Way sb.¹

Forms: 1 weʓ, North. woeʓ, 2–3 weiȝ, 2–6 wei, 4–6 weie, weye, 3 wæi, wæiȝ, waiȝ, weȝ, Ormin weȝȝe, 4–5 weiȝe, 3–6 wai, wey, 4 veie, wa, weieȝe, wie, wye, 4–5 veye, 4, 6 vay(e, 4–7 waie, 4–8 waye, 5 whay, weij. 4–6 wy, 9 Sc. wye, 3– way. Pl. 4 waiis, 5 weyse, waiez, waiss, wayse, weyys. [Com. Teut.: OE. weʓ str. masc. = OFris. wei, wi (WFr. wei, NFr. wāi), OS. weg (MLG. wech), (M)Du. weg, OHG. weg (MHG. wec, weg-, Mod.G. weg), ON. veg-r (Sw. väg, Da. vei), Goth. wig-s:—OTeut. *weʓo-z, f. *weʓ- (: *waʓ-: *wǣʓ-) to move, journey, carry (see WEIGH v., WAIN, WAW sb.¹ and v.¹, WEY):—Indogermanic *wegh- (: *wogh-), found in L. vehĕre to carry, Gr. ὄχος (:—*wogho-s) vehicle, Skr. vah to journey, carry. The L. via, way, formerly regarded as cognate, is now generally referred to a different root. The sense-development of the Eng. word, however, has been to some extent influenced by L. via and its descendant F. voie (see also VOYE, WOYE), of both which it has always been the normal translation. Many of the uses are of Biblical origin: the Heb. dérek, and the Gr. ὁδός in Hellenistic use [Vulg. via, all Eng. versions way] have a very wide range of meaning.]

  I.  Road, path.

  * for passage of persons, animals, vehicles.

  1.  a. gen. A track prepared or available for travelling along; a road, street, lane, or path. Now esp. in phrases like beside, over, across the way, the other side (of) the way, to cross the way, etc.

c. 950.  Lindisf. Gosp., Matt. xx. 30. And heonu tuoeʓe blindo sittende æt weʓ [c. 975 Rushw. bi ðæm weʓe; c. 1000 Ags. Gosp. wiþ ðone weʓ; 1382 Wyclif besidis the weye; Vulg. secus viam].

c. 1055.  Byrhtferth’s Handboc, in Anglia, VIII. 303. Forðon we sittað ymb þam weʓe wædliende mid timeus sunu.

c. 1205.  Lay., 524. He ferde … to þan ilke weie þe he … wuste þat þe king mid his ferde forð sculde iwenden. Ibid., 5511. Heo þohten heom beon on fest þer þe hulles weore mest & senden heom arewen i þon weie narewe.

a. 1300.  K. Horn, 1304 (Camb. MS.). Þe kniȝt him aslepe lay Al biside þe way.

c. 1330.  Arth. & Merl., 7404. Þer was a launde of noblay Where come to gider seuen way.

c. 1350.  Will. Palerne, 1732. Abide ȝou in a brod weie bi a large mile.

c. 1475.  Rauf Coilȝear, 394. Tak thy hors and thy harnes in the morning, For to watche weill the wayis.

1579.  Burghley, in Nicolas, Sir C. Hatton (1847), 126. Approaching to the house, being led by a large, long, straight fair way, I found [etc.].

1585.  Higins, Junius’ Nomencl., 389/1. Compitum,… a waye where manye wayes doe meete.

1585.  T. Washington, trans. Nicholay’s Voy., I. xii. A bridge … vnder the which is a waye to an old ruined Church.

1632.  Lithgow, Trav., X. 433. I saw … women trauayling the way, or toyling at home, carry their Infants about their neckes.

1700.  T. Brown, Amusem. Ser. & Com., 127. I cross’d the way to a Booksellers.

1831.  G. P. R. James, Phil. Augustus, ii. Instead of attempting to continue the way along the side of the hill … a single arch had been thrown over the narrow ravine, and the road carried on … on the other side.

1834.  Dickens, Sk. Boz, Boarding-ho., ii. He called out to a gentleman on the opposite side of the way. Ibid. (1835), Streets—Morning. Mr. Todd’s young man just steps over the way.

1886.  C. E. Pascoe, London of To-day, xxxi. (ed. 3), 287. The War Office is altogether out of keeping with the clubs upon the same side of the way.

1887.  J. Ashby-Sterry, Cucumber Chron., 5. The village is little more than one long street. On either side of the way are picturesque little cottages, curious houses, and one or two quaint shops.

1887.  Ruskin, Præterita, II. v. 155. For the most part, no English creature ever does see farther than over the way.

1904.  H. Belloc, Old Road, 96. A sunken way of great antiquity leads directly from St. Catherine’s Hill down to the river.

1910.  D. G. Hogarth, in Encycl. Brit., I. 248/1. The latest type of tomb is a flatly vaulted chamber approached by a horizontal or slightly inclined way, whose sides converge above.

  transf.  1594.  Hooker, Eccl. Pol., I. iii. § 2. If the Moone should wander from her beaten way.

  b.  In figurative context, with reference to a metaphorical walking or travelling. Parting of the ways: see PARTING vbl. sb. 2 b.

  † Way of indulgence: said of the Virgin Mary as the medium or channel of access to divine mercy. (Cf. Christ’s words in John xiv. 6, ‘I am the Way…; no man cometh to the Father but by me.’)

c. 825.  Vesp. Psalter, xxvi. 12. Fot … min stod in weʓe ðæm rehtan.

c. 950.  Lindisf. Gosp., Matt. iii. 3. Ʒearuas woeʓ drihtnes [Vulg. parate viam Domini]. Ibid., vii. 13. Rumwelle weʓ ðiu lædas to lose.

c. 1200.  Vices & Virtues, 21. Ðar ðe wei is slider and we lihtliche to fællen.

c. 1400.  Pety Job, 268, in 26 Pol. Poems, xxv. 129. All the pathes thow hast mette That euer I yede in wey or walle.

c. 1420.  Hoccleve, Mother of God, 8. Modir of mercy, wey of indulgence.

1471.  Caxton, Recuyell (Sommer), 213. Thou haste passid the strayte waye and passage of Infortune fro whens thou art yssued cler as the sonne.

1602.  Shaks., Ham., II. ii. 277. But in the beaten way of friendship, What make you at Elsonower?

1605.  Bacon, Adv. Learn., II. xi. § 1. 45. The trauaile therein taken, seemeth to haue ben rather in a Maze, than in a way.

1738.  Wesley, Hymns ‘Join all the glorious Names,’ v. O let my Feet ne’er … rove, nor seek the crooked Way.

1898.  Max Pemberton, Phantom Army, I. vii. 47. The way before him was no longer hidden in darkness. He saw that it lay straight—the road to the prison or the scaffold.

  c.  A main road connecting different parts of a country. Now rare except in names of Roman roads, as the rendering of L. via. Cf. HIGHWAY.

  † The king’s way: = the king’s HIGHWAY.

a. 900.  O. E. Martyrol., 28 Aug., 156. On þæm weʓe þe æt Rome is nemned Salaria.

c. 1000.  Ælfric, Num. xxi. 22. Swa swa se weʓ lið we farað [Vulg. via regia gradiemur].

1297.  R. Glouc. (Rolls), 169. Veire weies manion þer beþ in englonde, Ac voure mest of alle … þoru þe olde kinges imad.

1313.  Newminster Cartul. (Surtees), 51. De Sticeleydike per Heddeley wai usque en le Spenstrete.

c. 1450.  Godstow Reg., 541. ij. acris of arable lond … strecche them-self fro the north toward the sowthe beside the kyngis wey.

1482.  Cov. Leet Bk., 510. Þe grounde … in brede fro London weye stretchyng vnto a Corner of a Close of þe Trinite Gildes.

c. 1489.  Caxton, Sonnes of Aymon, ix. 227. There was a waye crossed in four, the one waye was towarde Fraunce.

1533.  Bellenden, Livy, V. 227. Ane tempill was commandit to be maid in þe new way quhare þe voce was herde.

1535.  Coverdale, Judges v. 6. In the tyme of Iael the wayes fayled.

1685.  Stillingfl., Orig. Brit., ii. 63. Whereever the Romans inhabited, they may be traced by their Ways, by their Buildings [etc.].

1688.  R. Holme, Armoury, III. 198/2. The Overseers of the Ways are Men chosen yearly for to see, and … put in repair all decayed Highways … within the Bounds of the Parish.

1805.  Scott, Last Minstrel, I. xxvi. Broad on the left before him lay, For many a mile, the Roman way.

1840.  Arnold, Hist. Rome, xxxii. II. 288. Nor will the mightiest works of modern engineers ever rival the fame of the Appian Way.

  d.  transf. In MILKY WAY and various synonyms.

c. 725.  Corpus Gloss. (Hessels), U 174. Uia secta, iringes uueʓ.

c. 1384.  [see MILKY WAY]

1555.  Mylke way [see MILK sb. 10].

1555.  Mylke whyte way [see MILK-WHITE a. b.].

1563.  Fulke, Meteors (1571), 38. The mylke waye called of some the waye to saint Iames, and Watlyng streate.

1594.  Blundevil, Exerc., Cosmogr., I. xxi. (1597), 158. The milke-white impression in heauen, like vnto a white way, called … of the common people our Ladies Way.

1775.  Blomefield’s Hist. Norf., V. 839. They believed … the Milky Way was appointed by Providence to point out the particular place and residence of the virgin, beyond all other places, and was, on that account, generally in that age, called Walsingham-Way; and I have heard old people of this country, so to call and distinguish it some years past.

1844.  M. A. Richardson, Local Hist. Table Bk., Leg. Div. II. 86. The Via lactea, or ‘milky way,’ which the peasantry of the North frequently designate ‘the way.’

  e.  A road considered with reference to the condition of its surface or to difficulties or dangers of transit.

a. 900.  O. E. Martyrol., 18 April, 58. Ðæt ða wildan hors scealden iornan [on] hearde weʓas in westenne & him þa limo all [to] brecan.

1418.  in E. E. Wills, 31. I be-quethe to the mendyng of the feble & foule weye beside Portmannes Crosse … xl s.

1577.  Knaresb. Wills (Surtees), I. 126. To amend a pece of evill waie betwene my house and Hampistwhaite, xij d.

1588.  Shaks., L. L. L., V. ii. 926. When blood is nipt, and waies be fowle.

1632.  Lithgow, Trav., I. 10. I bequeathed my proceedings to God,… and my feete to the hard brusing way.

1663.  Patrick, Parab. Pilgr., ii. (1687), 5. The weather was cold, the ways dirty and dangerous.

c. 1710.  Celia Fiennes, Diary (1888), 135. To Litchfield is 5 mile more all very good way mostly Gravel.

1712.  Arbuthnot, John Bull, III. ix. I hope thou wilt not come too heavy laden, to spoil my Ways.

1789.  Durnford & East, Cases K. B. (1790), III. 263. If the way be founderous and out of repair, the public have a right to go on the adjoining land.

1848.  Mrs. A. Marsh, Father Darcy, II. iv. 92. ‘How are the ways?’
  ‘Deep and difficult enough, please your honour.’

1849.  Macaulay, Hist. Eng., I. iii. 379. In winter, when the ways were bad and the nights long.

1871.  ‘M. Legrand,’ Cambr. Freshm., 301. A heap of smaller stones, placed there at the expense of the parish, for the purpose of mending the way.

  f.  A place of passage, e.g., an opening made through a crowd, a door or gate, etc. Cf. ARCHWAY, DOORWAY, GATEWAY. Also fig.

c. 1250.  Gen. & Ex., 3244. On twel doles delt ist ðe se, xii. weiȝes ðer-in ben faiȝer and fre.

c. 1400.  Destr. Troy, 5932. In the brest of the batell,… He ffrusshet so felly freikes to ground; Made wayes full wide þe weghis among. Ibid., 6513.

c. 1400.  Maundev. (E.E.T.S.), viii. 36. And men seyn þat the wlcanes ben weyes of helle.

a. 1400–50.  Wars Alex., 1324. Quare althire-thickest was þe thrange þurȝe þaim he rynnes, And makis a wai wyde enoȝe waynes to mete.

1851.  Mrs. Browning, Casa Guidi Wind., II. 217. Here fortitude can never cut a way Between the Austrian muskets, out of thrall.

1892.  C. Taylor, Witness of Hermas, 126. The gate is the Son of God. This is the one way-in [εἴσοδος] to the Lord.

1898.  G. B. Shaw, Plays, II. You neuer can tell, II. stage direct., Near the parapet there lurks a way to the kitchen, masked by a little trellis porch.

1914.  S. Low, in Edin. Rev., Oct., 261. To a Prussian statesman it seems more natural to ‘hack a way’ through the territory of an unoffending neighbour than it would be to public men elsewhere.

  Mod.  The words ‘Way out’ are painted on the door.

  g.  Applied to a path in a wood or through the fields. See also GREEN a. 2 b.

13[?].  K. Alis., 6055 (Laud MS.). Hij hadden … Calk trappes made ynowe In wayes & vnder wood bowe.

1484.  Caxton, Fables of Auian, xxii. The snowe had couerd al the wayes [in the forest].

1530.  Palsgr., 286/1. Way in a woode syde, sente.

  h.  Fortification. A passage left between walls or buildings. Covered († covert) way (= F. chemin couvert), a passage running along the top of the counterscarp, protected from the enemy’s fire by a parapet. (See COVERED ppl. a. 6, COVERT a. 1 b.) † Way of the rounds (= F. chemin des rondes): see quot. 1704.

1481.  Caxton, Godeffroy, clxxiii. 257. They … dyde do make engyns,… castellys, chattes, and wayes couerd, moche grete plente.

1704.  J. Harris, Lex. Techn., I. Way of the Rounds … is a space left for the Passage of the Rounds between the Rampart and the Wall of a Fortify’d Town.

  i.  Railways. Line of way, a track formed by a pair of rails. See also PERMANENT way, SIX-FOOT way, WAGON-WAY.

    ** for passage of things.

  † 2.  Phys. A duct or channel of any kind in the body of man or other animal. Obs.

  [trans. mod.L. via; cf. primæ viæ (lit. ‘first ways’) the alimentary canal.]

c. 1425.  trans. Arderne’s Treat. Fistula, etc., 21. Þat may be knowen by … feblynez of þe pacient and if it haue perced þe waiez of þe vryne.

1541.  Copland, Guydon’s Quest., I iv. The bladder … receyueth the superfluyte vrynall by two longe wayes that descende fro the kydnees.

1615.  Crooke, Body of Man, 281. Wee must therefore enquire further for the cause of this sterility or barrennesse and not impute it to the interception of the wayes.

  3.  pl. a. Naut. (See quot. 1867.)

1639.  in Foster, Crt. Min. E. Ind. Comp. (1907), 332. [The use of one of the … docks with its] shores and waies [to fit and prepare the Cæsar].

a. 1647.  Pette in Archaeologia, XII. 258. The smaller [ship] … was so ill struck upon the launching ways, that she could by no means be put off, which did somewhat discontent his majesty.

1748.  Anson’s Voy., II. iii. 325. A dry dock was dug for the bark, and ways laid from thence quite into the sea, to facilitate the bringing her up.

