causeway

plural causeways

1. A road that is raised so as to be above water, marshland, and similar low-lying obstacles, which in some cases may flood periodically (e.g. due to tides). Originally causeways were much like dykes, generally pierced to let water through, whereas many modern causeways are more like bridges or viaducts.

   Egbert went quickly up to the causeway into the castle, where they heard the sentry sing out as usual, ‘Halt, who goes there?’

   1936, Norman Lindsay, The Flyaway Highway, Sydney: Angus and Robertson, page 89

   2 more examples

   1836, Account of the Old Bridge at Stratford-le-Bow in Essex from Alfred Burges, Esq. addressed to Sir Henry Ellis https://archive.org/details/archaeologiaorm01londgoog . . .the passage over the water of the Luye at Stratford atte Bowe, anciently used to be in a certain place which is called the Old Forde, which is distant from the place where the bridges and causeway now are nearly one mile, at which passage many persons passing over it at divers times were drowned, and in great danger, and when after so much danger came to the knowledge of Lady Matilda, Queen of England […]

   Throughout the parish are ancient causeways paved with irregular slabs of local marble, and in some places the outline of the fossils of small snails can be seen in the stone. The causeways were laid as hard paths for heavily laden pack-animals bringing in wool from outlying hamlets and farms.

   1980, AA Book of British Villages, Drive Publications, page 58

present singular third person causeways · participle present causewaying · participle past causewayed · past causewayed

1. obsoletetransitiveTo pave, to cobble.

   The Glasgow Town Council decided at their last meeting to causeway the following streets at the respective costs given […]

   1878 December 13, The British Architect: A Journal of Architecture and the Accessory Arts, volume 10, number 24, page 235

   2 more examples

   In thus limiting his judgment, I understand that he has not pronounced any opinion in regard to the formation and causewaying of streets […]

   1873, The Scottish Jurist, volume 45, Alexander Dennistoun and Others, Pursuers, v. John Thomson, Defender

   There had been a previous partial allocation, but the final allocation was made in 1875; and the whole sums payable by the owners of the streets for paving and causewaying them, as resolved upon by the Commissioners, have been duly paid.

   1879, “The Kinning Park proprietors v. the police commissioners of Kinning Park.”, in The Journal of Jurisprudence, volume 23, page 556