crossways

Everyday

1. Across from one side to the other, not along; at an angle, often a right angle, to something else. tree →
2. Placed so that one thing crosses over another, like an X. tree →
3. A crossways is a place where four or more roads meet, a crossroads. tree →

In the lessons

In everyday life you cut a sandwich crossways or lay sticks crossways to start a fire. In maths and art it is the same idea as «diagonally» or «across», depending on the shape. In cooking, «cut crossways» means across the short side. A phrase is «get crossways with someone» (US informal), meaning to fall out with them.

Examples

• Cut the sandwich crossways into two triangles. tree →
• Lay the planks crossways over the stream. tree →
• The sticks were placed crossways to make a cross. tree →
• The carrot was sliced crossways into round coins. tree →
• The car stopped crossways across the road and blocked it. tree →
• Fold the paper crossways, from one corner to the other. tree →
• (US informal) He got crossways with his coach and was benched. tree →
• When they had got on some way they came to four crossways, each leading to a different country. tree →

Note

«Crossways» and «crosswise» mean the same; «crosswise» is more common in the US. Not the same as «lengthways» (along the long side). In maths, cutting a rectangle crossways corner to corner gives two triangles; cutting it across the middle gives two smaller rectangles.