1864.  Miss S. P. Fox, Kingsbridge Estuary, xiii. 163. When once the boat is close on the shore, the dogs are on the look out for the pieces of wood, technically called ways, which are placed underneath the boats to draw them up on the beach. It is very rarely that a single way is lost.

1867.  Smyth, Sailor’s Word-bk., Ways, balks laid down for rolling weights along. Launching ways, two parallel platforms of solid timber, one on each side of the keel of a vessel while building, and on which her cradle slides on launching.

  transf.  1840.  R. H. Dana, Bef. Mast, xxix. Smooth strips of wood, well oiled, called ‘ways’ were placed above and below, to cause the book [sc. a packet of hides] to slide in easily.

  b.  Parallel wooden rails or planks, forming an inclined plane for heavy loads to slide down upon.

1868.  B. J. Lossing, The Hudson, 264. The ice, cut in blocks from the lake above … is sent down upon wooden ‘ways,’ that wind through the forest.

  c.  Mech. Parallel sills forming a track for the slides of the uprights of a planing machine, the carriage of a lathe, or the like.

1869.  Rankine, Cycl. Mach. & Hand-tools, Plate I 5. Improved Planing Machine…. These uprights are so arranged as to slide in ways … provided for the purpose in the sides of the stationary platform.

  II.  Course of travel or movement.

  4.  A line or course of travel or progression (whether direct or circuitous) by which a place may be reached, or along which a person or thing may pass. Const. to, into, out of (hence with in, out advs.). To go a person’s way, to go along with him.

c. 1000.  Ags. Gosp., Matt. ii. 12. Hi on oðerne weʓ [Vulg. per aliam viam] on hyra rice ferdon.

c. 1205.  Lay., 26915. Heom ladden twelue of þan leod-folke þa … þa weiȝes [c. 1275 weyes] cuðen.

c. 1250.  Gen. & Ex., 3255. Biforen hem fleȝ an skiȝe briȝt ðat night hem made ðe weiȝe liȝt.

c. 1300.  Cursor M., 11736. We wil þe wai ga bi þe se.

c. 1300.  Havelok, 772. Ful we[l] he couþe þe rithe wei To lincolne.

1362.  Langl., P. Pl., A. VI. 24. Const þou wissen vs þe wey wher þat he dwelleþ?

1420.  J. Stokes in Ellis, Orig. Lett., Ser. III. I. 68. He hadde sent forth Mayster Jon Lobaim vn to zow by the nexte wey.

c. 1440.  Generydes, 5923. With hym ther went Sygrem to be his gide, Costyng the contre many dyuers way, And so came he in to perse the redy waye.

1470–85.  Malory, Arthur, I. xi. 51. He had the hoost Northward the pryuyest wey that coude be thoughte vnto the foreist of Bedegrayne.

1585.  T. Washington, trans. Nicholay’s Voy., II. vi. An vniversall flood, which by croked wayes finally issueth into the Sea.

1604.  E. G[rimstone], D’Acosta’s Hist. Indies, III. iii. 127. The waies at Sea are not as at Land, to returne the same way they passe.

1676.  Cotton, Angler, II. ii. 12. I hope our way does not lye over any of these [hills]; for I dread a precipice.

1682.  Wheler, Journ. Greece, VI. 475. I return’d by the same way.

1732.  Lediard, Sethos, II. ix. 293. There the way was stopp’d by mountains.

1818.  Scott, Hrt. Midl., xiii. Is the Cowgate Port a nearer way to Liberton … than Bristo Port?

1820.  Keats, Eve St. Agnes, xl. Down the wide stairs a darkling way they found.

1849.  Macaulay, Hist. Eng., I. iii. 371. If he asked his way to St. James’s, his informants sent him to Mile End.

1856.  G. W. Curtis, Prue & I, iii. (1892), 113. Mr. Bourne … hospitably asked if I were going his way. His way was towards the southern end of the island.

1865.  Mrs. Newby, Common Sense, li. III. 15. Are you coming my way, father.

  Proverbs.  1562.  J. Heywood, Prov. & Epigr. (1867), 77. There be mo waies to the wood than one.

1635.  Quarles, Embl., IV. Epig. 2. The next way Home’s the farthest way about.

1661.  Boyle, Style Script. (1675), 56. The Longest way about is the nearest Way Home.

1669.  Sturmy, Mariner’s Mag., VII. xvii. 27. There is several ways to the Wood besides one.

  b.  fig. with conscious reference to literal travelling. † To take the way of death: to die.

a. 1225.  Leg. Kath., 1752. Þer me unwreah me þe wei, Þet leadeð to liue.

1297.  R. Glouc. (Rolls), 5320. Þe king aldred sone þo þen wey of deþe nom.

c. 1380.  Wyclif, Sel. Wks., III. 106. By þese wytty wordes of oure Lord Jesus Christ, mowe malicious men … knowe þat þey beþ in þe weye to helleward.

1605.  Shaks., Macb., II. iii. 21. That goe the Primrose way to th’euerlasting Bonfire.

1646.  Gataker, Mistake Removed, 38. There is no new way to Heaven now, but the same that ever was.

a. 1729.  J. Rogers, Nineten Serm., v. (1735), 97. Every Path before us appears beset with Snares and Dangers, Ways in which we must walk with Fear and Trembling.

a. 1832.  Mackintosh, Revol. 1688, i. (1834), 11. Having found a way to court through some of those who ministered to the pleasures of the King,… he made his value known by [etc.].

1864.  Newman, Apol., iv. § 2 (1913), 296. There are but two alternatives, the way to Rome, and the way to Atheism.

1890.  W. Booth (title), In darkest England and the way out.

  c.  Phrases. To hold, keep (a certain) way: to follow it without deviation. To know one’s way about: to know how to get from place to place in a neighborhood; fig. to know how to act in any emergency. To light (a person) the way: to hold out a light to enable a person to direct his course. † There lies your way: please to go away. † Here lies our, your way: it is time to go.

  For to ask, find, lose, miss the way, one’s way, to feel († out) one’s way, to clear, lead, show, stop the way, see those verbs.

c. 1200.  Trin. Coll. Hom., 161. Ðan þe safarinde men seð þe sa sterre, hie wuten sone wuderward hie sullen weie holden.

c. 1386.  Chaucer, Man of Law’s T., 709. This Messager on morwe whan he wook Vn to the Castel halt the nexte way.

1420.  J. Stokes, in Ellis, Orig. Lett., Ser. III. I. 68. To declar vn to zow the tyme of hys comyng, and the weyes also the qwych he wele holde.

1548.  Hall, Chron., Hen. VI., 173 b. Knowyng by his espials whiche waie therle kept.

1565.  [see LIGHT v.² 4].

1596.  Shaks., Tam. Shr., III. ii. 212. The dore is open sir, there lies your way. Ibid. (1601), Twel. N., I. v. 216. Will you hoyst sayle sir, heere lies your way. Ibid. (1606), Tr. & Cr., IV. i. 79. Here lyes our way.

1616.  T. Draxe, Bibl. Scholast., 29 Contempt. Here is the doore, and there is the way.

1815.  Scott, Guy M., xi. ‘Certainly, sir,’ said Mrs. MacCandlish, and hastened to light the way.

1867.  All Year Round, 13 July, 56/2. In this case the tramp who ‘knows his way about’ knows what to do.

  † d.  ? Guidance, direction. Obs.

c. 1380.  Wyclif, Sel. Wks., III. 340. Þe þridde part of þe Chirche fiȝtiþ here aftir Crist, and takiþ ensaumple and weie of him to come to hevene as he cam.

1450–1530.  Myrr. our Ladye, III. 307. Lyghte to the blynde, way to the croked.

  e.  To go the wrong way: of food or drink, to go into the windpipe instead of the gullet when being swallowed.

1764.  Phil. Trans., LV. 42. An acquaintance … was killed by a piece of chesnut, which went the wrong way, as we commonly express it.

1860.  Hughes, Tom Brown at Oxf., iv. In a constant sort of mild epileptic fit, from laughter, and wine going the wrong way.

1860.  O. W. Holmes, Elsie Venner, vii. (1887), 94. He’s swallered somethin’ the wrong way.

  f.  Mode of transport.

1708.  Caldwell Papers (Maitl. Club), I. 214. I have inquired what way my goods may safeliest be sent, and am told that by Holstein ships.

  g.  Way of the Cross (= Eccl. L. Via Crucis): a series of images or pictures representing the ‘Stations of the Cross’ (see STATION sb. 23), ranged round the interior of a church, or on the road to a church or shrine; also, the series of devotions prescribed to be used at these stations in succession.

1868.  Walcott, Sacred Archæol., 554. The stations of the way of the cross … are—(1) the condemnation of our Lord; (2) Christ bearing His cross; (3) [etc.].

  5.  Course or line of actual movement.

1382.  Wyclif, Prov. xxx. 19. The weie of an egle in heuene, the weie of the shadewe eddere on a ston, the weie of a ship in the myd se.

1632.  Lithgow, Trav., VII. 327. Our way is Serpent like.

1665–6.  Phil. Trans., I. 6. At what Angle the Way of the Comet cuts the Æquator.

1683.  Hooke, in Birch, Hist. Roy. Soc. (1757), IV. 231. I shewed an instrument … by which the way of a ship through the sea might be exactly measured.

1715.  Desaguliers, Fires Impr., 146. The winding Lines … shew the way of the Air in different Constructions of Chimneys.

1735.  Somerville, Chase, IV. 431. See there he dives along! Th’ ascending Bubbles mark his gloomy Way.

1868.  Lockyer, Elem. Astron., vii. (1879), 261. The direction of the Earth’s motion in its orbit, called the Earth’s Way.

  † b.  The wake of a vessel. Obs.

c. 1565.  J. Sparke, Sir J. Hawkins’ 2nd Voy., in Hakluyt (1589), 535. [The alligator] plunged into the water, making a streame like the way of a boate.

c. 1635.  Capt. N. Boteler, Dial. Sea Services (1685), 300. In speaking of the Wake of a Ship … You said that it was also called the Way.

1706.  Phillips (ed. Kersey), Way of a Ship, the smooth Water that she makes a-stern when under Sail.

  c.  Engraving. (See quot. 1891.)

1874.  Willshire, Anc. Prints, iii. 96. This operation … consists in rocking the cradle to and fro in certain directions or ‘ways,’ determined by a plan or scale that enables the engraver to pass over the plate in very many directions without any one of them being repeated.

1891.  Adeline’s Art Dict., Way (Engrav.) the series of parallel paths hewn out by the rocker on a mezzotint is technically termed a way.

  6.  In generalized use: Opportunity for passage or advance; absence of obstruction to forward movement; hence fig. freedom of action, scope, opportunity. In various phrases, as give way (see GIVE v. 49), have way (see 24), make way (see 25); also ellipt. Way! (= ‘make way’).

a. 1400–50.  Bk. Curtasye, 277, in Babees Bk. Ȝif þou go with a-noþer at þo gate, And ȝe be bothe of on astate, Be curtasye and let hym haue þe way.

1634.  Sir T. Herbert, Trav., 188. If any vulgar fellow meet them, they presently shake and vibrate their Swords … and so obtaine the way without opposition.

1714.  in Jrnl. Friends Hist. Soc. (1918), 29. Having seen the comfort of our labours I found my way opened for a Return [sc. home].

1850.  Tennyson, In Mem., cii. Poor rivals in a losing game, That will not yield each other way.

1898.  A. Balfour, To Arms, v. Once or twice I saw a courier flying north,… and clearing the road with a loud shout of ‘Way, way!’

  b.  In legal documents sometimes equivalent to RIGHT OF WAY.

1766.  Blackstone, Comm., II. iii. 35. A fourth species of incorporeal hereditaments is that of ways; or the right of going over another man’s ground.

1790.  Durnford & East, Cases K. B., III. 766. The plaintiff … by reason of his possession thereof was entitled to a certain way from the said messuage unto into through and over a certain close of the defendant &c. unto and into the king’s common highway &c. and so back again &c.

1803.  C. Barton, Elem. Convey. (1821), III. 180. If a copyholder has had time out of mind, a way over another’s copyhold, and he purchase the inheritance of his own copyhold, yet the way remains.

1832.  Act 2 & 3 Will. IV., c. 71 § 2. No Claim which may be lawfully made at the Common Law, by Custom, Prescription, or Grant, to any Way or other Easement, [etc.].

  7.  Travel or motion along a particular route or in a particular direction. To take (a place, etc.) in one’s way: to visit in the course of one’s journey.

c. 1000.  Sax. Leechd., II. 16. Læcedom ʓif mon on langum weʓe teoriʓe.

a. 1400.  Minor Poems fr. Vernon MS., xlvii. 121. Ʒif þou haue eny wey to wende, I rede þou here a masse … In þe Morennynge.

14[?].  Tundale’s Vis. (Cott. MS.), 42. But Tundale hadde a harde warnynge, For as he yn a transynge lay Hys sowle was in a dredefull way, There as hit sawe mony a hydwysse payne Ere hit come to þe body agayne.

c. 1430.  Chev. Assigne, 220. The grypte eyþur a staffe in here honde & on here wey strawȝte.

1568.  Grafton, Chron., II. 262. They were well onward on their way toward Gascoyn.

1590.  Shaks., Com. Err., IV. iii. 92. Belike his wife acquainted with his fits, On purpose shut the doores against his way.

1600.  E. Blount, trans. Conestaggio, 230. The ioints thereof [sc. of the boats] were so shaken and open with the waie.

1617.  J. Taylor (Water P.), Three Weeks Observ., B 1. We past the way away by telling tales by turnes.

1697.  Dryden, Æneis, III. 714. Our way we bend To Pallas.

1735.  Johnson, Lobo’s Abyssinia, Descr., xi. 111. I left the place of my Abode, and took in my way four Fathers,… so that the Company … was five.

1741.  C’tess Pomfret, in C’tess Hartford’s Corr. (1805), III. 166. Here we left the shore, but continued our way on very good roads, till [etc.].

1777.  Earl Carlisle, in Jesse, Selwyn & Contemp. (1844), III. 228. As to our motions,… We may take Chatsworth in our way.

1779.  Storer, Ibid., IV. 242. I shall look in upon you at Matson in my way.

1818.  Scott, Hrt. Midl., xl. The attendants on the execution began to pass the stationary vehicle in their way back to Carlisle. Ibid. (1827), Highl. Widow, i. There was some originality in the man’s habits of thinking and expressing himself … which made his conversation amuse the way well enough.

a. 1863.  Faber, Hymn, ‘I was wandering.’ As He came along His way.

  b.  Qualified by poss. pron., the word often occurs as object or as adverbial accusative to the verb go (see GO v. 21 b) and its synonyms, † fare, † fere (see FARE v. 1, FERE v.), wend, etc. From an early period my, his (etc.) way in these collocations were often nearly equivalent to ‘away,’ and with this weakened sense they were formerly used with other verbs of motion, as flee (see FLEE v. 1 d), run (see RUN v. 34), come, pass, ride. In present literary use to go, wend one’s way survive as archaisms; mod. dialects have only the imperatives go, come your (thy) way (or ways: see 23 b).

c. 1205.  [see FLEE v. 1 d].

c. 1205.  Lay., 25954. Ich wulle faren minne wæi.

a. 1250.  Owl & Night., 308. Þe hauec folȝeþ gode rede & fliȝt his wei & lat him grede.

c. 1250.  Gen. & Ex., 1429. Eliezer is went his wei.

a. 1325.  Prose Psalter, xviii. 6. He ioyed as a giaunt to erne his waye.

