Cruise

/kruːz/

verbBeginner📊CommonGeneral
2 meanings2 idioms/phrases3 questions

Definitions

2 meanings
1

To travel at a comfortable speed for enjoyment or relaxation, often in a leisurely manner.

/kruːz/

verbneutralBeginner
General

To travel at a moderate speed, especially for pleasure.

They decided to cruise around the islands.

💡 Simply: Think of slowly riding a boat, a car, or even just walking around without a rush. Like when you're on vacation and taking your time to enjoy the scenery. For example, 'The plane cruised over the mountains at a slow pace.'

👶 For kids: To move slowly and nicely, like a boat on the water.

More Examples

2

The plane cruised at a steady altitude.

3

We cruised down the highway enjoying the scenery.

How It's Used

Travel

"We cruised around the Mediterranean Sea."

Transportation

"The car cruised at 60 mph."

2

A journey for pleasure, especially on a ship, typically visiting several places.

/kruːz/

nounpositiveBeginner
General

A voyage on a ship or boat taken for pleasure.

We are planning a cruise for our anniversary.

💡 Simply: This is like a vacation on a big boat. You travel from place to place, see amazing views, and relax. For instance, 'We're going on a cruise next summer!'

👶 For kids: A trip on a big boat to have fun!

More Examples

2

The cruise included visits to several islands.

3

She enjoyed her first cruise very much.

How It's Used

Travel

"We booked a cruise to the Caribbean."

Tourism

"The cruise was a wonderful experience."

Tip:Picture a vacation with many stops and beautiful scenery.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Synonyms

Idioms & expressions

cruise control

A system that maintains a vehicle at a set speed, typically without the driver's direct input on the accelerator.

"He activated the cruise control to maintain a steady speed on the highway."

on cruise control

Operating automatically or smoothly, especially without significant effort or challenges.

"Once the system was set up, the business was on cruise control."

From Dutch *kruisen* 'to cross', from Middle Dutch *cruisen* 'to cross, sail to and fro', related to Middle English *crosse* 'cross', and reflecting the sailing back and forth, crossing of the seas associated with early maritime voyages.

Originally referring to the act of sailing to and fro, the word gained popularity with the rise of leisure travel and the development of steamships.

Memory tip

Imagine yourself on a ship, slowly exploring a coastline.

Word Origin

LanguageDutch
Original meaning

"to cross"

cruise shipcruise controlcruise aroundcruise vacationluxury cruise

Common misspellings

crusecrusiecrus

Usage

40%Spoken
60%Written