way
1
[ wey ]
/ weɪ /
noun
manner, mode, or fashion: a new way of looking at a matter; to reply in a polite way.
characteristic or habitual manner: Her way is to work quietly and never complain.
a method, plan, or means for attaining a goal: to find a way to reduce costs.
a respect or particular: The plan is defective in several ways.
a direction or vicinity: Look this way. We're having a drought out our way.
passage or progress on a course: to make one's way on foot; to lead the way.
Often ways.
distance: They've come a long way.
a path or course leading from one place to another: What's the shortest way to town?
British.
- an old Roman or pre-Roman road: Icknield Way.
- a minor street in a town: He lives in Stepney Way.
a road, route, passage, or channel (usually used in combination): highway; waterway; doorway.
Law.
a right of way.
any line of passage or travel, used or available: to blaze a way through dense woods.
space for passing or advancing: to clear a way through the crowd.
Often ways.
a habit or custom: The grandmother lived by the ways of the old country.
course or mode of procedure that one chooses or wills: They had to do it my way.
condition, as to health, prosperity, or the like: to be in a bad way.
range or extent of experience or notice: the best device that ever came in my way.
a course of life, action, or experience: The way of transgressors is hard.
Informal.
business: to be in the haberdashery way.
Nautical.
- ways, two or more ground ways down which a hull slides in being launched.
- movement or passage through the water.
Machinery.
a longitudinal strip, as in a planer, guiding a moving part along a surface.
Idioms for way
- by the route of; through; via.
- as a method or means of: to number articles by way of distinguishing them.
- British. in the state or position of (being, doing, etc.); ostensibly: He is by way of being an authority on the subject.
by the way,
in the course of one's remarks; incidentally: By the way, have you received that letter yet?
by way of,
- to withdraw or retreat: The army gave way before the advance of the enemy.
- to collapse; yield; break down: You will surely give way under the strain of overwork.
- to yield to: He gave way to their entreaties.
- to become unrestrained or uninhibited; lose control of (one's temper, emotions, etc.): I gave way to my rage and ordered them from the house.
- to do completely or wholeheartedly.
- to take a decisive action, especially one from which no retreat is possible: Neither side wants to go all the way with nuclear warfare.
- to engage in sexual intercourse.
- to go along a course in advance of others, as a guide.
- to take the initiative; be first or most prominent: In fashion she has always led the way.
- to go forward; proceed: to make one's way through the mud.
- to achieve recognition or success; advance: to make one's way in the world.
- to allow to pass; clear the way: Make way for the king!
- to relinquish to another; withdraw: He resigned to make way for a younger man.
- Nautical. to make forward or astern progress even though engines are not running.
- in a state or condition so as not to obstruct or hinder.
- dealt with; disposed of: I feel better, now that one problem is out of the way.
- murdered: to have a person put out of the way.
- out of the frequented way; at a distance from the usual route.
- improper; amiss: There was something decidedly out of the way about her explanation.
- extraordinary; unusual: Such behavior was out of the way for him.
come one's way,
to come to one; befall one: A bit of good fortune came my way.
give way,
give way to,
go all the way, Slang.
go out of one's way,
to do something that inconveniences one; make an unusual effort: Please don't go out of your way on my account.
have a way with,
to have a charming, persuasive, or effective manner of dealing with: He has a way with children; to have a way with words.
have one's way with,
(especially of a man) to have sexual intercourse with, sometimes by intimidating or forcing one's partner.
in a family way,
pregnant.
in a way,
after a fashion; to some extent: In a way, she's the nicest person I know.
in someone's way,
forming a hindrance, impediment, or obstruction: She might have succeeded in her ambition, had not circumstances been in her way.
Also in the way.
lead the way,
make one's way,
make way,
no way, Informal.
not under any circumstances; no: Apologize to him? No way!
out of the way,
pave the way to/for.
pave(def 3).
see one's way clear,
to regard as suitable or possible; consider seriously: We couldn't see our way clear to spending so much money at once.
Also see one's way.
take one's way,
to start out; travel; go: He took his way across the park and headed uptown.
