Way \Way\, n. [OE. wey, way, AS. weg; akin to OS., D., OHG., &
G. weg, Icel. vegr, Sw. v[aum]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}.]
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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.
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I shall him seek by way and eke by street.
--Chaucer.
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The way seems difficult, and steep to scale.
--Milton.
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The season and ways were very improper for his
majesty's forces to march so great a distance.
--Evelyn.
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2. Length of space; distance; interval; as, a great way; a
long way.
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And whenever the way seemed long,
Or his heart began to fail. --Longfellow.
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3. A moving; passage; procession; journey.
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I prythee, now, lead the way. --Shak.
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4. Course or direction of motion or process; tendency of
action; advance.
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If that way be your walk, you have not far.
--Milton.
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And let eternal justice take the way. --Dryden.
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5. The means by which anything is reached, or anything is
accomplished; scheme; device; plan.
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My best way is to creep under his gaberdine. --Shak.
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By noble ways we conquest will prepare. --Dryden.
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What impious ways my wishes took! --Prior.
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6. Manner; method; mode; fashion; style; as, the way of
expressing one's ideas.
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7. Regular course; habitual method of life or action; plan of
conduct; mode of dealing. "Having lost the way of
nobleness." --Sir. P. Sidney.
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Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths
are peace. --Prov. iii.
17.
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When men lived in a grander way. --Longfellow.
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8. Sphere or scope of observation. --Jer. Taylor.
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The public ministers that fell in my way. --Sir W.
Temple.
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9. Determined course; resolved mode of action or conduct; as,
to have one's way.
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10. (Naut.)
(a) Progress; as, a ship has way.
(b) pl. The timbers on which a ship is launched.
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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.
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12. (Law) Right of way. See below.
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{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 ones way}, or {To come ones way}, to go or come; to
depart or come along. --Shak.
{To go ones way} to proceed in a manner favorable to one; --
of events.
{To come ones 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 ones 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.
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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.
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All keep the broad highway, and take delight
With many rather for to go astray. --Spenser.
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There is but one road by which to climb up.
--Addison.
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When night
Darkens the streets, then wander forth the sons
Of Belial, flown with insolence and wine.
--Milton.
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