weɪ 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). øacross (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 by to) be superseded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. [OE weg f. Gmc: (adv.) f. AWAY]