Origin of way
1
before 900; Middle English
wei(gh)e, wai, Old English
weg; cognate with Dutch, German
Weg, Old Norse
vegr, Gothic
wigs; akin to Latin
vehere to carry
OTHER WORDS FROM way
way·less, adjectiveWords nearby way
British Dictionary definitions for in a way
way
/ (weɪ) /
noun
a manner, method, or means
a way of life; a way of knowing
a route or direction
the way home
- a means or line of passage, such as a path or track
- (in combination)waterway
space or room for movement or activity (esp in the phrases make way, in the way, out of the way)
distance, usually distance in general
you've come a long way
a passage or journey
on the way
characteristic style or manner
I did it in my own way
(often plural)
habits; idiosyncrasies
he has some offensive ways
an aspect of something; particular
in many ways he was right
- a street in or leading out of a town
- (capital when part of a street name)Icknield Way
something that one wants in a determined manner (esp in the phrases get or have one's (own) way)
the experience or sphere in which one comes into contact with things (esp in the phrase come one's way)
informal
a state or condition, usually financial or concerning health (esp in the phrases in a good (or bad) way)
informal
the area or direction of one's home
drop in if you're ever over my way
movement of a ship or other vessel
a right of way in law
a guide along which something can be moved, such as the surface of a lathe along which the tailstock slides
(plural)
the wooden or metal tracks down which a ship slides to be launched
a course of life including experiences, conduct, etc
the way of sin
archaic
calling or trade
by the way (sentence modifier)
in passing or incidentally
by way of
- via
- serving asby way of introduction
- in the state or condition ofby way of being an artist
each way
(of a bet) laid on a horse, dog, etc, to win or gain a place
give way
- to collapse or break down
- to withdraw or yield
give way to
- to step aside for or stop for
- to give full rein to (emotions, etc)
go out of one's way
to take considerable trouble or inconvenience oneself
have a way with
to have such a manner or skill as to handle successfully
have it both ways
to enjoy two things that would normally contradict each other or be mutually exclusive
in a way
in some respects
in no way
not at all
lead the way
- to go first
- to set an example or precedent
make one's way
- to proceed or advance
- to achieve success in life
no way informal
that is impossible
on the way out informal
- becoming unfashionable, obsolete, etc
- dying
out of the way
- removed or dealt with so as to be no longer a hindrance
- remote
- unusual and sometimes improper
pay one's way See pay 1 (def. 11)
see one's way or see one's way clear
to find it possible and be willing (to do something)
the way Irish
so that
I left early the way I would avoid the traffic
under way
having started moving or making progress
adverb
informal
- at a considerable distance or extentway over yonder
- very farthey're way up the mountain
informal
by far; considerably
way better
slang
truly; genuinely
they have a way cool site
Word Origin for way
Old English
weg; related to Old Frisian
wei, Old Norse
vegr, Gothic
wigs
Idioms and Phrases with in a way (1 of 2)
in a way
To a certain extent, with reservations; also, in some respects. For example, In a way I like the new styles, or You're right, in a way, but we have to consider the price. [Mid-1800s]
Idioms and Phrases with in a way (2 of 2)
way
In addition to the idioms beginning with way
- way the wind blows, which
- way to go
also see:
- all the way
- by the way
- by way of
- can't punch one's way out of a paper bag
- come a long way
- come one's way
- cut both ways
- downhill all the way
- every which way
- feel one's way
- find one's way
- from way back
- get one's way
- give way
- go all the way
- go a long way toward
- go one's way
- go out of one's way
- go the way of all flesh
- hard way
- have a way with
- have it both ways
- have one's way with
- in a bad way
- in a big way
- in a way
- in one's way
- in the family way
- in the way
- in the worst way
- know all the answers (one's way around)
- laugh all the way to the bank
- lead the way
- look the other way
- make one's way
- make way
- mend one's ways
- more than one way to skin a cat
- not built that way
- no two ways about it
- no way
- one way or another
- on one's way
- on the way
- on the way out
- other way round
- out of the way
- parting of the ways
- pave the way
- pay one's way
- pick one's way
- put in the way of
- right of way
- rub the wrong way
- see one's way to
- set in one's ways
- show the way
- take the wrong way
- that's how (the way) the ball bounces
- under way
- wend one's way
- work one's way