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Speed Bump: Definition, Usage & Examples
Meaning 1：traffic calming bump (Speed bump)
Speed bump
/spiːd bʌmp/
n.
A raised section on a road designed to slow down vehicles for safety.
traffic calming bump
➕
/ˈtræfɪk ˈkɑːmɪŋ bʌmp/
n.
A speed bump is a raised section of pavement placed across a road to force vehicles to slow down for safety, typically found in residential areas, school zones, or parking lots.
📘 Details & Usage
📖 Root Explanation
Compound of 'speed' (rate of motion) and 'bump' (raised area).
💡 Mnemonic
Imagine a bump that literally bumps your speed down—think of hitting a speed bump and your car slows automatically.
📖 Example
The new speed bump in our neighborhood has made it much safer for kids to play outside.
The new speed bump in our neighborhood has made it much safer for kids to play outside.
🔗 Collocations
install a speed bump – to place a speed bump on a road
slow down for a speed bump – to reduce speed when approaching a speed bump
speed bump zone – an area marked with speed bumps
🔄 Synonyms
speed hump (n.) – a slightly wider and longer version of a speed bump, often used in lower-speed areas
road hump (n.) – another term for a speed bump, common in British English
traffic calming bump (n.) – a general term for any raised road feature designed to slow traffic
🚫 Antonyms
freeway (n.) – a high-speed road without traffic calming devices
straightaway (n.) – a long, straight section of road with no obstacles to slow speed
📖 Cultural Story
Speed bumps became common in the 1960s in the US as a traffic calming measure, designed to reduce vehicle speeds in residential areas and parking lots for pedestrian safety.
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