1390.  Gower, Conf., I. 94. ‘Ryd thanne forth thi wey,’ quod sche.

a. 1400–50.  Wars Alex., 133. Furþe on his fete withouten fole he passis his way.

a. 1450.  Knt. de la Tour, x. 14. Yef ye fare rudely and be cruell with hym [the hawk], he will fle his way and neuer come atte you.

1487.  Cely Papers (Camden), 167. The Kynge … muste flee hys weye owte of the contrey.

1678.  Bunyan, Pilgr., I. 90. Then she railed on me, and I went my way.

1772.  Cumberland, Fashionable Lover, II. 23. Go your way for a simpleton, and say no more about the matter.

1837.  Dickens, Pickw., xviii. As he wended his way to the Peacock. Ibid., xxvi. Mr. Weller went his way back to the George and Vulture.

  c.  In the Bible phrase to go the way of all the earth (Josh. xxiii. 14, 1 Kings ii. 2) meaning ‘to die.’ Also in erroneous forms (due to confusion with other Bible passages), the way of all flesh, of all living. (The way of all flesh has sometimes been used to mean the experience common to all men in their passage through life.)

  A passage (dated 900) in Birch’s Cartul. Sax., II. 241 ‘Quando Ælfred rex … viam vniverse carnis adiit,’ shows that the substitution of ‘of all flesh’ (universæ carnis) for ‘of all the earth’ (universæ terræ) was current in med. Latin. The reading of the Douay Bible (quot. 1609) suggests that the substitution must have found its way into some printed copies of the Vulgate; also, the Plantin Concordance (1642), reads carnis s. vv. Caro and Ingredior, though elsewhere the two passages are cited with the reading terræ.

1597.  Shaks., 2 Hen. IV., V. ii. 4. Hee’s walk’d the way of Nature, And to our purposes, he liues no more.

1609.  Bible (Douay), 1 Kings ii. 2. I enter into the way of all flesh [Vulg. universæ terræ]. Ibid., Josh. xxiii. 14.

1611.  Heywood, Golden Age, III. i. F 4 b. If I go by land, and mis-carry, then I go the way of all flesh. If I go by sea and mis-carry, then I go the way of all fish.

1809.  Malkin, Gil Blas, I. v. ¶ 10. I heard that Don Rodrigo had gone the way of all flesh.

1835.  Dickens, Sk. Boz, Mr. Watkins Tottle, i. He pardoned us off-hand, and allowed us something to live on till he went the way of all flesh.

1887.  Emily Lawless, in Murray’s Mag., II. Sept., 422. His former retainer, Phil Judd, had long gone the way of all flesh, however seasoned.

  jocularly.  1607.  Dekker & Webster, West-w. Hoe, II. ii. I saw him euen now going the way of all flesh (thats to say) towardes the Kitchin.

  d.  In verbal phrases with the sense ‘to effect a forward movement by the action denoted by the verb,’ e.g., in to force, push, squeeze one’s way; also occas. with the sense ‘to accompany one’s advance by the specified action.’

1694.  Atterbury, Serm., Isa. lx. 22 (1726), I. 101. In this manner the Prophet of the East hew’d out his way by the power of the Sword.

1697.  Dryden, Virg. Georg., III. 843. The slow creeping Evil eats his way, Consumes the parching Limbs, and makes the Life his Prey.

1748.  Richardson, Clarissa (1768), VIII. 137. McDonald, being surrounded, attempted to fight his way thro’, and wounded his man.

1750.  Gray, Elegy, 3. The plowman homeward plods his weary way.

1770.  Goldsm., Des. Vill., 42. No more thy glassy brook reflects the day, But, choked with sedges, works its weedy way.

1833.  [see ELBOW v. 4].

1836.  Dickens, Sk. Boz, Hosp. Patient. We … entered the office, in company with … as many dirty-faced spectators as could squeeze their way in. Ibid., Streets—Night. The muffin-boy rings his way down the little street. Ibid. (1859), T. Two Cities, II. iii. The virtuous servant, Roger Cly, swore his way through the case at a great rate.

1883.  Whitelaw, Sophocles, Oed. Col., 717. The oar-blade wings its wondrous way, Sped by stout arms.

1892.  Lady F. Verney, Verney Mem., I. 3. If enemies forced their way into the house.

1897.  J. L. Allen, Choir Invisible, ii. 11. He failed to urge his way through the throng as speedily as he may have expected.

  † e.  A journey, voyage; a pilgrimage. lit. and fig. Also = EYRE. Obs.

  With quot. c. 1325 cf. OF. ‘faire une voie a Saint Jacques’ quoted by Du Cange (s.v. Via) with date 1368.

a. 1225.  Ancr. R., 350. Þauh heo beon ine worldliche weie, as ich seide er, of pilegrimes, auh habbeð hore heorte euer toward heouene.

c. 1325.  Metr. Hom., 53. It was a man … That til sain Jamis hit [= hight, promised) the way.

1382.  Wyclif, Gen. xxiv. 21. Wilnyng to wite whether the Lord had maad his weye welsom [Vulg. utrum prosperum iter suum fecisset Dominus], or noon.

a. 1400[?].  Morte Arth., 553. He wylle wyghtlye in a qwhyle on his wayes hye.

c. 1400.  Three Kings Cologne (1886), 56. Whan þey had spoke togedir and euerych of hem had tolde his purpos and þe cause of his weye.

a. 1500.  in Arnolde’s Chron. (1502), B ij b. That the citezens may recorde ther libarteis afore the kingis Justicis and mynystres what so euer notwythstandyng Statutis of the Wey or domes in the contrey made or shewyd oute. Ibid., C vj. And that the forsayd Citezens in the weys of Justice to the tour of London fro hensforward goyng, that they bee not lad by the lawes by which they were ledde in the Weys holden in the tymes of John and herry Somtyme kynge of englande.

  † f.  The way’s end: lit. the end of the journey; fig. the completion of a process. Obs.

1526.  in Househ. Ord. (1790), 219. It shall be lawfull for the purveyour … to take … such Poultry stuff … paying unto them such prices … as the said purveyor … should have paid therefore at the wayes end.

1528.  Tindale, Obed. Chr. Man, 141 b. Thou must therfore goo alonge by the scripture as by a lyne, vntyll thou come at Christ, which is the wayes ende and restynge place.

1662.  Petty, Taxes, 84. The one [stuff] wanting nothing but tacking up, to be at its ways end; and the other tayloring … and several other particulars.

  g.  To hold, keep one’s way (cf. 4 c): to travel without interruption; fig. to continue one’s course of action, to ‘keep going.’ † To hold, keep way: to keep pace (const. with or dative).

c. 1375.  Sc. Leg. Saints, xi. (Simon & Jude), 326. Syne to þe eddris can þai sa; ‘ve commawnd ȝow to hald ȝour va.’

1598.  Shaks., Merry W., III. ii. 1. Nay keepe your way (little Gallant) you were wont to be a follower, but now you are a Leader. Ibid. (1599), Much Ado, I. i. 144. I would my horse had the speed of your tongue … but keepe your way a Gods name, I haue done.

1605.  Bacon, Adv. Learn., II. vii. § 2. 25. It seemeth best to keepe way with Antiquities, vsque ad aras. Ibid. (1625), Ess., Fortune (Arb.), 377. When there be not Stonds, nor Restiuenesse in a Mans Nature. But that the wheeles of his Minde keepe way with the wheeles of his Fortune.

1640.  Yorke, Union Hon., Battles, 63. She … had her fore mast broken off, which so hindred her sayle, that shee was unable to keepe way with the Fleete.

1706.  E. Ward, Wooden World Diss. (1708), 1. It flies so far, that no bird … but a Woodcock, can hold way with it.

1708.  Constit. Watermen’s Co., 82. All plying to keep Way, on forfeiture of 00. 00. 06.

1726.  Shelvocke, Voy. round World, 2. I did not doubt but that I should be able to hold him way.

1818.  Tuckey’s Narr. Exped. R. Zaire, Introd. p. xxvii. In running … from the Nore to the North Foreland,… she kept way with the transport.

1827.  Scott, Surg. Dau., xiii. The … reeds of the jungle were moving like the ripple of the ocean, when distorted by the course of a shark holding its way near the surface.

1848.  Dickens, Dombey, x. People who have enough to do to hold their own way … had better be content with their own obligations and difficulties.

  † h.  By the way of my soul (as an oath): by my soul’s salvation. Obs.

1460.  Paston Lett., I. 522. For be the weye of my sowle, this lond wer uttirly on done.

  i.  Naut. Progress (of a ship or boat) through the water; rate of progress, velocity; impetus gained by a vessel in motion. To freshen way: see FRESHEN v. 3.

  Cf. under way (38), from which this sense was perh. evolved.

1663.  Davenant, 2nd Pt. Siege of Rhodes, II. i. Those who withstand The Tide of Flood … Fall back when they in vain would onward row: We strength and way preserve by lying still.

1669.  Sturmy, Mariner’s Mag., IV. vi. 160. If you sail against a Current, if it be swifter than the Ship’s way, you fall a Stern.

1744.  M. Bishop, Life, 15. She stood away for Brest, and we … fired a Chace Gun, but we fired too soon, for we lost Way and she gained.

1757.  Phil. Trans., L. 34. The sea was rough, and the yacht had great way.

1764.  J. Byron, in Hawkesw. Voy. (1773), I. 23. On the 7th, I found myself much farther to the northward than I expected, and therefore supposed the ship’s way had been influenced a current.

1860.  Hughes, Tom Brown at Oxf., xiii. Now mind, boys, don’t quicken,… four short strokes to get way on her, and then steady.

1885.  Law Rep. 10 P. D. 101. She ran into the Nio before her way could be stopped.

1889.  J. K. Jerome, Three Men in Boat, ix. We can’t steer, if you keep stopping. You must keep some way on the boat.

1899.  F. T. Bullen, Log Sea-waif, 27. By the time our way was exhausted, about ninety fathoms had been paid out on the first anchor.

  transf.  1857.  Dickens, Dorrit, I. xiii. A … short dark man came into the room with so much way upon him, that he was within a foot of Clennam before he could stop.

1911.  Times, 22 Aug., 8/2. He shut off his engine and by so doing took the ‘way’ off the biplane.

1914.  James Donelan, in Contemp. Rev., Nov., 660. The train gathered way.

  8.  Distance travelled or to be travelled along a particular route. Hence (with adjs. long, short, good, great, little), a distance between places or to a place; often as advb. accusative. Also with off Cf. HALFWAY.

  † A mile of way: = ‘a mile away’ (obs. rare).

c. 900.  trans. Bæda’s Hist., I. xxiii. Hiʓ … sumne dæl ðas weʓes ʓefaren hæfdon.

c. 1000.  Ep. Alexandri, in Cockayne, Narratiunculæ (1861), 25. Ða ondswarodon hie mec & sæʓdon ꝥ nære mara weʓ þonne meahte on tyn daʓum ʓeferan.

c. 1400.  Maundev. (Roxb.), viii. 32. It es a grete way betwene þam.

1535.  Coverdale, 1 Kings xix. 7. Stonde vp, and eate, for thou hast a greate waye to go.

1551.  T. Wilson, Logic, II. I viij b. It is no good argument, if I se a tree a good way from me, to say, it is a tree, therefore it is an Apple tree.

1585.  T. Washington, trans. Nicholay’s Voy., III. viii. 82 b. Trauailing both day and night … [they] do dispatch more way then the best horse … coulde doe.

1588.  Shaks., L. L. L., III. 57. The way is but short, away.

1590.  Spenser, F. Q., I. i. 28. Long way he traveiled before he heard of ought.

1632.  Lithgow, Trav., V. 176. There came a man, and two women swimming to vs, more then a mile of way.

1662.  J. Davies, trans. Olearius’ Voy. Ambass., 36. The Sand-banks … reach out a good way into the Sea.

1667.  Sprat, Hist. Royal-Soc., 250. A Chariot-way-wiser, measuring exactly the length of the way of the Chariot or Coach to which it is apply’d.

1697.  C’tess. D’Aunoy’s Trav. (1706), 44. They commit these Villanies hard by a Sanctuary, so have the less way to an Altar.

1711.  Budgell, Spect., No. 77, ¶ 1. I saw him squirr away his Watch a considerable way into the Thames.

1791.  R. Mylne, 2nd Rep. Thames Navig., 10. There is the finest navigable Water, all the way from Mr. Tovey’s Meadows to Clieve Lock.

1818.  Scott, Hrt. Midl., xxxvi. I must ask the favour of your company a little way.

1835.  Dickens, Sk. Boz, Pawnbroker’s Shop. It is a low,… dusty shop, the door of which stands always doubtfully, a little way open.

1844.  Brougham, Alb. Lunel, I. ii. 39. The Marchioness’s walk seldom lasted less than an hour, so that she must have some way to go.

1856.  F. O. Morris, Brit. Birds, V. 8. Ventriloquism … making the sound at one moment appear close to the listener, and the next a long way off.

1882.  Besant, All Sorts, xxi. But the village of Davenant is not a great way off.

1898.  Flor. Montgomery, Tony, 18. She stood a little way from the door.

  fig.  1744.  Harris, Three Treat., I. (1765), 18. And now then, continued he, as we have gone thus far, and have settled between us what we believe Art to be; shall we go a little farther, or is your Patience at an end? Oh! no, replied I, not if any thing be left. We have walked so leisurely, that much remains of our Way.

  † b.  For a mile way, a furlong way, meaning the time that it takes to go that distance, see MILEWAY, FURLONG b. Obs.

  c.  In advb. phrases used figuratively. (By) a long way: qualifying a comparative, = ‘far’ (better, etc.). At the least way(s: see LEASTWAYS. † A great way: to a great extent. † A foul way out: miserably far from success. Some way: for some distance (in time).

  For to go a long, great, etc., way, see GO v. 43 c, d.

1601.  Shaks., All’s Well, I. i. 112. I loue him for his sake, And yet I … Thinke him a great way foole. Ibid. (1601), Jul. C., II. i. 107. Heere, as I point my Sword, the Sunne arises, Which is a great way growing on the South. Ibid. (1601), Twel. N., II. iii. 201. If I cannot recouer your Neece, I am a foule way out.

1699.  Bentley, Phal., 484. Why, forsooth, so much ado, why such a vast way about, to obtain a few Verses?

1874.  Sweet, in Trans. Philol. Soc., 1873–4, 516. The most characteristic features of Middle English, as, for instance, ii and uu, were preserved some way into the sixteenth century.

1890.  W. E. Norris, Misadventure, xiv. Bligh, who was his junior by a long way.

  9.  Direction of motion, relative position, or aspect. Chiefly in advb. phrases, as this way (= hitherwards), my way (= towards me, into my neighborhood), that way, which way, all ways, etc.

  In early use way often followed a local name or a sb. preceded by to with the force of the suffix -ward. In mod. colloquial and esp. rustic speech expressions like (down) Essex way (i.e., in Essex or its neighborhood) are common.

  For the right way, the wrong way, in uses belonging to this sense, see those adjs.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 22573. Þe fixses þat þar-in er stade,… Til erth wai [Gött. Till erdward] þan sal þai fle.

