or its rate.
3. (countable, transport) The interval of time or distance between the fronts of two vehicles (e.g. buses) moving in succession in the same direction, especially along the same pre-determined route.
4. (uncountable, figuratively) Progress toward a goal.
5. (countable) The clearance beneath an object, such as an arch, ceiling or bridge; headroom.
6. (coal-mining) A cross-heading.

Derived terms

• make headway

Translations

Clearance beneath an object

• German: lichte Höhe (de) f
• Russian: просвет (ru) (prosvét) m

• Turkish: kemer yüksekliği (tr), tavan yüksekliği (tr)

Forward motion, or its rate

• German: Vorwärtsfahrt (de) f

• Turkish: yol alma (tr)

Time or distance interval between the fronts of two vehicles

• German: Fahrzeugabstand (de) m

• Turkish: kolbaşları zaman fasılası (tr)

Progress toward a goal

• German: Fortschritt (de) m

• Turkish: gelişme (tr), ilerleme (tr)

See also

• seaway