express
ik-SPRES
/ɪkˈsprɛs/
Operating at high speed with few or no intermediate stops.
Emphasizes speed, directness, and efficiency by bypassing minor stops.
The story behind the word. From the Latin 'exprimere', meaning to press out. The connection to speed comes from 'expressly' sent messengers—messengers sent out for a specific, distinct purpose, bypassing all other business. This eventually led to 'express' trains and mail delivery.
Word relationships
- direct: Direct means going straight without changing vehicles, while express means moving fast with minimal stops.
- rapid: Rapid simply means fast, whereas express specifically implies a design or schedule optimized for speed.
- local: A service that stops at all stations along the route.
Commonly confused with
- expressive: Expressive means showing thoughts or feelings, while express in transit means fast and direct.
Word family
- expressly (adverb): Explicitly or for a specific purpose.
Collocations
- express train
- express delivery
- express lane
- express bus
Example sentences
- "We caught the express train, which got us to the city center in half the time." Taking the train
- "The company paid extra for express delivery to ensure the documents arrived overnight." Shipping a package
Memory hook
An express train presses forward without stopping. Express is fast and direct.
When not to use
Do not use for local, multi-stop routes that pause at every station.
Fun facts
- The Pony Express was a famous mail service in the mid-19th century United States that used relays of horse riders to deliver mail across the continent in record time.
Related words
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