1573–80.  Tusser, Husb. (1878), 103. In Cambridge shire forward to Lincolne shire way, the champion maketh his fallow in May.

1591.  Shaks., 1 Hen. VI., III. iii. 52. Oh turne thy edged Sword another way. Ibid. (1605), Macb., IV. i. 45. By the pricking of my Thumbes, Something wicked this way comes. Ibid. (1607), Cor., I. iii. 8. When youth with comelinesse pluck’d all gaze his way.

1632.  Lithgow, Trav., VI. 276. From whence we saw … to the Westward, in the way of Egypt, the Castle of … Elisha.

a. 1654.  Selden, Table-T. (Arb.), 67. As take a straw and throw it up into the Air, you shall see by that which way the Wind is.

1680.  Moxon, Mech. Exerc., xiv. 235. The Work must run always one way.

1697.  Dryden, Æneis, XI. 1123. This way and that his winding Course he bends.

1744.  M. Bishop, Life, 190. Our advantageous Ground was the Destruction of a great many Thousands of the French, for we had them all Ways, Front, and Rear, and Flank.

1800.  Lathom, Dash of Day, I. iii. I seldom come your way now.

1821.  Scott, Kenilw., xxiii. Janet … ventured to ask her lady, which way she proposed to direct her flight.

1841.  Thackeray, Gt. Hoggarty Diamond, ii. As it was a very fine night, [we] strolled out for a walk West End way.

1846.  G. P. R. James, Step-mother, xxxviii. II. 106. The instant he entered—though the servant said, ‘this way, sir,’ and walked on towards the opposite door—Mr. Morton’s visitor stopped, bowed to the ladies, [etc.].

1850.  Newman, Difficulties Anglicans, I. ii. (1891), I. 55. Drive a stake into a river’s bed, and you will at once ascertain which way it is running.

1853.  Lytton, My Novel, VI. xix. The first time you come my way you shall have two glasses of brandy-and-water.

1873.  Ruskin, Fors Clav., xxxiii. 2. When last I was up Huntly Burn way, there was no burn there.

1878.  Trelawny, Rec. Shelley, etc., I. 167. A vehement exclamation … from one of the trio of ladies, drew all eyes her way.

1891.  ‘R. Boldrewood,’ Sydney-side Sax., vi. At last I made out a whirlwind coming our way.

1896.  Gratiana Chanter, Witch of Withyford, xv. 185. Joan she married Farmer Blake as lives over Molton way.

1902.  ‘Violet Jacob,’ Sheep-Stealers, viii. ‘Where are you going to now?’… ‘Down Crishowell way.’

1904.  P. Landon, in Times, 24 Sept., 8/2. We took care not to offend the susceptibilities of the Lamas by deviating from the orthodox left-to-right course…. The ‘way of the wine’ is a custom which would need no explanation to a Buddhist.

1912.  S. H. Warren, in Jrnl. R. Anthrop. Inst., XLII. 115. The shaft-hole is bored through the thinnest way of the [stone] blade, so that the cutting-edge comes at right angles to the shaft.

  b.  fig. in non-spatial applications.

  In colloquial use sometimes in predicative phrases, as (a little) that way, approximating to that condition; (all, quite, very much) the other way.

1598.  Shaks., Merry W., III. ii. 79. My consent goes not that way. Ibid. (1605), Lear, III. iv. 21. O that way madnesse lies, let me shun that.

a. 1647.  Fletcher, Lovers’ Progr., I. i. You are Poetical. Mal. Something given that way.

1652.  Howell, Giraffi’s Rev. Naples, II. 90. Three Brothers were detected to have a Design that way.

1707.  Atterbury, Vind. Doctr. Funeral Serm. Bennet, 32. As to the words themselves, there is nothing in them that sounds that way.

1711.  Addison, Spect., No. 108, ¶ 7. Finding his Genius did not lie that Way.

1794.  J. H. Moore, Pract. Navig. (1828), 179. Suppose the sun’s true azimuth S. 17° 45′ E. and the magnetic azimuth S. 5° 48′ W., required the variation, and which way?

1837.  Dickens, Pickw., li. ‘I’m afraid you’re wet.’… ‘Yes, I am a little that way.’

1858.  Trollope, Three Clerks, xxvi. You must not compare me with them,… They are patterns of excellence. I am all the other way.

1882.  J. H. Blunt, Ref. Ch. Eng., II. 126. Foxe, whose evidence is often one way and his assertions the other.

1885.  Law Times, LXXIX. 161/2. The evidence on the point had in his view been all one way.

  c.  Prov. To look nine ways, to look two ways for Sunday: to squint excessively. To go, look nine ways (at once, at thrice): expressing the indecision produced by terror or eagerness.

1542.  [see NINE A. 3 b].

a. 1617.  Bayne, On Ephes. (1643), 253. Some, if a thing come into the head, turne them forthwith to it, as busily as if they would goe nine waies at once.

1649.  [see NINE A 3 b].

1869.  A. Macdonald, Love, Law & Theol., xxi. 451. He has … a bad squint, so that … he seemed to be looking two ways for Sunday.

  d.  The other way about, round: conversely, vice versa.

1893.  ‘Mark Rutherford,’ Cath. Furze, I. vi. 102. She confounded all she was taught, and never could recollect whether the verb was conjugated and the noun declined, or whether it was the other way round, to use one of her favourite expressions.

1914.  Q. Rev., April, 382. Whilst with Hegel the Logic is the a priori framework of the whole philosophy, with Eucken it is secondary, adjusting itself to the life-process and not the other way about.

  e.  One way or (the) other, either way (advb. phr.): in one direction or the other; in the direction of excess or defect, of assent or denial, of confirmation or disproof, etc.

1560.  B. Hampton, in T. Wright, Q. Eliz. (1838), I. 36. As sone as th’ende thereof, either one waye or other, shall be knowne, I will not fayle to move the Quene’s Majestie that the same may be [etc.].

1732.  Berkeley, Alciphr., VI. § 5. I should … be glad to be convinced one way or other.

1860.  Dickens, Uncomm. Trav., vii. The housekeeper who saw it all … seemed to have no opinion about it, one way or other.

a. 1878.  B. Taylor, Germ. Lit., 105. There are but a few years’ difference between them, either way.

1884.  Law Times Rep., L. 29/2. The Summary Jurisdiction Act 1879 has no real bearing one way or the other on the question.

  † 10.  Naut. The run or rake of a ship. (Cf. RAKE sb.⁴ 1, RUN sb. 25 b.) Obs.

1627.  Capt. J. Smith, Sea Gram., ii. 10. The meane is the best if her after way be answerable.

1691.  T. H[ale], Acc. New Invent., 122. The proportion between the way of the Ship cut off at its greatest transverse section, and the way of the same shaped from the same section forward in the usual manner.

  III.  Course of life or action, means, manner.

  11.  A path or course of life; the activities and fortunes of a person.

  The use is mainly of Heb. origin, and is extremely frequent in all English versions of the Bible.

c. 897.  K. Ælfred, Gregory’s Past. C., xlii. 306. Hie etað ðone wæsðm hiera æʓnes weʓes [L. comedent fructus viæ suæ (Prov. i. 31)].

971.  Blickl. Hom., 21. Oþon leohte is fulfremednesse weʓ þe we on feran sceolan, þæt is se rihta ʓeleafa.

c. 1200.  Ormin, 18068. Forr all þe Laferrd Cristess lif & all hiss hallȝhe lare, & all hiss weȝȝe, & all hiss werrc, [etc.].

c. 1375.  Cursor M., 8590 (Fairf.). Of mister was þer wimmen twyn atte led þaire life in way of syn [Cott. wit sike and sin; other texts in sake and sine (synne)].

1382.  Wyclif, Prov. xxi. 2. Eche weie of a man riȝt to hym semeth.

1653.  Hane, Jrnl. (1906), 1. By the Lord’s providence who disposeth of all the wayes and actions of man.

1667.  Milton, P. L., IV. 620. Man hath his daily work … Appointed, which declares his Dignitie, And the regard of Heav’n on all his waies; While other Animals unactive range And of thir doings God takes no account.

1709.  Prior, Henry & Emma, 395. One Destiny our Life shall guide; Nor Wild, nor Deep our common Way divide.

1750.  Gray, Elegy, 76. They kept the noiseless tenor of their way.

  b.  pl. Habits of life, esp. with regard to moral conduct.

c. 825.  Vesp. Psalter, xxxviii. (xxxix.) 1. Ic cweð ic haldu weʓas mine ðet ic ne agylte in tungan minre. [Similarly in all later versions.]

1513.  More, Rich. III., Wks. 39/1. So that euer at length euil driftes dreue to nought, & good plain wayes prosper.

1567.  Gude & Godlie B. (S.T.S.), 95. Thow sall not follow wickit mennis wayis.

1599.  Shaks., etc., Pass. Pilgr., 323. And to her will frame all thy waies.

1675.  Owen, Indwelling Sin, xvii. (1732), 235. His Companions in Sin not finding him in his old Ways, begin to laugh at him.

1832.  Ht. Martineau, Manch. Strike, i. 8. Those who knew his ways could easily guess at which of his haunts he might be expected when missing from home.

1852.  Mrs. Stowe, Uncle Tom’s C., xxxvii. I wish, friend, thee would leave off cursing and swearing, and think upon thy ways.

1857.  Hughes, Tom Brown, I. i. I shall here shut up for the present, and consider my ways.

1887.  M. Creighton, in Mrs. Creighton, Life (1904), I. 375. Your letter will give me much food for meditation, and may in time lead to an amendment of my ways.

  c.  The way or ways of God: the course of God’s providence; very common in Bible use.

c. 825.  Vesp. Psalter, xliv. 17. Rehtwis dryhten in allum weʓum his.

1382.  Wyclif, Prov. viii. 22. The Lord weldide me [sc. Wisdom] in the begynnyng of his weies [so 1535 Coverdale; 1611 way].

1667.  Milton, P. L., VIII. 413. To attaine The highth and depth of thy Eternal wayes All human thoughts come short, supream of things.

1738.  C’tess Hartford, Corr. (1805), I. 28. It tells us … that a day will come when the ways of Providence will be cleared up.

  d.  A prescribed course of life or conduct; the law or commandments (of God); also in pl.

a. 1000.  Andreas, 170. Leode [he] lærde on lifes weʓ.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 6858. I … sal hald yow lel mi hight, To-quils yee folu mi wais right.

1382.  Wyclif, Job xxi. 14. The which seiden to God, Go awei fro vs; the kunnyng of thi weies we wiln not.

1786.  S. Told, Acc. Life (1806), 129. I walked closely in the ways of God.

1879.  R. K. Douglas, Confucianism, iii. 72. The Sage … maintains a perfect uprightness and pursues the heavenly way without the slightest deflection.

  e.  The Way: in the Acts of the Apostles, a name for the Christian religion (ἡ ὀδός, Vulg. via).

  In Acts ix. 2, xix. 9, 23, xxiv. 14, 22, the Greek has ‘the way.’; the only English translation that has the literal rendering in all the passages is the Revised Version of 1881 (‘the Way,’ with capital). In ix. 2 Wyclif, following an error in some MSS. of the Vulgate, has ‘this life’; later versions down to 1611 have ‘this way.’ In xix. 9 and 23 Wyclif, after some MSS. of the Vulgate, has ‘the way of the Lord’ (so, in verse 9, Tindale 1526 and Geneva 1557); later versions of verse 23 down to 1611 ‘that way.’ In xxiv. 14 Wyclif has ‘the sect’ (after Vulg. sectam), Tindale and Geneva ‘that way,’ Cranmer and 1611 ‘the way.’ In xxiv. 22 Wyclif has ‘the way,’ Geneva ‘this sect,’ and other versions down to 1611 ‘that way.’ In Acts xxii. 4 the Greek has ‘this way,’ which all the English translators render literally.

  12.  A course of action. Often with the phraseology of sense 4, as to go the right, wrong, nearest way.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 29222. For-þi to weind þe seker wai I rede we be in penance ai.

1390.  Gower, Conf., I. 2. I wolde go the middel weie And wryte a bok betwen the tweie, Somwhat of lust, somewhat of lore.

c. 1500.  Medwall, Nature (Brandl), I. 342. Yf thou se hym not take hys owne way, Call me cut, when thou metest me a nother day.

1526.  Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 9. In this we may knowe, what waye to take, & what waye to leue.

c. 1530.  Ld. Berners, Arth. Lyt. Brit., 352. I thinke this is a better waye than all to fyght at ones.

1539.  in W. A. J. Archbold, Somerset Relig. Houses (1892), 75. Albeyt we have vsed as many wayes with her as our poore wittes cowde atteyne, yet in the ende we cowde not … bring her to any conformytie.

1560.  Daus, trans. Sleidane’s Comm., 216. Theyr Archebysshop Herman hathe gon a new waye to worke [L. iniisse novam rationem].

a. 1586.  Sidney, Arcadia, II. xxii. § 8 (1912), 293. He durst not take open way against them: and as harde it was to take a secrete.

1610.  Shaks., Temp., II. ii. 39. My best way is to creepe vnder his Gaberdine.

1616.  T. Draxe, Bibl. Scholast., 2. He goeth the wrong way to worke, or to the wood.

1656.  Cowley, Davideis, I. Note 37. There is so much to be said of this subject, that the best way is to say nothing of it.

1693.  Locke, Educ., § 39. The sooner this Way is begun with Children, the easier it will be for them, and their Governors too.

1748.  Smollett, R. Random, lxii. He told me that I went the wrong way to work.

  † b.  (One’s) best or most advisable course. Obs.

1590.  Shaks., Com. Err., IV. iii. 93. My way is now to hie home to his house, And tell his wife, that [etc.]. Ibid. (1594), Rich. III., I. i. 78. I thinke it is our way, If we will keepe in fauour with the King, To be her men, and weare her Liuery. Ibid. (1603), Meas. for M., V. 280. I will goe darkely to worke with her. That’s the way: for women are light at midnight. Ibid. (1604), Oth., II. iii. 393. And bring him iumpe, when he may Cassio finde Soliciting his wife: I that’s the way.

  c.  To have (get, etc.) one’s (own) way: to be allowed to follow or to enforce on others the course of action on which one is resolved. Hence to love, be fond of one’s own way. Cf. 14 i.

1593.  Shaks., 3 Hen. VI., III. ii. 139. Like one that … chides the Sea, that sunders him from thence, Saying hee ’le lade it dry, to haue his way.

1611.  B. Jonson, Catiline, IV. iii. Had I had my way, He had mew’d in flames, at home, not i’ the Senate.

1622.  Bacon, Hen. VII., 238. Hee was of an High Mind, and loued his owne Will, and his owne Way.

1748.  Richardson, Clarissa (1768), I. 147. Obstinate, perverse, undutiful Clarissa!… then take your own way, and go up!

1849.  Macaulay, Hist. Eng., viii. II. 298. Every child knew that his majesty loved to have his own way and could not bear to be thwarted.

1859.  Tennyson, Marr. Geraint, 466. I myself sometimes despise myself; For I have let men be, and have their way. Ibid. (1859), Grandmother, xviii. Kind, like a man, was he; like a man, too, would have his way.

1866.  Mrs. Whitney, Leslie Goldthwaite, xi. I’ll … thank you unutterably, if you’ll only let me have my way in this. It will do me so much good, mamma!

