I. ˈwā noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English weg; akin to Old High German weg way, Old English wegan to move, Latin vehere to carry, via way
Date: before 12th century
1.
a. : a thoroughfare for travel or transportation from place to place
b. : an opening for passage
this door is the only way out of the room
2. : the course traveled from one place to another : route
asked the way to the museum
3.
a. : a course (as a series of actions or sequence of events) leading in a direction or toward an objective
led the way to eventual open heart operations — Current Biography
b.
(1) : a course of action
took the easy way out
(2) : opportunity, capability, or fact of doing as one pleases
always manages to get her own way
c. : a possible decision, action, or outcome : possibility
they were rude—no two way s about it
4.
a. : manner or method of doing or happening
admired her way of thinking
also : method of accomplishing : means
that's the way to do it
b. : feature , respect
in no way resembles her mother
c. : a usually specified degree of participation in an activity or enterprise
active in real estate in a small way
5.
a. : characteristic, regular, or habitual manner or mode of being, behaving, or happening
knows nothing of the way s of women
b. : ability to get along well or perform well
she has a way with kids
a way with words
6. : the length of a course : distance
has come a long way in her studies
still have a way to go
7. : movement or progress along a course
worked her way up the corporate ladder
8.
a. : direction
is coming this way
b. : participant — usually used in combination
three- way discussion
9. : state of affairs : condition , state
that's the way things are
10.
a. plural but sometimes singular in construction : an inclined structure upon which a ship is built or supported in launching
b. plural : the guiding surfaces on the bed of a machine along which a table or carriage moves
11. : category , kind — usually used in the phrase in the way of
doesn't require much in the way of expensive equipment — Forbes
12. : motion or speed of a ship or boat through the water
Synonyms: see method
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- all the way
- by the way
- by way of
- in a way
- in one's way
- on the way
- out of the way
- the way
II. adjective
Date: 1799
: of, connected with, or constituting an intermediate point on a route
III. adverb
Date: 1849
1.
a. : away 7
is way ahead of the class
b. : by far : much
ate way too much
c. : very 2
way cool
way excited
2. : all the way
pull the switch way back
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- from way back