n. & adv.
--n.
1. a road, track, path, etc., for passing along.
2 a course or route for reaching a place, esp. the best one (asked the way to London).
3 a place of passage into a building, through a door, etc. (could not find the way out).
4 a a method or plan for attaining an object (that is not the way to do it). b the ability to obtain one's object (has a way with him).
5 a a person's desired or chosen course of action. b a custom or manner of behaving; a personal peculiarity (has a way of forgetting things; things had a way of going badly).
6 a specific manner of life or procedure (soon got into the way of it).
7 the normal course of events (that is always the way).
8 a travelling distance; a length traversed or to be traversed (is a long way away).
9 a an unimpeded opportunity of advance. b a space free of obstacles.
10 a region or ground over which advance is desired or natural.
11 advance in some direction; impetus, progress (pushed my way through).
12 movement of a ship etc. (gather way; lose way).
13 the state of being engaged in movement from place to place; time spent in this (met them on the way home; with songs to cheer the way).
14 a specified direction (step this way; which way are you going?).
15 (in pl.) parts into which a thing is divided (split it three ways).
16 colloq. the scope or range of something (want a few things in the stationery way).
17 a person's line of occupation or business.
18 a specified condition or state (things are in a bad way).
19 a respect (is useful in some ways).
20 a (in pl.) a structure of timber etc. down which a new ship is launched. b parallel rails etc. as a track for the movement of a machine.
--adv. colloq. to a considerable extent; far (you're way off the mark).
Phrases and idioms:
across (or over) the way opposite. any way ANYWAY. be on one's way set off; depart. by the way 1 incidentally; as a more or less irrelevant comment.
2 during a journey.
by way of
1. through; by means of.
2 as a substitute for or as a form of (did it by way of apology).
3 with the intention of (asked by way of discovering the truth). come one's way become available to one; become one's lot. find a way discover a means of obtaining one's object. get (or have) one's way (or have it one's own way etc.) get what one wants; ensure one's wishes are met.
give way
1. a make concessions. b fail to resist; yield.
2 (often foll. by to) concede precedence (to).
3 (of a structure etc.) be dislodged or broken under a load; collapse.
4 (foll. by to) be superseded by.
5 (foll. by to) be overcome by (an emotion etc.).
6 (of rowers) row hard. go out of one's way (often foll. by to + infin.) make a special effort; act gratuitously or without compulsion (went out of their way to help). go one's own way act independently, esp. against contrary advice.
go one's way
1. leave, depart.
2 (of events, circumstances, etc.) be favourable to one. go a person's way accompany a person (are you going my way?). have it both ways see BOTH. in its way if regarded from a particular standpoint appropriate to it. in no way not at all; by no means. in a way in a certain respect but not altogether or completely. in the (or one's) way forming an obstacle or hindrance.
lead the way
1. act as guide or leader.
2 show how to do something.
look the other way
1. ignore what one should notice.
2 disregard an acquaintance etc. whom one sees. one way and another taking various considerations into account. one way or another by some means.
on the (or one's) way
1. in the course of a journey etc.
2 having progressed (is well on the way to completion).
3 colloq. (of a child) conceived but not yet born. on the way out colloq. going down in status, estimation, or favour; going out of fashion. the other way about (or round) in an inverted or reversed position or direction.
out of the way
1. no longer an obstacle or hindrance.
2 disposed of; settled.
3 (of a person) imprisoned or killed.
4 (with neg.) common or unremarkable (nothing out of the way).
5 (of a place) remote, inaccessible. out of one's way not on one's intended route. put a person in the way of give a person the opportunity of. way back colloq. long ago. way-leave a right of way rented to another. the way of the Cross a series of paintings or representations of the events in Christ's passion, esp. in a church. way of life the principles or habits governing all one's actions etc. way of thinking one's customary opinion of matters. way of the world conduct no worse than is customary.
way-out colloq.
1. unusual, eccentric.
2 avant-garde, progressive.
3 excellent, exciting.
ways and means
1. methods of achieving something.
2 methods of raising government revenue.
way station US
1. a minor station on a railway.
2 a point marking progress in a certain course of action etc. way-worn tired with travel.
Etymology: OE weg f. Gmc: (adv.) f. AWAY