way¹

[wey]

See more synonyms for way on Thesaurus.com

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.
1. an old Roman or pre-Roman road: Icknield Way.
2. 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.
1. ways,two or more ground ways down which a hull slides in being launched.
2. movement or passage through the water.
Machinery. a longitudinal strip, as in a planer, guiding a moving part along a surface.

Idioms

by the way, in the course of one's remarks; incidentally: By the way, have you received that letter yet?
by way of,
1. by the route of; through; via.
2. as a method or means of: to number articles by way of distinguishing them.
3. British.in the state or position of (being, doing, etc.); ostensibly: He is by way of being an authority on the subject.
come one's way, to come to one; befall one: A bit of good fortune came my way.
give way,
1. to withdraw or retreat: The army gave way before the advance of the enemy.
2. to collapse; yield; break down: You will surely give way under the strain of overwork.
give way to,
1. to yield to: He gave way to their entreaties.
2. 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.
go all the way, Slang.
1. to do completely or wholeheartedly.
2. to take a decisive action, especially one from which no retreat is possible: Neither side wants to go all the way with nuclear warfare.
3. to engage in sexual intercourse.
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,
1. to go along a course in advance of others, as a guide.
2. to take the initiative; be first or most prominent: In fashion she has always led the way.
make one's way,
1. to go forward; proceed: to make one's way through the mud.
2. to achieve recognition or success; advance: to make one's way in the world.
make way,
1. to allow to pass; clear the way: Make way for the king!
2. to relinquish to another; withdraw: He resigned to make way for a younger man.
3. Nautical.to make forward or astern progress even though engines are not running.
no way, Informal. not under any circumstances; no: Apologize to him? No way!
out of the way,
1. in a state or condition so as not to obstruct or hinder.
2. dealt with; disposed of: I feel better, now that one problem is out of the way.
3. murdered: to have a person put out of the way.
4. out of the frequented way; at a distance from the usual route.
5. improper; amiss: There was something decidedly out of the way about her explanation.
6. extraordinary; unusual: Such behavior was out of the way for him.
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 way¹

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

Related formsway·less, adjective

Can be confusedway weigh weight

Synonyms

See more synonyms for way on Thesaurus.com

3. scheme, device. See method. 4. detail, part. 7. space, interval. 10. track. 14. usage, practice, wont.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

British Dictionary definitions for by the way

way

noun

a manner, method, or meansa way of life; a way of knowing
a route or directionthe way home
1. a means or line of passage, such as a path or track
2. (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 generalyou've come a long way
a passage or journeyon the way
characteristic style or mannerI did it in my own way
(often plural) habits; idiosyncrasieshe has some offensive ways
an aspect of something; particularin many ways he was right
1. a street in or leading out of a town
2. (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 homedrop 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, etcthe way of sin
archaic calling or trade
by the way (sentence modifier) in passing or incidentally
by way of
1. via
2. serving asby way of introduction
3. 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
1. to collapse or break down
2. to withdraw or yield
give way to
1. to step aside for or stop for
2. 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
1. to go first
2. to set an example or precedent
make one's way
1. to proceed or advance
2. to achieve success in life
no way informal that is impossible
on the way out informal
1. becoming unfashionable, obsolete, etc
2. dying
out of the way
1. removed or dealt with so as to be no longer a hindrance
2. remote
3. 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 thatI left early the way I would avoid the traffic
under way having started moving or making progress

adverb

informal
1. at a considerable distance or extentway over yonder
2. very farthey're way up the mountain
informal by far; considerablyway better
slang truly; genuinelythey have a way cool site

Word Origin

Old English weg; related to Old Frisian wei, Old Norse vegr, Gothic wigs

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for by the way

way

n.

Old English weg "road, path, course of travel," from Proto-Germanic *wegaz (cf. Old Saxon, Dutch weg, Old Norse vegr, Old Frisian wei, Old High German weg, German Weg, Gothic wigs "way"), from PIE *wegh- "to move" (see weigh). Most of the extended senses developed in Middle English. Adverbial meaning "very, extremely" is by 1986, perhaps from phrase all the way. Ways and means "resources at a person's disposal" is attested from early 15c. Way-out (adj.) "original, bold," is jazz slang, first recorded 1940s. Encouragement phrase way to go is short for that's the way to go.

Idioms and Phrases with by the way

by the way

1

In passing, incidentally, as in She's my wife's cousin, and by the way, a good friend. [Mid-1500s]

2

Parenthetically, in addition, as in We saw Mary last week, and by the way, did Tom call you? [Early 1600s]

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