Meaning & use
chain up area
Last updated
Meaning
nouncountable
A marked roadside area where drivers must stop to fit snow chains on their tires before continuing.
Grammar: Countable: 'a chain up area', 'the chain up areas'. Often used with 'in' or 'at'.
Patterns
- in a chain up area
- at the chain up area
- a chain up area on the road
Signs directed us to a chain up area just before the steep climb.
The chain up area was full of cars and drivers struggling with their chains.
You must stop at the chain up area if you don't have winter tires.
Word forms
| plural | chain up areas |
|---|
Common combinations
- designated chain up area
- The designated chain up area is two miles ahead.
- pull into a chain up area
- We pulled into a chain up area to check our tires.
- chain up area sign
- A chain up area sign warned us about the icy road.
Synonyms and how they differ
- chain fitting area
- A less common term with the same meaning; 'chain up area' is the standard phrase on road signs.
- snow chain station
- Similar but can also refer to a place where chains are rented or fitted by staff, not just a roadside spot.
Word family
- chain verb
- To fasten or secure with chains; 'chain up' means to fit chains to tires.
Commonly confused: chain up area or chain-up?
chain up area vs chain-up
The hyphenated form is often used as an adjective or noun modifier, e.g. 'chain-up area', while the three-word form is more common in full sentences.
Practice
What is a 'chain up area'?
Choose one answer.
A chain up area is specifically a roadside spot where drivers stop to put snow chains on their tires, usually before a steep or snowy section. The other options describe different services.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “chain up area”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.