to take to the road
Webster's Dictionary (GCIDE)
1.A journey, or stage of a journey. [Obs.] [1913 Webster]
With easy roads he came to Leicester.— Shak.[1913 Webster]
2.An inroad; an invasion; a raid. [Obs.] --Spenser. [1913 Webster]
3.A place where one may ride; an open way or public passage for vehicles, persons, and animals; a track for travel, forming a means of communication between one city, town, or place, and another. [1913 Webster]
The most villainous house in all the London road.— Shak.[1913 Webster]
Note: The word is generally applied to highways, and as a generic term it includes highway, street, and lane. [1913 Webster]
4.[Possibly akin to Icel. rei[eth]i the rigging of a ship, E. ready.] A place where ships may ride at anchor at some distance from the shore; a roadstead; -- often in the plural; as, Hampton Roads. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
Now strike your saile, ye jolly mariners, For we be come unto a quiet rode [road].— Spenser.[1913 Webster]
On the road, or Uponthe road, traveling or passing over a road; coming or going; traveling; on the way. [1913 Webster]
My hat and wig will soon be here, They are upon the road.— Cowper.[1913 Webster]
Road agent, a highwayman, especially on the stage routes of the unsettled western parts of the United States; -- a humorous euphemism. [Western U.S.] [1913 Webster]
The highway robber -- road agent he is quaintly called.— The century.[1913 Webster]
Road book, a guidebook in respect to roads and distances.
road kill See roadkill in the vocabulary.
Road metal, the broken, stone used in macadamizing roads.
Road roller, a heavy roller, or combinations of rollers, for making earth, macadam, or concrete roads smooth and compact. -- often driven by steam.
Road runner (Zool.), the chaparral cock.
Road steamer, a locomotive engine adapted to running on common roads.
To go on the road, to engage in the business of a commercial traveler. [Colloq.]
To take the road, to begin or engage in traveling.
To take to the road, to engage in robbery upon the highways. [1913 Webster]
Syn: Way; highway; street; lane; pathway; route; passage; course. See Way. [1913 Webster]