Dead end meaning What does at a dead end expression mean? Definitions by the largest Idiom Dictionary. The term dead end started its journey in the world of town planning, meaning a road with only one entrance or exit. S. Find out how to use dead-end in a sentence and its word history and origin. Definition of dead end noun in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. dead end synonyms, dead end pronunciation, dead end translation, English dictionary definition of dead end. The figurative use of the term to describe situations with no viable solutions likely evolved from this literal sense. a. Define dead-end. Signs on these streets warn drivers that they can’t go through. Find out how to pronounce dead end and translate it into other languages. a position or job with no hope of progress; a blind alley. dead-end synonyms, dead-end pronunciation, dead-end translation, English dictionary definition of dead-end. a situation that has no hope…. Learn the meaning of dead-end as an adjective, verb, and noun, with synonyms and example sentences. Although dead end streets would fit his definition of looped local roads, Alexander suggestions that "cul-de-sacs [sic] are very bad from a social standpoint—they force interaction and they feel claustrophobic, because there is only one entrance". Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more. Dead end definition: . a situation in which it is impossible to make progress: . a dead end phrase. n. 2. a situation in which any progress is not possible. Apr 20, 2023 · dead end. Definition of a dead end in the Idioms Dictionary. at a dead end phrase. A dead end is a street with no exit, or a situation with no progress or hope. Metaphorical Meaning: Dead-End Jobs Definition of at a dead end in the Idioms Dictionary. a road that is closed at one end 2. DEAD END definition: 1. This design keeps the area quiet and private for people living there. See examples of DEAD END used in a sentence. An end of a passage, especially a street, that affords no exit. They are a clear change from the grid-like streets of city centers. What does a dead end expression mean? Definitions by the largest Idiom Dictionary. Learn the meaning, synonyms, and usage of dead end in British and American English with Collins Dictionary. The literal sense of dead end is recorded from the 1880s, but it was around the 1920s that it began to be used metaphorically to describe a situation with no progress or escape. DEAD END meaning: 1 : a street that ends instead of joining with another street so that there is only one way in and out of it; 2 : a situation, plan, or way of doing something that leads to nothing further Define dead end. D. Learn more. dead end phrase. Apr 6, 2025 · Examples of Dead-End Streets. b. , that has no exit. a street, corridor, road, pipe, etc. [16] Definition of dead end in the Idioms Dictionary. Dead end is a word with six meanings, such as a road that ends without a turnoff or a situation that leads nowhere. Learn how to pronounce it, how common it is, and when it was first used in English. adj. 5 days ago · a street with only one way in or out. A dead end refers to a street or road that has no exit, forcing travelers to turn around and retrace their path. 1. a road that is closed at one end, and does not lead anywhere: 2. DEAD END meaning: 1. What does dead end expression mean? Definitions by the largest Idiom Dictionary. Having no exit except for going back the way one came. Learn the meaning of dead end as a noun and a verb in English, with synonyms, related words, and usage examples. Meaning. , you’ll find these dead-end streets mostly in suburbs. The origin of “dead end” as an idiom can be traced to its literal meaning in road construction. dead end. In the U.