quote:

He turned left, and they pulled down a side street heading for the river until it dead-ended at Union Street.

The road he was on dead-ended at R Street … . Alex hung a left and continued down R until he found the place.

These, from a book I’m reading, seem wrong to me. To me, a dead end means “no way out, except to turn around and exit the way you came in”. But the book is using it to mean “ending at another street, without passing through”.

What do you think “dead end” means? Is this a misuse?

I agree it's a bit confusing, but I can't think of another word to explain the situation.
Obviously, the road comes to a T-intersection, so to some extent the road you're on does come to a dead end. It doesn't go any further.
I suppose you could just say "ended", but I would suspect from the samples of writing you put in, the writer preferred "dead-ended".
I must also admit I don't have a problem understanding what the phrase means.

I agree with shu. I've never heard dead-end used in this way before, only to mean that there is no way to continue without turning round and retracing your steps.

I, too, agree with you, Shu.

Here's a real dead end.

I agree. "Ended" or "came to an end" would be preferable.

Just checking in from Hedley, BC. I agree with Arnie and Bob..

Just a quick note from someone who earns a living with a stearing wheel. I Drive a concrete mixer, so the roads and places I go are often new (un named). directions will often read M/D, 2nd r, D/E l, on R. translation: Main drag, second right, dead end left, job on right. But I agree that in conversation I would use dead end for no way out.

I've long thought it refers to my posterior after a fifty-mile bike ride.

Otherwise, I feel that "dead end" and "cul-de-sac" are synonyms.

lop, we rarely have a chance to converse with Ready-Mix drivers. Is there any truth to the legend of the one who discovered a convertible parked in front of his mistress's house -- which he recognized as belonging to his romantic rival ..... and filled it with Ready-Mix concrete ??? Or is that just a myth ?

oh, that sounds good, but not true. I do know that when the Soviets needed to destroy tanks in one of the arms limiting agreement they filled them with concrete and used them as moorings.