trek

Everyday

1. noun: A long, hard journey, especially on foot through mountains, forests or wild country. tree →
2. verb: To go on such a journey. tree →
3. (informal) A long tiring walk to an ordinary place: «It's a trek to the shops». tree →

In the lessons

In geography and adventure stories, people go trekking in the Himalayas or the Andes; in history, the Great Trek was a migration of Boers in South Africa. In everyday speech, «trek» exaggerates a long walk. Phrases: «go trekking», «a long trek», «trek across», «pony trekking» (UK).

Examples

• We went on a three-day trek through the mountains. tree →
• It's a real trek from the car park to the beach. tree →
• Explorers trekked across the frozen Arctic. tree →
• Pony trekking in Wales was the best part of our holiday. tree →
• The refugees trekked for weeks to reach safety. tree →
• Make sure you take water on a long trek. tree →

Note

Past «trekked», «trekking» (double k). Comes from Afrikaans/Dutch «trekken» (to travel, pull). «Star Trek» is a famous TV series. Safety: tell someone your route before a trek.