Speed Limit Definition, Examples & Usage

Meaning 1：maximum legal speed (speed limit)

speed limit 🔊

/spiːd ˈlɪmɪt/

The fastest speed you are legally allowed to drive on a particular road.

maximum legal speed 🔊

➕

/ˈmæksɪməm ˈliːɡəl spiːd/

The highest speed at which a vehicle is legally permitted to travel on a particular road or highway, as indicated by traffic signs.

📁 Category：Transportation & Travel 🔖 Level：Beginner

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

Derived from 'speed' (Old English spēd) and 'limit' (Latin limes 'boundary').

💡 Mnemonic

Think 'Speed' is fast, but 'Limit' holds it back - like a cap on a bottle.

📖 Example

The sign clearly says the speed limit is 50 kilometers per hour on this street, so I need to slow down. 🔊 The sign clearly says the speed limit is 50 kilometers per hour on this street, so I need to slow down.

🔗 Collocations

speed limit sign – A traffic sign that displays the legal speed limit.

exceed the speed limit – To drive faster than the legally allowed maximum speed.

impose a speed limit – To establish a legal maximum speed for a road or area.

🔄 Synonyms

maximum speed (n.) – The highest possible speed allowed, often used interchangeably with speed limit.

legal speed (n.) – The speed that is within the law on a given road.

restricted speed (n.) – A speed that is limited by regulation, typically lower than a maximum.

🚫 Antonyms

no limit (n.) – A situation where there is no legally enforced maximum speed.

unrestricted speed (n.) – Speed that is not subject to any legal cap.

📖 Cultural Story

The first modern speed limit for motor vehicles was introduced in the UK in 1865 (the 'Red Flag Act'), requiring a man to walk ahead with a red flag. Today, speed limits are a universal traffic regulation.