1873.  Mrs. Oliphant, Innocent, III. 310. You are … silly, pig-headed, unreasonable, and more fond of your own way than of anything else in the world.

1885.  Manch. Exam., 8 June, 4/7. If they do not get their own way they will resign.

1893.  Law Times, XCIV. 559/1. If I had had my way, I would have fought every one of these actions.

  † d.  Take better way with you: take a more reasonable course. Obs.

a. 1553.  Udall, Royster D., IV. iii. (Arb.), 65. Let me now treate peace, For bloudshed will there be in case this strife increace. Ah good dame Custance, take better way with you.

  13.  A course of action, a device, expedient method, or means, by which some end may be attained or some danger escaped. Const. to with inf. or sb., of with gerund.

  Proverb, where there’s a will there’s a way.

c. 1175.  Lamb. Hom., 49. Þet we maȝen mid ure muðe bringen us ut of þisse putte … and þet þurh þreo herde weies þe þus beoð ihaten: Cordis contritione, Oris confessione, Operis satisfactione.

c. 1400.  26 Pol. Poems, iv. 36. By al way make hym þi frende.

c. 1400.  Pety Job, 382, ibid., 133. I may nat from thy respeccioun By no way, lorde, hyde now me.

c. 1470.  Stonor Papers (Camden), I. 109. As for the nexte corte they hathe founde a wey þat ther schull no thyng be do, yn so myche as ye be absent.

a. 1548.  Hall, Chron., Hen. VII., 50. For after yt tyme there were an hundred wayes practised and invented how at one time or another, to deliver or convey them out of pryson.

1550.  Crowley, Last Trumpet, 699. Why should not I … Haue benefices two or thre? Sens thou hast taught me the wei how I may kepe them and blamelesse be.

1606.  Shaks., Ant. & Cl., I. iii. 10. Thou teachest like a foole: the way to lose him.

1624.  Donne, Devot., x. (ed. 2), 217. Those are the greatest mischiefes, which are least discerned; the most insensible in their waies come to be the most sensible in their ends.

a. 1633.  G. Herbert, Outlandish Prov. (1640), 730. To him that will, waies are not wanting.

1668.  R. Steele, Husbandm. Calling, v. (1672), 96. The way to have full barns, is to have free hands.

1685.  F. Cheneau (title), French Grammar enriched with a compendious and short way to learn the French tongue in a very short time…; and a very rare way to find out all the articles, nouns, pronouns [etc.].

1720.  De Foe, Capt. Singleton, ii. (1840), 25. They took ways … to satisfy us.

1753.  Richardson, Grandison, I. ii. 5. And tho’ he finds a way, by his sister … to let Miss Byron know his passion.

1844.  Brougham, Alb. Lunel, xvi. II. 176. Against England he is implacable and the only way to ruffle his temper is to praise her.

1849.  Macaulay, Hist. Eng., x. II. 554. He now saw that there was only one way of averting general confusion.

1882.  Besant, All Sorts, xxi. ‘Is there no way,’ she asked, ‘in which he can earn money?’

1892.  Speaker, 3 Sept., 292/2. He [Mr. T. H. Huxley] can see but one way of arriving at truth, which he calls experience, yet in religious experience, on the whole, he discovers little else than illusion and hallucination.

1918.  Sir C. P. Lucas, in Cornhill Mag., June, 634. The Colonial reformers … were … Radicals who preached Colonial Self-government as the way and the only way to Imperial Unity.

  b.  Coupled with the synonymous MEAN sb.: see WAYS AND MEANS. Also † mean way (see MEAN a.² 4), † way moyen (see MOYEN a.). Also † ways and grounds.

c. 1400.  Rom. Rose, 4844. Wher they ne may Finde non other mene wey [Fr. ou nus ne set le moien querre].

1430–1.  Rolls of Parlt., IV. 375/2. Upon grete subtilite…, and colored menes and weyes.

1440.  in Wars Eng. in France (Rolls), II. 444. For elles youre partie adverse and the saide duc might not godely have founden the moyens and the weyes to have communed to geder to conclude thaire confedracy.

1455.  Rolls of Parlt., V. 287/2. So the weyes and groundes may be founde and hadde for paiement.

1470.  Stonor Papers (Camden), I. 115. Our Traitours … which daily labour þe weyes moyens at þeir power of our final destruccion.

1560.  Daus, trans. Sleidane’s Comm., 82. This is the onely meane and waye, that is euermore certayne and sure.

1561.  T. Hoby, trans. Castiglione’s Courtyer, II. (1577), N 1 b. Ech honest louer … vseth so manye meanes and wayes to please the woman whome hee loueth.

  † c.  To have the way(s: to know how to do something. Obs.

1542.  Udall, Erasm. Apoph., 163. O the right philosophicall herte of this prince, who had the waye, euen of his enemies, also to take vtilitee and profite. Ibid., 200. Oh what an horse these folkes dooe marre, while through defaulte of skylle … thei haue not the wayes to handle hym [L. dum illo per imperitiam … uti nesciunt].

  d.  Way out of: a means of escape from (a difficulty). Cf. sense 4.

1875.  Jowett, Plato (ed. 2), V. 430. Let us … ask ourselves … whether we have discovered a way out of the difficulty.

  14.  Manner in which something is done or takes place; method of performing an action or operation.

c. 725.  Corpus Gloss. (Hessels), Q 74. Quocumque modo, ʓehwelci weʓa.

c. 1350.  Will. Palerne, 5526. He wold haue do beter, ȝif is witte in eny weiȝes wold him haue serued.

1450–1530.  Myrr. our Ladye, I. v. 17. Lyghtnynge hys soule … with the spiritual vnderstondyng of hys wordes & that in tow wayes.

1563.  T. Gale, Antidot., Pref. 2. The methode and way of composition of suche medicines.

1577.  B. Googe, Heresbach’s Husb., II. 72. But are there more wayes then one of plantyng and setting?

1603.  Shaks., Meas. for M., III. ii. 112. They say this Angelo was not made by Man and Woman, after this downeright way of Creation.

1617.  Moryson, Itin., I. 67. After dinner we rode in like way two miles, to the City Lowen.

1638.  Junius, Paint. Ancients, 227. As for the things an Artificer shall judge to be worth his pains, he shall not onely invent them after the best way, but also after the easiest way.

1651.  Baxter, Inf. Bapt., 23. There is more ways of teaching then by preaching in a Pulpit.

1669.  Sturmy, Mariner’s Mag., IV. xvii. 202. A perfect Method and Way of keeping Account.

1687.  A. Lovell, trans. Thevenot’s Trav., I. 34. I have said enough of the Turks way of Eating, Drinking and Sleeping.

1711.  Addison, Spect., No. 124, ¶ 4. I may pronounce their Characters from their way of Writing.

1743.  Bulkeley & Cummins, Voy. S. Seas, 66. We have found out a new way of managing the Haugh.

1747.  Mrs. Glasse, Cookery, i. 4. There are several Ways of making Sauce for a Pig.

1798.  Sophia Lee, Canterb. T., Yng. Lady’s T., II. 341. She exacted, in consideration of this concession, that he should allow her to do it in her own way.

1827.  Faraday, Chem. Manip., xxiii. (1842), 586. In many other situations a bad conductor is of service in a similar way.

1878.  Hardy, Ret. Native, II. ii. (1890), 113. Yet why, aunt, does everybody keep on making me think that I do, by the way they behave towards me?

1895.  Law Times, XCIX. 546/1. Any practical suggestions pointing out in what way assistance may be rendered to students generally.

1897.  J. W. Clark, Barnwell, Introd. p. ix. I will begin this Introduction with a few words on the way in which I was led to undertake the work which I now publish.

  † b.  Literary style or method. Obs.

1632.  J. Hayward, trans. Biondi’s Eromena, To Rdr. A iv. The Authours peculiar way of imbellishing it … gained so much on the Italian humour, as it induced divers of that Nobility to procure him to second it … with another Tome.

a. 1639.  Wotton, Surv. Educ., Reliq. (1651), 334. And this is enough for the disclosing of a good Capacity in the popular way; which I have followed, because the subject is generall.

1671.  Dryden, Even. Love, Pref. a 1 b. I admire and applaud him where I ought: those who do more, do but value themselves in their admiration of him: and, by telling you they extoll Ben. Johnson’s way, would insinuate to you that they can practice it.

1691.  Wood, Ath. Oxon., II. 641. Five Sermons in five several stiles or waies of preaching. The first in Bishop Andrews way…. The second in B. Halls way.

  c.  In Chemistry and Assaying. The humid, moist, or wet way, the dry way (= F. voie humide, voie sèche), processes distinguished by the presence or absence of liquid.

1796.  [see DRY a. 11 e].

1800.  trans. Lagrange’s Chem., I. 398. I am not yet able to give an account … or the results of this analysis by the wet way.

1838.  [see HUMID a. c].

1839.  [see MOIST a. 5].

  d.  Adverbial phrases without prep. See also ANYWAY, SOMEWAY.

  Now somewhat rare, the form with in being commonly preferred.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 12623. Leue sun,… þi fader and i has mani wais Soght þe abute this thre dais.

c. 1380.  Wyclif, Sel. Wks., III. 348. Freris … spuylen þe puple many weies by ipocrisie and oþer leesingis.

1526.  Tindale, Heb. i. 1. God in tyme past diversly and many wayes [Gr. πολυτρόπως] spake vnto the fathers by prophetes.

1553.  T. Wilson, Rhet., III. 90 b. When by deuersity of inuention, a sentence is manye wayes spoken.

1560.  Daus, trans. Sleidane’s Comm., 286. He declareth … how many wayes they have rebelled [L. quam multis modis rebellarint ostendit].

1589.  Hakluyt, Voy., Ep. Ded. ¶ 5. It hath passed … the censure of the learned phisitian M. Doctor Iames, a man many wayes very notably qualified.

1599.  Shaks., Much Ado, II. i. 198. What fashion will you weare the Garland off?… You must weare it one way, for the Prince hath got your Hero. Ibid. (c. 1600), Sonn., xvi. 1. But wherefore do not you a mightier waie Make warre vppon this bloudie tirant time?

1612.  Peacham, Gentl. Exerc., III. 167. The Lion … is borne these waies, Rampant, Passant, Saliant, Seisant or couchant.

1651.  Hobbes, Leviath., II. xxxi. 187. God declareth his Lawes three wayes.

1653.  Walton, Angler, x. 187. Some say, they [sc. eels] breed … out of the putrifaction of the earth, and divers other waies.

1659.  Nicholas Papers (Camden), IV. 122. There Fleetewood, Desborow, with the greatest officers seeke God for councell and act theire owne way.

1682.  Dryden, Mac Flecknoe, 208. There thou maist … torture one poor word Ten thousand ways.

1695.  W. J., trans. Bossu’s Treat. Epick Poem, II. vii. 72. An Action may be entire and compleat two ways.

1780.  Johnson, Lett. to Mrs. Thrale, 4 July. I … hope she will not be too rigorous with the young ones, but allow them to be happy their own way.

  e.  Coupled with manner. Also in advb. phrases, all manner of ways, any manner of way († ways). Now rare.

1430.  Reg. Mag. Sig. Scot., 38/2. The fermys and the frottis in the mene tyme tane in the principale some of na maner of waye to be contyt.

1474[?].  Stonor Papers (Camden), I. 141. The grace of Jhesu, hom I mekely beseche … to preserve your fadyrhod yn alle maner of weyys.

1508.  Reg. Privy Seal Scot., I. 253/1. Alienatioun thairof in heretage, lyferent, or lang takis forthir than thre ȝeris, onymaner of way.

1533.  Gau, Richt Vay (S.T.S.), 26. Ane man ma trow ii maner of wais of god.

1654.  Dorothy Osborne, Lett. (1888), 225. My Lady Ruthin … has put a tune to them that I may hear them all manner of ways.

1705.  in W. S. Perry, Hist. Coll. Amer. Col. Ch., I. 162. Signed; but without the Privity … of Gov^r Nicholson or his being any manner of ways connected in it.

1718.  in Nairne Peerage Evid. (1874), 33. In such way and manner as to his Majesty should seem meet.

1720.  A. Petrie, Rules Good Deportm. (1877), 20. It is rude in Company to break Wind any Manner of Way, tho amongst Inferiors.

1815.  Scott, Guy M., xii. O ay, sir, there’s nae doubt o’ that, though there are mony idle clashes about the way and manner.

  f.  In his (her, its, their) way: appended to expressions of praise, with the implication that the praise given is to be understood in a limited sense appropriate to the object. In a way (colloq. in a sort of way): appended to a statement to intimate that it might be taken to imply more than it is meant to do.

1711.  Steele, Spect., No. 43, ¶ 3. We are all Grave, Serious, Designing Men, in our Way.

1742.  Richardson, Pamela, III. 255. You are two beloved Creatures: Both excellent in your way.

1749.  in 10th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm., App. I. 303. I have received from Cairo the Egyptian figures one of which in their way I do not think bad.

1829.  Scott, Rob Roy, Introd. 1st half. All whom I have conversed with, and I have in my youth seen some who knew Rob Roy personally, gave him the character of a benevolent and humane man ‘in his way.’

1835.  Dickens, Sk. Boz, Parl. Sk. Jane is as great a character as Nicholas, in her way.

1855.  Prescott, Philip II., I. viii. (1857), 149. The letter of the plenipotentiaries … is a model in its way.

1865.  Mrs. Whitney, Gayworthys, xxix. Of all the looks I ever see in a human face, his was the grievedest then…; and yet, in a kind of way, it was the grandest.

1878.  Browning, Poets Croisic, xlviii. Latin verses, lovely in their way.

1885.  ‘Mrs. Alexander,’ Valerie’s Fate, ii. He is handsome in a way—not elegant and soigné like Captain Grey, but there is something about him [etc.].

1905.  R. Bagot, Passport, iii. 16. Its apartments, though stately in their way, were neither historic nor [etc.].

  g.  Way of thinking: now usually, a set of opinions or principles characteristic of a party or sect. In earlier use with other senses, e.g., a purpose or intention, a (high or low) level of moral principle.

1709.  Steele, Tatler, No. 66, ¶ 1. Lysander, who is something particular in his Way of Thinking and Speaking, told us, a Man could not be Eloquent without Action.

1737.  Gentl. Mag., VII. 81. The Thing … was, at the best, but a very mean Action, and argued a low Way of Thinking.

1744.  M. Bishop, Life, 3. I hope he will turn your Heart from this Way of thinking [sc. wanting to go to sea].

1841.  Helps, Ess. Transaction of Business (1842), 93. It is often worth while to bestow much pains in gaining over foolish people to your way of thinking.

1891.  Kipling, Light that Failed, xi. More than you will be of that way of thinking, young woman.

  h.  Way of living or life: habits (of an individual or a community) with regard to food, habitation, intercourse, etc.

1681.  Rycaut, trans. Gracian’s Critick, To Rdr. A 8 b. Their Customs and way of living are different to other Nations of Europe.

1729.  T. Innes, Crit. Ess. (1879), 238. The same author … tells us that in his time the Britains were, as to their manners and way of living, partly like to the inhabitants of the Gauls.

1741.  C’tess Pomfret, in C’tess Hartford’s Corr. (1805), III. 369. I have got into as regular a way of life here as I could be in at my own house.

