cross-channel

adjective

Relating to the English Channel; to, from, or on the Continent; involving both Britain and the Continent, especially France

Meanings

cross-channel1

adjectivecross-channel (not comparable)

alternative cross channel · alternative cross-Channel

  1. That travels across a channel of water; relating to somewhere on the opposite side of the channel
    1. UKnot comparableRelating to the English Channel; to, from, or on the Continent; involving both Britain and the Continent, especially France

      Montgomery to command the British land forces under Eisenhower in the cross-Channel invasion

      1951 October 29, “F.D.R.'s big decision”, in Life, page 76
      5 more examples

      The intelligent ship-owner will rejoice to find, that in the partition of trade, which is the inevitable consequence of a state of peace, England still retains the lion's share; whilst for a fine weather and cross channel trade, our neighbours (to use a mariner's phrase) can put to sea in a hencoop, the superiority of our ships and crews secures a preference for British bottoms where dangers are to be run and risks surmounted.

      1834, Michael Thomas Sadler, “The Sadlerian School of Political Economy”, in Selections from the Edinburgh review, volume 6, page 154

      the Gauls, who carried on the cross-channel trade between Gaul and Britain, were the inhabitants of the northern coast.

      1858 (May 1) Notes & Queries, 2nd Series, v.122 p.349

      was it not worth while ... for the country to ... make Dover Harbour really safe and adequate ... they thereby greatly promoted the convenience and safety of the cross-Channel traffic

      1876 (May 23) Baron Carlingford, House of Commons, v229 c1108

      With her graceful lines she is a fine example of the modern cross-channel steamer, and her interior arrangements are considerably superior to those of her predecessors.

      1939 June, G. W. Tripp, “The Modern Railway Steamer”, in Railway Magazine, page 392

      The continued growth of cross-Channel traffic, the urgent question of the renewal of the short-sea fleet of the B.T.C. and its installations, and the possible entry of Britain into the Common Market make an early decision on the tunnel highly desirable, if not vital.

      1961 December, “The Channel Tunnel—a realistic proposal”, in Trains Illustrated, page 722
    2. Irelanddatednot comparableRelating to the body of water between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland (the Irish Sea, Saint George's Channel, and the North Channel); to, from, or in the other of the two islands

      Arriving in Dublin from the Cross Channel steamer

      1940 (June), Norman Somerville, The Rotarian, "Rotary in a Confused World", p.7
      4 more examples

      Effect on the Revenue by the alteration of the Cross Channel Trade: The Acts of last Session of Parliament in regard to the removal of foreign goods between Great Britain and Ireland...

      1825 (February 24) House of Lords Sessional Papers, v.120: Tenth report of the Commissioners of Inquiry into the Collection and Management of the Revenue arising in Ireland, Scotland, etc. p.233

      the complete freedom given to general commercial intercourse, by which the cross-channel trade was made, by 6th Geo. 4th c. 107, a coasting-trade; and the intercourse with Ireland was left as unrestricted as that between London and Newcastle.

      1834 (April 23) Thomas Spring Rice, House of Commons, v22 c1208

      The Central Statistics Office publishes annual figures on the estimated total earnings from all visits to Ireland. These figures include a breakdown into the following categories for overseas travel routes: air cross-channel, sea cross-channel, continental and transatlantic.

      2005 (November 29) Tom Kitt, Dáil Éireann, v611 c8

      2008 (January 23) Tommy Marren, Western People "All-Ireland League could be soccer’s saviour" Our fascination for cross-channel soccer never ceases to amaze me. We head to places like Old Trafford, Stamford Bridge and even Elland Road week in week out in our droves to support teams that have little or no Irish involvement yet we find little or no attraction in attending matches in the eircom League that are virtually on our doorstep.

cross-Channel2

adjectivecross-Channel (not comparable)
  1. alternativenot comparableAlternative spelling of cross-channel.

Origin

Translations

French outre-Manche, transmanche
  • outre-Mancheon the other side of the English channel
  • transmancheon both sides of the English channel
Polish po drugiej stronie Eurotunelu, po obu stronach Eurotunelu
  • po drugiej stronie Eurotuneluon the other side of the English channel
  • po obu stronach Eurotuneluon both sides of the English channel
Cite this entry
APA

cross-channel. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cross-channel

MLA

“cross-channel.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cross-channel. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “cross-channel,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cross-channel.

Source: cross-channel on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.