way
1 Americannoun
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manner, mode, or fashion.
a new way of looking at a matter; to reply in a polite way.
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characteristic or habitual manner.
Her way is to work quietly and never complain.
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a method, plan, or means for attaining a goal.
to find a way to reduce costs.
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a respect or particular.
The plan is defective in several ways.
- Synonyms:
- detail
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a direction or vicinity.
Look this way. We're having a drought out our way.
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passage or progress on a course.
to make one's way on foot; to lead the way.
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Often distance.
They've come a long way.
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a path or course leading from one place to another.
What's the shortest way to town?
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British.
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an old Roman or pre-Roman road.
Icknield Way.
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a minor street in a town.
He lives in Stepney Way.
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a road, route, passage, or channel (usually used in combination).
highway; waterway; doorway.
- Synonyms:
- track
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Law. a right of way.
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any line of passage or travel, used or available.
to blaze a way through dense woods.
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space for passing or advancing.
to clear a way through the crowd.
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Often a habit or custom.
The grandmother lived by the ways of the old country.
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course or mode of procedure that one chooses or wills.
They had to do it my way.
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condition, as to health, prosperity, or the like.
to be in a bad way.
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range or extent of experience or notice.
the best device that ever came in my way.
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a course of life, action, or experience.
The way of transgressors is hard.
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Informal. business.
to be in the haberdashery way.
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Nautical.
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ways, two or more ground ways down which a hull slides in being launched.
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movement or passage through the water.
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Machinery. a longitudinal strip, as in a planer, guiding a moving part along a surface.
idioms
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give way to,
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to yield to.
He gave way to their entreaties.
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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.
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come one's way, to come to one; befall one.
A bit of good fortune came my way.
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give way,
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to withdraw or retreat.
The army gave way before the advance of the enemy.
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to collapse; yield; break down.
You will surely give way under the strain of overwork.
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by way of,
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by the route of; through; via.
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as a method or means of.
to number articles by way of distinguishing them.
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British. in the state or position of (being, doing, etc.); ostensibly.
He is by way of being an authority on the subject.
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take one's way, to start out; travel; go.
He took his way across the park and headed uptown.
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in someone's way, forming a hindrance, impediment, or obstruction: Also in the way
She might have succeeded in her ambition, had not circumstances been in her way.
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see one's way clear, to regard as suitable or possible; consider seriously: Also see one's way
We couldn't see our way clear to spending so much money at once.
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by the way, in the course of one's remarks; incidentally.
By the way, have you received that letter yet?
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lead the way,
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to go along a course in advance of others, as a guide.
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to take the initiative; be first or most prominent.
In fashion she has always led the way.
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in a family way, pregnant.
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make one's way,
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to go forward; proceed.
to make one's way through the mud.
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to achieve recognition or success; advance.
to make one's way in the world.
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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.
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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.
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go all the way,
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to do completely or wholeheartedly.
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to take a decisive action, especially one from which no retreat is possible.
Neither side wants to go all the way with nuclear warfare.
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to engage in sexual intercourse.
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pave the way to / for. pave.
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have one's way with, (especially of a man) to have sexual intercourse with, sometimes by intimidating or forcing one's partner.
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no way, not under any circumstances; no.
Apologize to him? No way!
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in a way, after a fashion; to some extent.
In a way, she's the nicest person I know.
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out of the way,
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in a state or condition so as not to obstruct or hinder.
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dealt with; disposed of.
I feel better, now that one problem is out of the way.
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murdered.
to have a person put out of the way.
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out of the frequented way; at a distance from the usual route.
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improper; amiss.
There was something decidedly out of the way about her explanation.
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extraordinary; unusual.
Such behavior was out of the way for him.
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make way,
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to allow to pass; clear the way.
Make way for the king!
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to relinquish to another; withdraw.
He resigned to make way for a younger man.
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Nautical. to make forward or astern progress even though engines are not running.
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adverb
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Also 'way away; from this or that place.
Go way.
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to a great degree or at quite a distance; far.
way too heavy; way down the road.
noun
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a manner, method, or means
a way of life
a way of knowing
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a route or direction
the way home
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a means or line of passage, such as a path or track
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( in combination )
waterway
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space or room for movement or activity (esp in the phrases make way, in the way, out of the way )
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distance, usually distance in general
you've come a long way
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a passage or journey
on the way
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characteristic style or manner
I did it in my own way
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(often plural) habits; idiosyncrasies
he has some offensive ways
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an aspect of something; particular
in many ways he was right
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a street in or leading out of a town
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( capital when part of a street name )
Icknield Way
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something that one wants in a determined manner (esp in the phrases get or have one's ( own ) way )
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the experience or sphere in which one comes into contact with things (esp in the phrase come one's way )
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informal a state or condition, usually financial or concerning health (esp in the phrases in a good ( or bad ) way )
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informal the area or direction of one's home
drop in if you're ever over my way
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movement of a ship or other vessel
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a right of way in law
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a guide along which something can be moved, such as the surface of a lathe along which the tailstock slides
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(plural) the wooden or metal tracks down which a ship slides to be launched
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a course of life including experiences, conduct, etc
the way of sin
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archaic calling or trade
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(sentence modifier) in passing or incidentally
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via
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serving as
by way of introduction
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in the state or condition of
by way of being an artist
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(of a bet) laid on a horse, dog, etc, to win or gain a place
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to collapse or break down
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to withdraw or yield
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to step aside for or stop for
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to give full rein to (emotions, etc)
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to take considerable trouble or inconvenience oneself
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to have such a manner or skill as to handle successfully
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to enjoy two things that would normally contradict each other or be mutually exclusive
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in some respects
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not at all
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to go first
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to set an example or precedent
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to proceed or advance
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to achieve success in life
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informal that is impossible
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informal
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becoming unfashionable, obsolete, etc
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dying
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removed or dealt with so as to be no longer a hindrance
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remote
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unusual and sometimes improper
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See pay 1
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to find it possible and be willing (to do something)
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so that
I left early the way I would avoid the traffic
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having started moving or making progress
adverb
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informal
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at a considerable distance or extent
way over yonder
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very far
they're way up the mountain
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informal by far; considerably
way better
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slang truly; genuinely
they have a way cool site
Related Words
See method.
Other Word Forms
- wayless adjective
Etymology
Origin of way1
First recorded before 900; Middle English wei, weie, wei(gh)e “road, thoroughfare, highway,” Old English weg; cognate with Old Frisian wei, wī, Dutch weg, German Weg, Old Norse vegr, Gothic wigs; akin to Latin vehere “to carry,” Greek ókhos (from wókhos ) “cart, vehicle”
Origin of way1
First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English wei, wai, shortened variant of away
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The way pay works in most dealership service departments is essentially a piecework system called “flat rate.”
So he is looking forward to making an impact any way that he can on Saturday for a team stocked with players that he said play for each other.
From Los Angeles Times
“The only way I know it was a tow truck was because of our home cameras. It’s the same strategy, backing up and taking the car in minutes,” Zavala said.
From Los Angeles Times
A really sad way for Ben Stokes' series to end.
From BBC
"It's about small steps, belief, bringing confidence back and trusting the players. At the moment we're in a good way but have a lot of things to do."
From BBC
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
