- By the way
- Way Way, n. [OE. wey, way, AS. weg; akin to OS., D., OHG., &
G. weg, Icel. vegr, Sw. v["a]g, Dan. vei, Goth. wigs, L. via,
and AS. wegan to move, L. vehere to carry, Skr. vah.
[root]136. Cf. {Convex}, {Inveigh}, {Vehicle}, {Vex}, {Via},
{Voyage}, {Wag}, {Wagon}, {Wee}, {Weigh}.]
[1913 Webster]
1. That by, upon, or along, which one passes or processes;
opportunity or room to pass; place of passing; passage;
road, street, track, or path of any kind; as, they built a
way to the mine. ``To find the way to heaven.'' --Shak.
[1913 Webster]
I shall him seek by way and eke by street. --Chaucer. [1913 Webster]
The way seems difficult, and steep to scale. --Milton. [1913 Webster]
The season and ways were very improper for his majesty's forces to march so great a distance. --Evelyn. [1913 Webster]
2. Length of space; distance; interval; as, a great way; a long way. [1913 Webster]
And whenever the way seemed long, Or his heart began to fail. --Longfellow. [1913 Webster]
3. A moving; passage; procession; journey. [1913 Webster]
I prythee, now, lead the way. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
4. Course or direction of motion or process; tendency of action; advance. [1913 Webster]
If that way be your walk, you have not far. --Milton. [1913 Webster]
And let eternal justice take the way. --Dryden. [1913 Webster]
5. The means by which anything is reached, or anything is accomplished; scheme; device; plan. [1913 Webster]
My best way is to creep under his gaberdine. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
By noble ways we conquest will prepare. --Dryden. [1913 Webster]
What impious ways my wishes took! --Prior. [1913 Webster]
6. Manner; method; mode; fashion; style; as, the way of expressing one's ideas. [1913 Webster]
7. Regular course; habitual method of life or action; plan of conduct; mode of dealing. ``Having lost the way of nobleness.'' --Sir. P. Sidney. [1913 Webster]
Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. --Prov. iii. 17. [1913 Webster]
When men lived in a grander way. --Longfellow. [1913 Webster]
8. Sphere or scope of observation. --Jer. Taylor. [1913 Webster]
The public ministers that fell in my way. --Sir W. Temple. [1913 Webster]
9. Determined course; resolved mode of action or conduct; as, to have one's way. [1913 Webster]
10. (Naut.) (a) Progress; as, a ship has way. (b) pl. The timbers on which a ship is launched. [1913 Webster]
11. pl. (Mach.) The longitudinal guides, or guiding surfaces, on the bed of a planer, lathe, or the like, along which a table or carriage moves. [1913 Webster]
12. (Law) Right of way. See below. [1913 Webster]
{By the way}, in passing; apropos; aside; apart from, though connected with, the main object or subject of discourse.
{By way of}, for the purpose of; as being; in character of.
{Covert way}. (Fort.) See {Covered way}, under {Covered}.
{In the family way}. See under {Family}.
{In the way}, so as to meet, fall in with, obstruct, hinder, etc.
{In the way with}, traveling or going with; meeting or being with; in the presence of.
{Milky way}. (Astron.) See {Galaxy}, 1.
{No way}, {No ways}. See {Noway}, {Noways}, in the Vocabulary.
{On the way}, traveling or going; hence, in process; advancing toward completion; as, on the way to this country; on the way to success.
{Out of the way}. See under {Out}.
{Right of way} (Law), a right of private passage over another's ground. It may arise either by grant or prescription. It may be attached to a house, entry, gate, well, or city lot, as well as to a country farm. --Kent.
{To be under way}, or {To have way} (Naut.), to be in motion, as when a ship begins to move.
{To give way}. See under {Give}.
{To go one's way}, or {To come one's way}, to go or come; to depart or come along. --Shak.
{To go one's way} to proceed in a manner favorable to one; -- of events.
{To come one's way} to come into one's possession (of objects) or to become available, as an opportunity; as, good things will come your way.
{To go the way of all the earth} or
{to go the way of all flesh} to die.
{To make one's way}, to advance in life by one's personal efforts.
{To make way}. See under {Make}, v. t.
{Ways and means}. (a) Methods; resources; facilities. (b) (Legislation) Means for raising money; resources for revenue.
{Way leave}, permission to cross, or a right of way across, land; also, rent paid for such right. [Eng]
{Way of the cross} (Eccl.), the course taken in visiting in rotation the stations of the cross. See {Station}, n., 7 (c) .
{Way of the rounds} (Fort.), a space left for the passage of the rounds between a rampart and the wall of a fortified town.
{Way pane}, a pane for cartage in irrigated land. See {Pane}, n., 4. [Prov. Eng.]
{Way passenger}, a passenger taken up, or set down, at some intermediate place between the principal stations on a line of travel.
{Ways of God}, his providential government, or his works.
{Way station}, an intermediate station between principal stations on a line of travel, especially on a railroad.
{Way train}, a train which stops at the intermediate, or way, stations; an accommodation train.
{Way warden}, the surveyor of a road. [1913 Webster]
Syn: Street; highway; road.
Usage: {Way}, {Street}, {Highway}, {Road}. Way is generic, denoting any line for passage or conveyance; a highway is literally one raised for the sake of dryness and convenience in traveling; a road is, strictly, a way for horses and carriages; a street is, etymologically, a paved way, as early made in towns and cities; and, hence, the word is distinctively applied to roads or highways in compact settlements. [1913 Webster]
All keep the broad highway, and take delight With many rather for to go astray. --Spenser. [1913 Webster]
There is but one road by which to climb up. --Addison. [1913 Webster]
When night Darkens the streets, then wander forth the sons Of Belial, flown with insolence and wine. --Milton. [1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.
