Online OXFORD Collocation Dictionary

path noun

¹ way across land

ADJ. long | narrow | steep | winding | cliff, coast, coastal, forest, garden, woodland | pedestrian, public | cycle | bridle

VERB + PATH follow, go along/down/up, take Follow this path for about 100 metres, and it's on your right. | climb | keep on/to, stay on | leave, stray off | clear, make A path was cleared through the jungle.

PATH + VERB go, run That path goes down to the sea. | descend | follow sth The path follows the stream for quite a way. | branch off, leave sth The path left the river bank and wound its way into the woods. | divide, fork | go to sth, lead (to) sth Where does this path lead? | bear left/right | wind, zig-zag Then the path zig-zags steeply uphill for a while. | be marked (sth), be signposted (sth) The path is clearly marked. | narrow, widen

PREP. along/down/up a/the ~ children running along the path | on a/the ~ I think we're on the path we used yesterday. | ~ along/beside/by the path along the canal | ~ for a path for cyclists | ~ from the path from the hotel to the beach | ~ through I took the path through the park. | ~ to

² line of movement

ADJ. correct | flight The pilot was instructed to change his flight path.

VERB + PATH steer He steered a path through the crowd. | trace Scientists can trace the path of the tornado. | block, stand in You're standing in my path!

PREP. across sth's ~ The car pulled right across the path of another vehicle. | in/into the sth's ~ She stepped into the path of an oncoming lorry. | out of sth's ~ I managed to jump out of the path of the bike just in time. | ~ through Footsteps had scored a diagonal path through the snow. | ~ to He moved quickly to block her path to the door.

PHRASES everything in sb/sth's path The tornado destroyed everything in its path.

³ way of achieving sth

ADJ. well-trodden, well-worn Her education followed the usual well-worn path of rich youngsters in the 1930s. | chosen | career

VERB + PATH choose, find Everyone has to find their own path in life. | follow, pursue, tread | deviate from

PREP. on a/the ~ His feet were now firmly on the path to success. | ~ of The path of true love is never easy. | ~ to the path to happiness

PHRASES obstacles in sb/sth's path