1774.  Goldsm., Nat. Hist., VIII. 184. If we examine their way of living, we shall find these insects chiefly subsisting upon others, much less than themselves.

1777.  Sir W. Jones, Ess., i. 180. Since their way of life gives them leisure to pursue those arts.

1898.  Max Pemberton, Phantom Army, I. vi. 41. That the hour would come when he must lay down the sword … and turn with shame from the old way of life.

  i.  To have everything one’s own way, to have it all one’s own way: to have one’s wishes carried out; to meet with no resistance or opposition. Cf. 12 c.

1709.  Steele, Tatler, No. 66, ¶ 2. Therefore he would have it his Way; and our Friend is to drink till he is carbuncled and Tun-bellied.

1744.  M. Bishop, Life, 107. Never deny him any Thing, for he loves to have every Thing his own Way.

1847.  Helps, Friends in C., I. viii. 154. That easiness of mind, which is easy because it is tolerant, because it does not look to have everything its own way.

1853.  Lytton, My Novel, IV. vii. That literature admits no controversialists, and the writer has it all his own way.

1858.  Sears, Athan., xvi. 133. What sort of a world would you make for yourself, if you could have everything your own way?

  j.  In various phrases. † There is no way but one: death (or ruin) is certain. No two ways about it or that (? orig. U.S. colloq.): there can be no doubt of the fact. It is always the way with (him): [he] always acts so. By (or with) his way of it (Sc.): according to his account of it.

1570.  ? Tarlton, in Old Ballads (Percy Soc., 1840), 82. No horse nor man could passe Or busines small or post, For issue none there was, No way but to be lost.

1586.  Marlowe, 1st Pt. Tamburl., V. ii. 1982. The Souldan and the Arabian king together Martch on vs with such eager violence, As if there were no way but one with vs.

1599.  Shaks., Hen. V., II. iii. 16. After I saw him fumble with the Sheets … [etc.], I knew there was but one way.

1678.  Dryden, All for Love, Pref. b 4. For if he heard the malicious Trumpetter proclaiming his name before his betters, he knew there was but one way with him.

1796–7.  Jane Austen, Pride & Prej., xliii. ‘And this is always the way with him,’ she added. Whatever can give his sister any pleasure, is sure to be done in a moment.’

1830.  The Natchez, 2 Oct., 315/1. Nobody but Col. Andrew Marschalk and Aristides can be true republicans—there is no two ways about it.

1834.  J. Hall, Kentucky, I. 145. ‘This has been a powerful hot day.’… ‘No two ways about that,’ said the hunter.

1842.  Dickens, Amer. Notes, vi. Well, they’re [i.e., the cells are] pretty nigh full, and that’s a fact, and no two ways about it.

1847.  Ruxton, Mexico, etc. xxxvi. 309. You and I have got to dovetail, and no two ways about it.

1852.  H. Rogers, Ecl. Faith (1853), 221. It is too much the way with you objectors to say [etc.].

1867.  Mrs. Oliphant, Madonna Mary, I. viii. 119. But then that is so often the way with those well-off people.

1889.  Stevenson, Master of Ballantrae, ii. Onyway he was a great hand by his way of it, and he up and rebuked the Master for some of his on-goings.

  k.  In this way: in colloquial lang. sometimes used vaguely for ‘thus’ or ‘so,’ when not the manner of an action but the action itself is in question.

1837.  Dickens, Pickw., xxviii. I can’t let you cut an old friend in this way.

  15.  In advb. phrases like (in) all ways, (in) any way, (in) one way, etc., the sense of ‘manner’ (see 14) passes into that of: An aspect, feature, or respect; a point or particular of comparison.

1598.  Shaks., Merry W., I. iv. 15. His worst fault is that he is giuen to prayer; hee is something peeuish that way.

a. 1626.  Bacon, New Atl. (1900), 38/13. Also we make them differ in Colour, Shape, Activity, many wayes.

1630.  B. Jonson, New Inn, IV. iii. The office of a man Thats truly valiant, is considerable Three ways: The first in respect of matter…; in respect of forme…; And in the end [etc.].

1885.  ‘Mrs. Alexander,’ Valerie’s Fate, v. May you find a companion better in all ways than I could have been!

1893.  Le Gallienne, Retrosp. Rev. (1896), II. 21. A teetotaler, however admirable in other ways, is not the fit person to edit Burns.

  16.  A condition regarded as hopeful or the contrary. Chiefly with qualifying adj.: in a good, bad, forward (etc.) way. † To stand in good way: to be likely to prosper. † To be in way with: to be in treaty with (a person) for something. † To put (a business) in a way: to put in train.

  Also, to be in a fair way (to do something): see FAIR a. 14. In the family way (= pregnant): see FAMILY 10 b.

1467.  Paston Lett., Suppl. 113. Wer by, I undy[r]stand,… all thyng standyth in good way.

1480.  Cely Papers (Camden), 49. I am in whay w^t Iyshbryght van whennysbarge for an ij of yowr sarplers. I hope I shall go thorow w^t hym.

c. 1500.  in Joseph Arimath. (E.E.T.S.), 32. He … set his realme & his housholde in good waye … & toke his Iourney.

1624.  in Eng. Hist. Rev. (1913), Jan., 129. When he hath put the business in a way, then he [the Secretary] is to go back and take his own place.

1648.  Gage, West Ind., 210. I am in a good way for salvation.

1691.  T. H[ale], Acc. New Invent., p. xviii. Timber sufficient for the use of the Navy Royal had now been in a forward way to its sufficient growth.

1698.  Jer. Collier, Immor. Stage, 211. When ever you see a thorough Libertine, you may almost swear he is in a rising way, and that the Poet intends to make him a great Man.

1726.  Shelvocke, Voy. round World, 347. People in such a forlorn way are apt to form innumerable apprehensions.

1742.  Richardson, Pamela, III. 228. [She] told me … that the Way I was in [sc. ‘in the family way’], made her love me better and better. Ibid., 354. So having congratulated their hopeful Way, and wished them to take care of themselves [etc.].

1809.  Windham, Lett., 23 July, in Sp. (1812), I. 109. But one of the poor men who were hurt at the fire is dead, and another of them is, I fear, in a bad way.

1828.  Carr, Craven Gloss., s.v., ‘To be in a hinging way,’ neither well nor ill.

1838.  Dickens, Nickleby, xxiii. There was Mrs. Lenville, in a very limp bonnet and veil, decidedly in that way in which she would wish to be if she truly loved Mr. Lenville.

1871.  Smiles, Charac., i. 26. The nation that has no higher god than pleasure, or even dollars or calico, must needs be in a poor way.

  b.  To be in a way (with or without specifying adj.): to be in a state of mental distress or anxiety. dial. Cf. STATE sb. 2 c.

1855.  Mag. for Young, XIV. 131. She keeps on crying out for her mamma and her Poor, or something, and she is in such a way as I never saw.

1869.  A. Macdonald, Love, Law & Theol., xvi. 313. But they say she’s in a dreedfu’ wey … She’s never yet heerd frae her man [etc.]. Ibid., xviii. 354. She’ll gae clean distrackit—a hear she’s in a sair wey aboot it.

1873.  [J. Spilling], Molly Miggs, 81 (E.D.D.). Well, there, I was in a way.

1883.  Frances M. Peard, Contrad., xxvi. Mother’s in a fine way.

1896.  Gratiana Chanter, Witch of Withyford, iv. 45. I suppose her was in a proper way about it and fell to crying.

  17.  Kind, sort, description. Now only in certain phrases. In the way of: of the nature of, belonging to the class of, ‘in the shape of.’ Also, with similar sense, and more frequently, in the — way, where way is qualified by an attributive sb. or an adj. So occas. in this way = ‘of this kind.’

1647.  Clarendon, Hist. Reb., III. § 140. He averred that ‘in that way of bill [sc. a bill of attainder] private satisfaction to each man’s conscience was sufficient, although no evidence had been given in at all.’

1736.  Butler, Anal., Introd., Wks. 1874, I. 4. Though so little in this way has been attempted by those who have treated of our intellectual powers.

1757.  Foote, Author, I. Wks. 1799, I. 134. You have nothing in the compiling or index way, that you wou’d intrust to the care of another? Ibid., 136. In the year forty-five, when I was in the treasonable way.

1770.  Langhorne, Plutarch’s Lives, Philopœmen, ¶ 4. From a child he was fond of everything in the military way.

1791.  Smeaton, Edystone L., § 94. I could have every thing here, that I could desire in the freestone way.

1797.  Mrs. A. M. Bennett, Beggar Girl (1813), I. 214. In the afternoon tea-way, her bar exhibited the genteel thing.

1809.  Malkin, Gil Blas, I. xii. ¶ 4. I should want for nothing in the bread and water way!

1823.  J. Badcock, Dom. Amusem., 170. Sheet lead, which comes to us in the way of lining round tea-chests.

1835.  Dickens, Sk. Boz, Making a Night of it. It was his ambition to do something in the celebrated ‘kiddy’ or stage-coach way. Ibid. (1837), Pickw., lv. Mr. Solomon Pell, finding that nothing more was going forward, either in the eating or drinking way, took a friendly leave.

1875.  Freeman, Norm. Conq. (ed. 2), III. xiii. 305. He did a good deal in the way of ravaging.

1875.  E. White, Life in Christ, IV. xxvii. (1878), 442. More certainty is attainable respecting some things which Divine Goodness will not do, than as to what it will do in the way of positive benefaction.

  18.  Kind of occupation, work or business. Now only more explicitly way of business. Formerly also † way of life = ‘walk of life.’

1690.  Norris, Beatitudes (1694), 81. If God would not accept an House of Prayer from a Man of a Military Way and Character, much less will he accept [etc.].

1711.  Addison, Spect., No. 21, ¶ 8. To place their Sons in a way of Life where an honest Industry cannot but thrive.

1721.  Lond. Gaz., No. 6020/4. Diapers, Damasks, Huckabacks, and all sorts of … Linnens in a Linnen-Draper’s Way.

1727.  Gay, Begg. Op., I. ix. The Lawyers are bitter enemies to those in our way.

1752.  Lond. Even.-Post, 28–30 May, 4/1. We hear that there hath been lately an Order made in some of the Royal Hospitals, that no Governor should serve them in his Way of Business.

1782.  Miss Burney, Cecilia, IX. vi. Her mother, she was sure, would never be at rest till he got into some higher way of life.

1787.  T. Jefferson, Writ. (1859), II. 90. The best workmen in this way, acknowledge that his is like a new art.

1791.  Smeaton, Edystone L., § 293. This day the plumber completed every thing in his way about the balcony.

1920.  Act 10 & 11 Geo. V., c. 13 § 2 (3). In the case of a seller who was in the same way of business before the war.

  b.  Preceded by an attributive sb. denoting the kind of commodity dealt in.

1760.  Derrick, Lett. (1767), I. 45. The different manufactures of this town, more particularly in the cutlery and toy way.

1766.  Entick, London, IV. 114. There are several … wholesale traders in the haberdashery way.

1786.  Phil. Trans., LXXVI. 27, note. [He] had some years past the honour to work in the instrument way under the direction of the late D^r Demainbray.

1788.  Ann. Reg., Projects, 93. A gentleman of ability in the steel way.

1838.  Dickens, Nickleby, iv. I am in the oil and colour way.

1841.  Thackeray, Gt. Hoggarty Diamond, ii. It was a new house, but did a tremendous business in the fig and sponge way.

  c.  In my (his, etc.) way: = in my (etc.) line; suited to my (etc.) capacity, tastes or requirements. Chiefly in negative context. Cf. 37 d.

1806.  J. Beresford, Miseries Hum. Life, i. Introd. Quoting from a dead language looks a little like skulking, and that’s not at all in my way, as you know.

1863.  Dickens, Uncomm. Trav., xvii. One … is made angry by my modestly suggesting the possibility of Paris time being more in their way.

a. 1865.  Mrs. Gaskell, Wives & Dau., xiv. I knew it [sc. an agricultural meeting] wasn’t much in his way.

1887.  Birrell, Obiter Dicta, Ser. II. 64. Research was not in his way.

  19.  In a great, small way: (living) on a large or small scale of income and expenditure. Also with reference to the magnitude of a business establishment.

c. 1750.  J. Nelson, Jrnl. (1836), 9. We … lived in a good way (as the world calls it), that is, in peace and plenty, and love to each other.

1779.  Mirror, No. 17. I was married, about five years ago, to a young man in a good way of business as a grocer.

1815.  Jane Austen, Emma, ii. Having brothers already established in a good way in London. Ibid., xxii. The elder sister … was very well married, to a gentleman in a great way, near Bristol, who kept two carriages!

1849.  Thackeray, Pendennis, viii. It was very right that he should take lodgings in his aunt’s house, who lived in a very small way.

1864.  Law Times’ Rep., N. S. X. 719/1. The defendants … were contractors and builders in a large way of business.

1885.  Field, 26 Sept., 476/1. Young men … go headlong into some big scheme they take into their heads … instead of starting cautiously and in a small way.

  † 20.  In the 17–18th c. often used for: A particular form of church government or polity. Obs.

a. 1647.  [see CONGREGATIONAL 3].

1648.  J. Cotton, Way of Congreg. Ch., I. iii. 1. Nor is Independency a fit name of the way of our Churches.

1651.  Baxter, Inf. Bapt., 145. The Episcopall Party are far more confirmed in their way by it.

1737.  Waterland, Eucharist, 449. From our own Divines I may next proceed to some learned Foreigners, of the Lutheran way.

1750.  [see PRESBYTERIAN a. 1].

  21.  The customary or usual manner of acting or behaving.

1613.  Shaks., Hen. VIII., III. i. 157. Why shold we (good Lady) Vpon what cause wrong you? Alas, our Places, The way of our Profession is against it.

1700.  Congreve, Way of World, V. xiii. Even so Sir, ’tis the way of the World, Sir.

1729.  Law, Serious C., i. 13. Here you see, that one person has Religion enough, according to the way of the world, to be reckon’d a pious Christian.

1830.  trans. Caillié’s Trav. Timbuctoo, I. 94. I tried in vain to discover the origin of this whimsical custom; the only answer I could obtain was, ‘It is our way.’

1839.  Thackeray, Fatal Boots, Jan. Living with dukes and peeresses, and writing my recollections of them, as the way now is. Ibid. (1850), Pendennis, lvi. Almost every person [in this story], according to his nature,… and according to the way of the world as it seems to us, is occupied about Number One.

  b.  pl. Customary modes of behavior; usages, customs.

1742.  Fielding, J. Andrews, I. iii. He … was … as entirely ignorant of the ways of this world as an infant just entered into it could possibly be.

1893.  F. T. Richards, in Traill, Soc. Eng., i. 10. Contending parties among the barbarians looked for Roman support, courted it by assuming Roman ways, and invited Roman interference.

1884.  W. C. Smith, Kildrostan, 46. We judge a stranger by our home-bred ways, Who, maybe, walks by other rule of right.

  22.  A habitual or characteristic manner of action, behavior, expression, or the like. Often in collective plural.

  It is (only) his way: often said of some perverse or annoying habit of behavior which the friends of the person guilty of it are accustomed to regard with toleration. So proverbially, Pretty Fanny’s way (after quot. a. 1718). † After my way: in accordance with my custom.

