journey

Everyday

1. A journey is a trip from one place to another, often a long one. tree →
2. A journey is also a long time of change or learning: «her journey to become a doctor». tree →
3. To journey is to travel (in stories or formal writing). tree →

In the lessons

a trip with a distance and a time; parts of a journey are added, or the rest of it is found by taking away; in everyday life: the journey to school, car journeys, train journeys; in stories: heroes go on long journeys and quests; phrases: «a long journey», «on a journey», «journey time», «safe journey!»

Examples

• The journey is 240 kilometres long. tree →
• They drove 90 km of the journey before lunch. tree →
• The journey took 3 hours. tree →
• How much of the journey is left? tree →
• My journey to school takes 15 minutes on foot. tree →
• Have a safe journey! tree →
• The hobbits went on a long journey. tree →
• We played games on the train journey. tree →
• Learning to read is a journey that takes time. tree →
• The journey began--the journey to Paris. tree →

Note

Signals distance or time as a whole: the whole journey = the sum of its parts; the part left = whole minus the part done. Trap: a return journey doubles the distance. Plural: journeys (vowel + y, just add s).

In Jewish tradition

In the Torah a journey is often a stage of travel. Abraham, Jacob and the Israelites each set out and travelled on from place to place.

Interpretation. Tradition reads the forty-two journeys of Israel in the wilderness as stages in the life of the people and of each person. Jews see the Torah's travel stories as a pattern for how one grows.

Examples

• And Abram journeyed, going on still toward the South. (Torah GEN.12.9, JPS 1917) tree →
• And Israel journeyed, and spread his tent beyond Migdal-eder. (Torah GEN.35.21, JPS 1917) tree →
• And they journeyed from Dophkah, and pitched in Alush. (Torah NUM.33.13, JPS 1917) tree →
• Now Nineveh was an exceeding great city, of three days' journey. (Prophets JON.3.3, JPS 1917) tree →
• For my husband is not at home, he is gone a long journey; (Writings PRO.7.19, JPS 1917) tree →
• And the children of Israel journeyed, and came unto their cities on the third day. (Prophets JOS.9.17, JPS 1917) tree →

Note

Signals distance or time as a whole: the whole journey = the sum of its parts; the part left = whole minus the part done. Trap: a return journey doubles the distance. Plural: journeys (vowel + y, just add s).