(the) right of way
1. The right to pass over or cut through property that is privately owned by someone else. Because I bought this land from government, they have right of way in certain portions.
2. The legal right to travel in front or across the path of another vehicle. At an intersection with four stop signs, the person who arrived first has right of way. Pedestrians always have the right of way at these designated crosswalks.
*right-of-way
the legal right to occupy a particular space on a public roadway. (*Typically: get ~; have ~; give someone ~; yield ~.) I had a traffic accident yesterday, but it wasn't my fault. I had the right-of-way. Don't pull out onto a highway if you haven't yielded the right-of-way.