1709.  Steele, Tatler, No. 6, ¶ 1. Now upon any Occasion, they only cry, ’Tis her Way, and That’s so like her. Ibid. (1709), No. 45, ¶ 6. As it is my Way to write down all the good Things I have heard in the last Conversation to furnish my Paper, I can from this only tell you my Sufferings and my Pangs.

1711.  Addison, Spect., No. 90, ¶ 7. I was, after my Way, in Love with both of them.

a. 1718.  Parnell, Elegy to Old Beauty, 33.

1748.  Richardson, Clarissa (1768), III. 103. The free dislike I expressed to his ways, his manners, and his contrivances.

1779.  Mirror, No. 25. I was about to be angry; but on such occasions it is not my way to say much. Ibid. (1779), No. 47, ¶ 4. He often indulges in jokes … which could not be heard without a blush from any other person; but from Tom, for his way is known, they are heard without offence.

1800.  Mrs. Hervey, Mourtray Fam., II. 269. Henry gone! without our knowing any thing about the letter; and all by your slow ways!

1824.  Scott, St. Ronan’s, i. The exuberant frolics of Meg’s temper, which were to them only ‘pretty Fanny’s way.’

1857.  G. A. Lawrence, Guy Livingstone, vi. 45. She had the ways of a child petted all its life through, that a harsh word would frighten to annihilation.

1865.  Dickens, Mut. Fr., I. vi. I ought to have begun with a word of explanation: but it’s my way to make short cuts at things.

1871.  Lowell, Pope, Writ. 1850, IV. 15. Dryden, in his rough-and-ready way, has hinted at this in his verses to Congreve.

1884.  W. C. Smith, Kildrostan, 79. He settled near us In the next glen, and lived a sumptuous life, Costly, luxurious, though his ways were coarse.

1899.  Allbutt’s Syst. Med., VIII. 217. The teacher may observe slow action, wandering eyes, twitchings, awkward ways, or stooping.

  b.  pl. Habits, usual modes of acting (of an animal); † (of a horse) acquired habits, accomplishments.

1706.  Lond. Gaz., No. 4285/8. Stolen or strayed…, a roan Mare…, all her Ways, except Pacing.

1899.  W. T. Greene, Cage-Birds, 68. The Red-sided Tit is nearly akin to the Litbrix, which it resembles in many of its ways.

  c.  transf. Occas. with reference to a thing: A tendency or liability to some particular kind of action.

1883.  Manch. Guard., 3 Oct., 7/2. A policy has a way of becoming unrecognisable when it is administered by a man who does not believe in it.

1918.  Times Lit. Suppl., 14 March. 122/3. Each of our nerves has a nature of its own and ways of its own.

  d.  To have a way with one: to have a persuasive manner. Also in plural (usually with qualifying word) applied to ingratiating tricks of manner.

1711.  R. Martin, in E. H. Burton, Life Bp. Challoner (1909), I. iii. 33. Saying yt he’d make a most excellent missioner; he had such an honest way with him.

1840.  Dickens, Old C. Shop, iv. Quilp has such a way with him when he likes, that the best-looking woman here couldn’t refuse him if … he chose to make love to her.

1872.  Lever, Ld. Kilgobbin, lxxviii. All your little beguiling ways and insinuating tricks.

1877.  Patmore, Unknown Eros, Departure, 1. It was not like your great and gracious ways!

1901.  Athenæum, 27 July, 120/2. Sticking through thick and thin to the fascinating good-for-nothing who has a way with him.

  IV.  23. Uses of ways as a singular.

  a.  The genitive ways (OE. weʓes) occurs in many advb. phrases in which it is combined with a preceding pronominal adj. Most of these phrases came to be written as single words, and are treated as such in this Dict.: see ANYWAYS, NOWAYS, OTHERWAYS (OE. óðres weʓes) and -WAYS suffix. Other similar collocations, now Obs. or dial., are each ways, this ways, that ways, which ways, the same ways, synonymous with ‘each way,’ ‘this way,’ etc. (see 9, 9 b, 14 d).

  Occas. also with a prep., as in each ways, by this ways.

11[?].  O. E. Chron., an. 1016. [Hi] wendon him suðweard oðres weʓes.

c. 1205.  Lay., 18702. Ælches weies [c. 1275 weyes] him wes wa. Ibid., 25428. Neoren hit noht cnihtes no þes wæies idihte.

a. 1225.  Leg. Kath., 1984. Þis pinfule gin wes o swuch wise iginet, þat te twa turnden eiðer wiðward oðer; & anes weis baðe: þe oðer twa turnden anes weis alswa.

a. 1225.  Juliana, 42. Sei me ȝet witerluker, quod ha, hwuches weis ȝe wurcheð ant bicherreð godes children.

c. 1230.  Hali Meid. (Bodl. MS.), 112. Hit is þah i wedlac summes weies to þolien.

1338.  R. Brunne, Chron. (1725), 123. Roberd þe Marmion þe same wayes did he, He robbed þorgh treson þe kirke of Couentre.

c. 1420.  Contin. Brut, ccxli. (E.E.T.S.), 352. Þe tokyn ij smale tewellys…, and caste þe tewellys aboute þe Dukis nek…; and þan þei drowen her towellis eche wayez.

1530.  Palsgr., 421/1. He hath altered his stayre another wayes, il a coutourne ses degrez tout aultrement.

1585–6.  Earl Leycester, Corr. (Camden), 463. Before which tyme, the winde beinge as it was, the fleete wolde be gonne over landes end, and passe that waies to the seas.

1590.  Payne, Brief. Descr. Irel. (1841), 9. Let the slope side of your ditch be towardes your marraine, and that wayes throw vp all your earth.

1597.  Beard, Theatre God’s Judgem. (1612), 20. He could not tell which wayes to turn himselfe.

1598.  Shaks., Merry W., II. ii. 50. I pray your worship come a little neerer this waies.

1622.  Callis, Stat. Sewers (1647), 127. Doctor Bonhams Case, fol. 119 in the same Report, wherein the principal Case there put sways the same ways.

1896.  Gratiana Chanter, Witch of Withyford, xiv. 170. Going … up over the track that ways to Witches’ Combe.

  b.  Similarly to go, come one’s ways (also † on one’s ways), synonymous with to go, come one’s way (see 7 b), and parallel to the G. er ging seines weges. In the later period a loose use of the plural may have coalesced with the use of the advb. genitive.

  Now only dial. and vulgar, and chiefly in the imperative; in rustic use come thy ways is often addressed playfully to children and animals.

c. 893.  K. Ælfred, Oros., 21. Þonne rideð ælc hys weʓes mid ðan feo.

13[?].  Cursor M., 22063 (Edinb.). [Satan shall be] laisid at te laste … to walc his waiis forþe [Cott. his forth; other texts his way] fra þat quile.

1450–1530.  Myrr. our Ladye, I. xxii. 57. He anon lefte there the stynkeynge body that he appered in, & wente hys wayes.

c. 1460.  Macro Plays, Wisdom, 878. Turne þi weys! þou gost a-myse.

1576.  Gascoigne, Kenelworth Castle, Wks. 1910, II. 101. And death … will end my dayes, As soon as you shall … wish to go your wayes.

1581.  Rich, Farew., Bb ij. To conueigh her … a sute of mannes apparell: wherin the next daie in the after noone,… she should shift herself, and so come her waies vnknowne of any, to suche a place. Ibid., Bb iij. Alberto, seyng matters so throughlie concluded, tooke his leaue of theim bothe, and goyng his waies home, he caused all his daughters apparell to be looked together.

1600.  Shaks., A. Y. L., I. ii. 221. You meane to mocke me after: you should not haue mockt me before: but come your waies. Ibid. (1610), Temp., II. ii. 85. Come on your wayes: open your mouth.

1701.  Farquhar, Sir H. Wildair, V. vi. Go thy ways for a true Pattern of the Vanity, Impertinence, Subtlety, and Ostentation of thy Country.

1768.  Goldsm., Goodn. Man, I. i. Well, go thy ways, Sir William Honeywood.

1815.  Scott, Guy M., viii. ‘Ride your ways,’ said the gipsy, ‘ride your ways, Laird of Ellangowan.’

1840.  Dickens, Old C. Shop, lxxii. Go thy ways with him, sir,… and Heaven be with ye both!

1884.  Chesh. Gloss., Come thy ways, a coaxing way of calling an animal; or even of addressing children.

  c.  In a good, great, little, long ways (now only dial.), the origin of the use of ways for way is obscure.

  It might possibly have arisen from the analogy of phrases containing the advb. genitive (see a and b). There is no known instance in OE. of such a construction as *lýtel weʓes (= ‘paululum viæ’), which might possibly account for it.

1588.  Parke, trans. Mendoza’s Hist. China, 289. They … came vnto the gates of the cittie, after they had gon a good wayes in the suburbs.

1594.  R. Ashley, trans. Loys le Roy, 105 b. Selim Ottoman … assailed him with a mightie armie, a good waies within his owne kingdome.

1749.  Fielding, Tom Jones, XII. iii. Not that I hope … to live to any such Age as that neither—But if it be only to eighty or ninety: Heaven be praised, that is a great Ways off yet.

1809.  Byron, To Mr. Hodgson, 25 June. Falmouth … is no great ways from the sea.

1841.  Catlin, N. Amer. Ind., xli. II. 62. The beautiful Arabian … must … be a great ways further South than this.

1845.  S. Judd, Margaret, I. xiv. 113. ‘It is only a little ways,’ replied she, ‘and I went clear down to the village to-day alone.’

1890.  Bickley, Surrey Hills, III. 206. Maybe ’ee’s lost his ways.

1895.  S. Crane, Red Badge, v. His mouth was still a little ways open.

1907.  J. H. McCarthy, Needles & Pins, xiii. The man staggered a little ways across the hall and fell in a heap.

  V.  Idiomatic phrases.

  * with governing verb.

  For clear the way, fetch way (Naut.), gather way (Naut.), give way, pave the way, see the verbs.

  24.  Have way. (See 6 above.)

  † a.  To be allowed liberty of action. Obs.

1603.  Shaks., Meas. for M., V. 238. Let me haue way, my Lord, To finde this practise out.

  b.  Of feelings or their manifestation: To find vent.

1846.  G. P. R. James, Step-mother, xxxii. He evidently strove to speak calmly, but the father’s apprehensions would have way, and his voice trembled, and his lip quivered.

1883.  D. C. Murray, Hearts, xix. Tom dropped his face into his hands, and a scalding tear or two had way in spite of him.

  25.  Make way.

  a.  To open a passage, remove obstacles to progress, to facilitate passage or entrance. (See 6 above.) Const. for, † to, or † dative.

c. 1200.  Trin. Coll. Hom., 91. Ðo þe þe weie makeden biforen him bien folkes lorþeawes.

c. 1330.  R. Brunne, Chron. Wace (Rolls), 1555. Þorow þe host he made hem [? read hym] weye, On ilk a side he dide þem deye.

a. 1400–50.  Bk. Curtasye, 533, in Babees Bk. Byfore þe cours þo stuarde comes þen, Þe seruer hit next of alle kyn men Mays way and stondes by syde, Tyl alle be serued at þat tyde.

c. 1450.  Merlin, xxxii. 655. Gawein com thourgh the presse makinge wey with the trenchaunt suerde.

1567.  Maplet, Gr. Forest, 68 b. And the fift or odde Crane in maner of a persiue sterne, to make the other way in the Ayre, flieth all alone before.

1588.  Parke, trans. Mendoza’s Hist. China, 184. They were carried in little chayres vpon mens backes, and the Captaine … before them making way.

1593.  Shaks., 2 Hen. VI., IV. viii. 62. My sword make way for me, for heere is no staying.

1616.  R. C., Times’ Whistle (1871), 81. Wher gold makes way Ther is no interruption.

1638.  R. Baker, trans. Balzac’s Lett. (vol. II.), 107. Hee seemes to thinke … that vertue had neede of delight, to make way for her into the soule.

1693.  Locke, Educ., § 140. All the World forwardly joyn to oppose and defeat them: whilst the open, fair, wise Man has every Body to make way for him, and goes directly to his Business.

  † b.  Of ground: To allow of passage. Obs.

c. 1300.  K. Horn, 1489 (Laud MS.). Þe sond by gan to drye And hyt hym makede weye.

  c.  To move from one’s place so as to allow a person to pass.

c. 1400.  Maundev. (Roxb.), xxv. 120. He commaundez þe lordes þat rydez nere him to make way þat þe men of religioun may comme to him.

1593.  Shaks., Rich. II., V. ii. 110. Make way, vnruly Woman.

1842.  Borrow, Bible in Spain, vii. A Portuguese or Spaniard will seldom make way for a stranger, till called upon or pushed aside.

1911.  Gouldsbury & Sheane, Gt. Plateau N. Rhodesia, 259. If a young man sees his mother-in-law coming along the path, he must retreat into the bush and make way for her.

  d.  To leave a place vacant for a successor or substitute.

1760–72.  H. Brooke, Fool of Qual. (1809), III. 122. When my family … were thus turned out of doors, an old follower made way for them in his own cottage, and retired … to a cow-house hard by.

a. 1828.  H. Neele, Lit. Rem. (1829), 33. The tragedies of Shakspeare were driven from the stage to make way for those of Addison and Rowe.

1853.  Kingsley, Hypatia, xxx. If they [the philosophers] had no better Gospel than that to preach, they must make way for those who had.

1869.  Freeman, Norm. Conq., III. xii. 151. His castle … has been wantonly destroyed to make way for one of the barbarous official buildings of modern France.

1896.  Law Times, C. 407/2. At Durham … [Sir Charles] refused to stand, and his refusal made way for the present Lord Herschell.

  e.  To make progress on a journey or voyage. Often with qualifying word, as to make good, much, little way. (Cf. 7 above.)

  (a)  Naut. (see 7 i).

1490.  Caxton, Eneydos, xxvii. 97. Castyng her sight ferder towarde the see, she sawe the saylles, wyth the flote of the shippes that made good waye.

1556.  Towrson, in Hakluyt, Voy. (1589), 98. The windes and seas were high, yet we made some way.

a. 1626.  Bacon, New Atl., 1. The Winde … setled in the West for many dayes, so as we could make little or no way.

1624.  Capt. J. Smith, Virginia, III. vi. 60. We seeing them prepare to assault vs, left our Oares and made way with our sayle to incounter them. Ibid. (1626), Accid. Yng. Seamen, 29. Fetch the log-line to try what way shee makes.

1744.  M. Bishop, Life, 49. We lost our Main top Mast, so that after the Storm was over we could not make any Way.

1791.  Smeaton, Edystone L., § 155. Our vessels … made better Way in a rough sea.

1837.  Marryat, Dog-fiend, xlii. He stood up on the choak to ascertain what way she was making through the water.

1882.  De Windt, Equator, 75. The river, however, widened to nearly a mile in breadth … and we made better way.

  (b)  gen. Also fig.

1588.  Shaks., Tit. A., II. ii. 24. And I haue horse will follow where the game Makes way.

1590.  Spenser, F. Q., I. i. 39. He making speedy way through spersed ayre.

a. 1593.  Marlowe & Nashe, Dido, 221. Æneas is my name … With twise twelue Phrigian ships I plowed the deepe, And made that way my mother Venus led.

1596.  Shaks., Tam. Shr., I. i. 239. Waite you on him,… While I make way from hence to saue my life.

1820.  Scott, Monast., Introd. Ep. So great is the difference betwixt reading a thing one’s self, making toilsome way through all the difficulties of manuscript, and, as the man says in the play, ‘having the same read to you.’

