across

a|cross [ ə`krɔs ] function word ***

Across can be used in the following ways:

as a preposition (followed by a noun):

I walked across the road.

as an adverb (without a following noun):

Our host hurried across to meet us.

1. ) from one side to the other

a ) moving or looking from one side of a place, space, or line to the other:

Over 70 airlines fly across the Atlantic between Europe and North America.

Barbara stared across the room at her husband.

The children ran straight across in front of our car.

b ) reaching from one side of a space or surface to the other:

Max's body lay across the doorway where he had fallen.

There are four bridges across the Cedar River.

He stood in silence with his arms folded across his chest.

c ) used for showing the width of something:

one mile/two meters etc. across: The channel is less than half a mile across in some places.

2. ) on the opposite side on the opposite side of a road, river, line, etc.:

There's a bus stop just across the road.

They had opened a new factory across the border in Mexico.

across from: I'm staying at a little hotel just across from the Libyan Embassy.

3. ) in a large part of an area or surface

a ) in many parts of an area or country:

an insurance company that has over 120 offices across America

b ) used for saying that something hits or affects a large area of a part of your body:

Julia felt a burning pain across her forehead.

He struck me across the shoulders.

c ) used for saying that something spreads until it covers all of an area or surface:

There is a danger of the conflict spreading across all of Central Africa.

A broad smile spread across the old man's face.

4. ) including a large range of people or things used for saying that something includes or affects a whole range of people or things:

We need to test students' ability across a wide range of subjects.

The figures show that across the economy as a whole there has been steady growth.