Lane Names a Narrow Road and a Swimming Channel
A lane is a narrow road. The word now marks divisions on roads, in pools and on running tracks.
A lane is a narrow road, or a marked division of a wider one. The word spread from country roads to any marked channel: traffic lanes, swimming lanes, bowling lanes and the lanes of a running track. On a curved track the outer lanes are staggered at the start, because a runner in lane eight would otherwise cover a considerably longer distance. *Lane* is Old English and has kept its shape almost unchanged for a thousand years.
- A narrow road. *A country lane.*
- A road division. *The inside lane.*
- A swimming channel. *Lane four.*
- A shipping route. *A sea lane.*
- Old English — *lanu*. *The source.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | lane | A lane. |
| Plural | lanes | Lanes. |
| Compound | laneway | A laneway. |
| Compound | sea lane | A sea lane. |
| Old English | lanu | A lane. |
- They walked down the lane.Road.
- Move into the left lane.Traffic.
- She swam in lane three.Pool.
Why running lanes are staggered
- The bends make outer lanes longer than inner ones
- Each lane out adds roughly seven metres per lap
- Staggered starts equalise the total distance
- Straight sprints need no stagger at all
- Lane one is shortest, which is why it is often preferred
Old English *lanu*, a narrow way, of Germanic origin.
Why do runners start at different points?
The bends make outer lanes longer, so staggered starts equalise the distance each runner covers over a lap.
How much longer is an outer lane?
Roughly seven metres per lap for each lane further out on a standard track.