ways

[ weyz ]

/ weɪz /

noun (used with a singular verb)

Origin of ways

Middle English weyes, Old English weges, genitive singular of weg way¹

Words nearby ways

waymarked, wayne, wayne, john, waynesboro, waypoint, ways, ways and means, ways and means committee, wayside, wayward, wayworn

Definition for ways (2 of 3)

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.

Origin of way

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

SYNONYMS FOR way

3 scheme, device. See method.

4 detail, part.

7 space, interval.

10 track.

14 usage, practice, wont.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR way ON THESAURUS.COM

OTHER WORDS FROM way

way·less, adjective

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH way

way weigh weight

Definition for ways (3 of 3)

-ways

a suffix appearing in native English adverbs: always; sideways.

Origin of -ways

Middle English; see way¹, -s¹

Example sentences from the Web for ways

Also, she was tall and thin, too, further adding to the ways she met the physical beauty conventions.

Why Was Bess Myerson the First and Last Jewish Miss America? |Emily Shire |January 7, 2015 |DAILY BEAST
She says she will have to fight in “other ways” to get her client freed.

Amal Clooney vs. Egypt’s Courts |Christopher Dickey |January 4, 2015 |DAILY BEAST
In some ways I never got out of that unless realizing… well, that kind of seals it off.

The Story Behind Lee Marvin’s Liberty Valance Smile |Robert Ward |January 3, 2015 |DAILY BEAST
But his solution to this metastasizing threat is, in some ways, counterintuitive.

ISIS Fight Has a Spy Shortage, Intel Chair Says |Kimberly Dozier |January 2, 2015 |DAILY BEAST

In some ways, a lot of the stuff we were doing in the Before trilogy is done better in Boyhood.

Coffee Talk with Ethan Hawke: On ‘Boyhood,’ Jennifer Lawrence, and Bill Clinton’s Urinal Exchange |Marlow Stern |December 27, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
What enabled him to see it so clearly was his familiarity with the ways of men and the uncelestial politics of Florence.

The Bridling of Pegasus |Alfred Austin
Yet a church once consecrated, is not to be consecrated again unless it shall have been profaned, which happeneth in three ways.

Churches and Church Ornaments |William Durandus
It took Lady Clare several months to accustom Shag (for that was the colt's name) to her ways.

Boyhood in Norway |Hjalmar Hjorth Boyesen
I turned it a thousand ways, and examined it in every point of view.

Caleb Williams |William Godwin
Yet ways and means had to be provided, and the difficulty grew rather than diminished, until it was decided to cut the knot.

Sir Walter Ralegh |William Stebbing

British Dictionary definitions for ways (1 of 2)

-ways

suffix forming adverbs

indicating direction or manner sideways

Word Origin for -ways

Old English weges, literally: of the way, from weg way

British Dictionary definitions for ways (2 of 2)

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 ways

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

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

ways

noun (used with a singular verb)

Origin of ways

Words nearby ways

Definition for ways (2 of 3)

noun

Origin of way

SYNONYMS FOR way

OTHER WORDS FROM way

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH way

Definition for ways (3 of 3)

Origin of -ways

Example sentences from the Web for ways

British Dictionary definitions for ways (1 of 2)

suffix forming adverbs

Word Origin for -ways

British Dictionary definitions for ways (2 of 2)

noun

adverb

Word Origin for way

Idioms and Phrases with ways

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

ways

noun (used with a singular verb)

Origin of ways

Words nearby ways

Definition for ways (2 of 3)

noun

Origin of way

SYNONYMS FOR way

OTHER WORDS FROM way

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH way

Definition for ways (3 of 3)

Origin of -ways

Words related to ways

Example sentences from the Web for ways

British Dictionary definitions for ways (1 of 2)

suffix forming adverbs

Word Origin for -ways

British Dictionary definitions for ways (2 of 2)

noun

adverb

Word Origin for way

Idioms and Phrases with ways