way 1
— wayless , adj.
/way/ , n.
1. manner, mode, or fashion: a new way of looking at a matter; to reply in a polite way.
2. characteristic or habitual manner: Her way is to work quietly and never complain.
3. a method, plan, or means for attaining a goal: to find a way to reduce costs.
4. a respect or particular: The plan is defective in several ways.
5. a direction or vicinity: Look this way. We're having a drought out our way.
6. passage or progress on a course: to make one's way on foot; to lead the way.
7. Often, ways . distance: They've come a long way.
8. a path or course leading from one place to another: What's the shortest way to town?
9. Brit.
a. an old Roman or pre-Roman road: Icknield Way.
b. a minor street in a town: He lives in Stepney Way.
10. a road, route, passage, or channel (usually used in combination): highway; waterway; doorway.
11. Law. a right of way.
12. any line of passage or travel, used or available: to blaze a way through dense woods.
13. space for passing or advancing: to clear a way through the crowd.
14. Often, ways . a habit or custom: The grandmother lived by the ways of the old country.
15. course or mode of procedure that one chooses or wills: They had to do it my way.
16. condition, as to health, prosperity, or the like: to be in a bad way.
17. range or extent of experience or notice: the best device that ever came in my way.
18. a course of life, action, or experience: The way of transgressors is hard.
19. Informal. business: to be in the haberdashery way.
20. Naut.
a. ways , two or more ground ways down which a hull slides in being launched.
b. movement or passage through the water.
21. Mach. a longitudinal strip, as in a planer, guiding a moving part along a surface.
22. by the way , in the course of one's remarks; incidentally: By the way, have you received that letter yet?
23. by way of ,
a. by the route of; through; via.
b. as a method or means of: to number articles by way of distinguishing them.
c. Brit. in the state or position of (being, doing, etc.); ostensibly: He is by way of being an authority on the subject.
24. come one's way , to come to one; befall one: A bit of good fortune came my way.
25. give way ,
a. to withdraw or retreat: The army gave way before the advance of the enemy.
b. to collapse; yield; break down: You will surely give way under the strain of overwork.
26. give way to ,
a. to yield to: He gave way to their entreaties.
b. 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.
27. go all the way , Slang.
a. to do completely or wholeheartedly.
b. to take a decisive action, esp. one from which no retreat is possible: Neither side wants to go all the way with nuclear warfare.
c. to engage in sexual intercourse.
28. 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.
29. 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.
30. have one's way with , (esp. of a man) to have sexual intercourse with, sometimes by intimidating or forcing one's partner.
31. in a family way , pregnant.
32. in a way , after a fashion; to some extent: In a way, she's the nicest person I know.
33. 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 .
34. lead the way ,
a. to go along a course in advance of others, as a guide.
b. to take the initiative; be first or most prominent: In fashion she has always led the way.
35. make one's way ,
a. to go forward; proceed: to make one's way through the mud.
b. to achieve recognition or success; advance: to make one's way in the world.
36. make way ,
a. to allow to pass; clear the way: Make way for the king!
b. to relinquish to another; withdraw: He resigned to make way for a younger man.
c. Naut. to make forward or astern progress even though engines are not running.
37. no way , Informal. not under any circumstances; no: Apologize to him? No way!
38. out of the way ,
a. in a state or condition so as not to obstruct or hinder.
b. dealt with; disposed of: I feel better, now that one problem is out of the way.
c. murdered: to have a person put out of the way.
d. out of the frequented way; at a distance from the usual route.
e. improper; amiss: There was something decidedly out of the way about her explanation.
f. extraordinary; unusual: Such behavior was out of the way for him.
39. pave the way to or for . See pave (def. 2).
40. 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 .
41. take one's way , to start out; travel; go: He took his way across the park and headed uptown.
[ bef. 900; ME wei ( gh ) e, wai, OE weg; c. D, G Weg, ON vegr, Goth wigs; akin to L vehere to carry ]
Syn. 3. scheme, device. See method. 4. detail, part. 7. space, interval. 10. track. 14. usage, practice, wont.
way 2
/way/ , adv.
1. Also, 'way . away; from this or that place: Go way.
2. to a great degree or at quite a distance; far: way too heavy; way down the road.
[ 1175-1225; ME, aph. var. of AWAY ]