Turnpike

[Carleldon]

What is origin and definition?

[Fibonacci]

A toll road, especially an road with tollgates.

c.1420, "spiked road barrier used for defense," from turn + pike (2) "shaft." Sense transfered. to "horizontal cross of timber, turning on a vertical pin" (1547), which were used to bar horses from foot roads. This led to the sense of "barrier to stop passage until a toll is paid" (1678). Meaning "road with a toll gate" is from 1748, shortening of turnpike road (1745).

[Peter Pedant]

and and and

you can even see them

Manchester, Monton Green and Bridge ?
By the Bridge there is an old gate house and the gate of the gatehouse I think is a re cycled Turn pike gate - certainly looks like it.

Turnpikes were always new-builds just in case you were wondering why they could charge for the use.

[VS Prasad]

Etymology: Middle English turnepike revolving frame bearing spikes and serving as a barrier, from turnen to turn + pike
1 : TOLLGATE
2 a (1) : a road (as an expressway) for the use of which tolls are collected (2) : a road formerly maintained as a turnpike b : a main road; especially : a paved highway with a rounded surface.

http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?book=Dic tionary&va=turnpike
http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=turnp ike

A toll road, also known as a tollway, turnpike, pike or tollpike, is a road for which a driver pays a toll (that is, a fee) for use. Similarly there are toll bridges and toll tunnels. Non-toll roads are financed using other sources of revenue, most typically gasoline tax or general tax funds. Tolls have been placed on roads at various times in history, often to generate funds for repayment of toll revenue bonds used to finance constructions and/or operation. The building or facility where a toll is collected may be called a toll booth, toll plaza, or toll gate.