1845.  McCulloch, Taxation, III. ii. (1852), 446. Should the system [of life annuities] not make any greater way than it has done, it may not … be worth objecting to.

1860.  Mozley, Univ. Serm., vii. (1876), 182. See … how little way they have made in truly spiritual, unselfish affections and inclinations.

1882.  Besant, All Sorts, xviii. And he made no more way with his wooing. That was stopped, apparently, altogether.

1883.  Frances M. Peard, Contrad., i. His companion … was making rapid way towards the point.

1888.  Bryce, Amer. Commw., xxxix. II. 71. There are some signs the view is making way.

  † f.  To make a hole in, through. Obs.

1581.  A. Hall, Iliad, IV. 73. That of the staffe the steeled point made in his forehead way.

1596.  Shaks., Tam. Shr., II. 155. With that word she stroke me on the head, And through the instrument my pate made way.

1611.  Cotgr., Faire jour à, to make way vnto.

  † g.  Of an event or action: To lend to, afford facilities for something; to render it possible to do something. Obs.

1646.  H. Lawrence, Commun. & War with Angels, 14. And this will not be unusefull to consider since it makes way to shew to what end they appeare and what they … can doe for us.

1677.  Temple, Moxa, Miscell. (1680), 194. About which time [the age of forty] the natural heat beginning to decay, makes way for those distempers.

a. 1715.  Burnet, Own Time, III. viii. (1900), II. 143. This made way to more desperate undertakings.

  † h.  To make way to: to approach (a person) with a view to establishing relations with him.

1671.  Milton, Samson, 481. I already have made way To some Philistian Lords, with whom to treat About thy ransom.

  26.  Make one’s (its) way. (Cf. 7 above.)

  a.  To travel or proceed in an intended direction or to a certain place. To make the best of one’s way (also, † to make one’s best way): to go as quickly as one can; † to decamp.

c. 1400.  Maundev. (Roxb.), xxxiv. 156. I made my way … vnto Rome.

1582.  N. Lichefield, trans. Castanheda’s Conq. E. Ind., I. iii. 7 b. The rest then departed,… making their waye into the Sea, with a South southwest winde.

1668.  Clarendon, Contempl. Ps., Tracts (1727), 473. Those who … make their way through a sea of blood and rapine to grasp an authority which belonged not to them.

1697.  Dryden, Virg. Georg., III. 395. He makes his way o’re Mountains, and contemns Unruly Torrents, and unfoorded Streams.

1705.  Addison, Italy, Monaco, etc., 4. The next Day we again set Sail, and made the best of our way ’till we were forc’d, by contrary Winds, into St. Remo.

1742.  Fielding, J. Andrews, I. xvi. The Thief … without any Ceremony, stepped into the Street, and made the best of his Way.

1836.  Thirlwall, Greece, xxii. III. 215. A very small number made their way to Ambracia.

1840.  Dickens, Old C. Shop, xxiii. With that they parted; Mr. Swiveller to make the best of his way home and sleep himself sober; and Quilp [etc.].

1844.  Disraeli, Coningsby, VII. iv. Coningsby bade his friend farewell till the morrow, and made his best way to the Castle.

1849.  Macaulay, Hist. Eng., iii. I. 366. Hardly any gentleman had any difficulty in making his way to the royal presence.

1864.  Trollope, Small Ho. Allington, xxi. Johnny made his way on to the road by a stile that led out of the copse. Ibid. Then we’ll make the best of our way home, and have a glass of wine there.

1874.  Green, Short Hist., vi. § 4. 300. It was in despair of reaching Italy that the young scholar [Erasmus] made his way to Oxford.

  † b.  To effect a passage by force, force one’s way. Obs.

1647.  Clarendon, Hist. Reb., VI. § 157. But if they compelled him to make his way, and enter the town by force, it would not be in his power to keep his soldiers from taking that which they should win with their blood.

  c.  To make progress in one’s career; to advance in wealth, station, reputation, etc., by one’s own efforts.

1605.  Shaks., Lear, V. iii. 29. If thou do’st As this instructs thee, thou dost make thy way To Noble Fortunes.

1711.  Addison, Spect., No. 123, ¶ 4. He was to make his Way in the World by his own Industry.

1771.  Smollett, Humphry Cl., 18 July, II. (1815), 261. I am not at all surprised that these Scots make their way in every quarter of the globe.

1853.  Lytton, My Novel, II. vi. A young man who has his own way to make in life had better avoid all intimacy with those of his own age who have no kindred objects.

  † d.  To find means to do something. Obs.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 23179. Quat he war wijs þat moght Stedfast hald þis dai in thoght!… For þan mund he her make his wai Fra wrak to were him on þat dai.

  † e.  (Also † to make one’s ways.) To gain favor, establish relations with a person. Obs.

1618.  Ralegh, Apol., Wks. 1751, II. 250. It was bruited … that … being once at Liberty,… having made my Way with some foreign Prince, I would turn Pirate.

a. 1660.  Contemp. Hist. Irel. (Ir. Archæol. Soc.), II. 37. He made his waies with Colonell Monke, Governor of Dundalke, for the Parliament, and bought of him worth £1500 of amunition.

  f.  Of a thing. To make its way: to travel, make progress; (of an opinion, custom, etc.) to gain acceptance.

1656.  Cowley, To Sir W. Davenant, 35. Thy Fancy like a Flame its way does make, And leave bright Tracks for following Pens to take.

1711.  Addison, Spect., No. 119, ¶ 6. This infamous Piece of Good-breeding, which reigns among the Coxcombs of the Town, has not yet made its way into the Country.

1861.  M. Pattison, Ess. (1889), I. 48. It might have been anticipated that Luther’s doctrines would have made their way early among this little colony of his countrymen.

1874.  Micklethwaite, Mod. Par. Churches, 80. Brass instruments have already begun to make their way.

  27.  Pay one’s way. † a. To defray one’s expenses on a journey. Obs.

a. 1825.  Willie Wallace, vi., in Child, Ballads, III. 271/2. Take ye that, ye belted knight, ’T will pay your way till ye come down.

  b.  To succeed in paying one’s expenses as they arise, without incurring debts. Of a business undertaking, to pay its way: To be carried on at least without loss, to be self-supporting.

1823.  Byron, Age of Bronze, xiv. But bread was high, the farmer paid his way.

1858.  Trollope, Three Clerks, iii. Mrs. Woodward … had there maintained a good repute, paying her way from month to month as widows with limited incomes should do.

1885.  Times (weekly ed.), 2 Oct., 15/3. The pier has never come near paying its way.

1892.  Law Times’ Rep., LXVII. 139/1. It seems to me a most reasonable thing for a person applying for shares to look for a guarantee of interest until the concern can pay its own way.

1899.  Lady M. Verney, Verney Mem., IV. 155. By great economy John has just paid his way.

  28.  See one’s way. a. In literal sense, to have a view of the portion of the road or route immediately before one, so as to be able to avoid wandering or stumbling. b. fig. in obvious metaphorical uses; now often, to know that some object is attainable (const. to); also (chiefly in negative contexts) to feel justified in deciding to do something.

1774.  Burke, Lett. to Marq. Rockingham, 25 Sept. I must see my way much more clearly before me, before I take any other step in that business. Ibid. (1775), Sp. Concil. Amer., 22 March, 56. I do not absolutely assert the impracticability of such representation [of the Colonies]. But I do not see my way to it.

1823.  Keble, Serm., iii. (1848), 64. To see his way safely, if not clearly or comfortably, through all the snares of error and disputation.

1861.  M. Pattison, Ess. (1889), I. 33. Simple fighting John Bull can understand, but in a negotiation he can’t see his way.

1865.  Mrs. Newby, Common Sense, lv. III. 44. I feel that I know my business pretty well already and that I begin to see my way. Ibid., lvi. III. 55. ‘I wish I could do more,’ added Mr. Canton wearily, his head again upon his hand; ‘but I think I see a way.’

1870.  Newman, Gram. Assent, II. ix. 353. Laud said that he did not see his way to come to terms with the Holy See, till Rome was ‘other than she is.’

1875.  Helps, Soc. Press., ii. 24. The neighbours do not see their way to altering it.

1885.  Law Times, LXXIX. 342/1. He did not see his way clear to allow their names to remain upon the register.

1886.  Manch. Exam., 16 Jan., 5/4. Lord Salisbury has at last seen his way to the final choice of a bishop for Manchester.

  29.  Take the way. (Cf. sense 4 and TAKE v. 25 b.) To enter on and follow the route leading to a specified place. In early use sometimes without mention of destination: † To set out, travel.

c. 1300.  Harrowing of Hell (Harl. MS.), 38. In godned toke he þen way Þat to helle gates lay.

13[?].  Guy Warw. (A.), 1708. Gij him spedde niȝt & day; Into Inglond he toke þe way.

1375.  Barbour, Bruce, II. 146. All him alane the way he tais Towart the towne off Louchmabane.

c. 1386.  Chaucer, Man of Law’s T., 556. The Constable and his wyf also And Custance han ytake the righte way Toward the see.

c. 1420.  ? Lydg., Assembly of Gods, 551. Wherfore Cerberus tooke the next way.

c. 1485.  Digby Myst., Christ’s Burial & Resurr., 983. Then let us tak þe way furth strayte.

a. 1533.  Ld. Berners, Huon, lxii. 215. They departyd & tooke the way towardes Rome.

1801.  Scott, Eve of St. John, 86. O fear not the priest,… For to Dryburgh the way he has ta’en. Ibid. (1831), Ct. Robt., xxxiv. Count Robert subjected himself to necessity,… and … took the way to Europe by sea.

1831.  G. P. R. James, Phil. Augustus, xx. Here the anchorite bade God speed him, and, turning his steps back again, took the way to his hut.

  † b.  To go about to do something. Also, to take its course without interference. Obs.

1605.  Bacon, Adv. Learn., II. xvii. § 9. 64. That opinion … hath beene of ill desert, towardes Learning, as that which taketh the way, to reduce Learning to certaine emptie and barren Generalities.

a. 1700.  Dryden, Theod. & Hon., 138. Give me leave to seize my destin’d Prey, And let eternal Justice take the way.

  30.  To take one’s way. To set out on a journey; to journey, travel.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 11382. Þis kinges thre þar wai þai tok A tuelmoth ar þe natiuite.

1338.  R. Brunne, Chron. (1810), 327. After þe enterment þe kyng tok his way. To þe south he went þorgh Lyndesay.

1375.  Barbour, Bruce, XVIII. 114. For the laiff has thair vayis tane Till the Erische kyngis.

c. 1386.  Chaucer, Melib., ¶ 2996. And right anon they tooken hire wey to the Court of Melibee.

c. 1450.  St. Cuthbert (Surtees), 7456. His way barfote þan he toke.

1484.  Caxton, Fables of Poge, vii. Sayinge these wordes [the foxe] toke his waye & ranne as fast as he myght.

1498.  Cov. Leet Bk., 588. And they came forth at þe south durre in þe Mynstere & toke their wey thurgh the newe bildyng downe þe Bailly-lane.

c. 1600.  Shaks., Sonn., xlviii. 1. How carefull was I, when I tooke my way, Each trifle vnder truest barres to thrust.

1642–4.  Vicars, God in Mount, 149. Lord Paulet … took his way toward Myncard.

1667.  Milton, P. L., XII. 649. They hand in hand with wandring steps and slow, Through Eden took thir solitarie way.

1697.  Dryden, Virg. Georg., III. 405. Alone, by Night, his watry Way he took; About him, and above, the Billows broke.

1761.  Gray, Odin, 13. Onward still his way he takes.

1893.  J. Ashby-Sterry, Naughty Girl, xviii. 157. As she took her way sadly and slowly down the pier.

  ** with prepositions.

  31.  By the way. a. Along or near the road by which one travels; by the road-side. In early use also † by way.

971.  Blickl. Hom., 15. Þa sæt þær sum blind þearfa be ðon weʓe.

c. 1205.  Lay., 25612. Whaðer heo liue weoren, þa heo bi wæie læien.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 8055. A riche man was þar bi wai Was seke, to him þan turnd þai.

1550.  Crowley, Epigr., 227. Than, by the waye syde, hym chaunced to se A pore manne that craued of hym for charitie. Whye (quod thys Marchaunt) … Do ye begge by the waye.

1879.  Jefferies, Wild Life in S. Co., ii. (1889), 17. I passed flocks of dying sheep: in the hollows by the way their skeletons were here and there to be seen.

  b.  While going along, in the course of one’s walk or journey. In early use † by way.

c. 1000.  Ags. Gosp., Luke x. 4. Ne bere ʓe sacc … ne nanne man be weʓe [Vulg. per viam] ne gretað.

a. 1122.  O. E. Chron. (Laud MS.), an. 1096. Ac þes folces þe be Hungrie for, fela þusenda þær & be wæʓe earmlice forforan.

c. 1290.  Beket, 1208, in S. Eng. Leg., 141. Þov hauest selde i-seiȝe Þene Erchebischop of caunterburi wende in swuche manere bi weie.

a. 1300.  K. Horn, 759. He fond bi þe weie Kynges sones tweie.

1387.  Trevisa, Higden, III. 115. Þe kyng … wente homwarde, and was i-slawe by þe weie.

1550.  Crowley, Last Trumpet, 31. The rauens fed him [sc. Elias] by the way.

1590.  Shaks., Mids. N., IV. i. 204. Lets follow him, and by the way let vs recount our dreames.

1617.  Moryson, Itin., I. 204. By the way, in this mornings journey, we did see Weyssenburg, a free but not imperiall City.

1719.  De Foe, Crusoe, I. (Globe), 156. Nor is it possible to describe … what strange unaccountable Whimsies came into my Thoughts by the Way.

1760.  [see BY prep. 12].

1898.  Max Pemberton, Phantom Army, I. vii. 45. It had been in his mind when he rode out of Zaragoza that he would find an early opportunity by the way to question the gipsy.

  fig.  1603.  Shaks., Meas. for M., V. 458. His Act did not oretake his bad intent, And must be buried but as an intent That perish’d by the way.

  c.  fig. with reference to the tenor of discourse: Incidentally, in passing, as a side-topic.

1556.  Robinson, trans. More’s Utopia, I. (Arb.), 38, margin. Landlordes by the wai checked for Rent-raisyng.

1581.  J. Bell, Haddon’s Answ. Osor., 45. Whiche I thought meete to touch briefly by the way.

1598.  Shaks., Merry W., I. iv. 150. Shee is pretty, and honest, and gentle, and one that is your friend, I can tell you that by the way.

1620.  T. Granger, Div. Logike, 100. They are inferred often by the way for illustration sake.

1632.  Lithgow, Trav., V. 228. And now by the way I recall the aforesayd Turke.

1731.  Art of Drawing & Paint., 32. But we must take this by the Way, that in the refining of it, two Ounces will not produce above 40 Grains of good Colour.

1847.  H. Goodwin, Serm., Ser. I. viii. 131. I would hint to you by the way, that we are perhaps not fair judges of our own actions.

  d.  used parenthetically to apologize for introducing a new topic, a casual remark, or the like.

a. 1614.  Donne, Βιαθανατος (1644), 99. Though, by the way, this may not passe so generally, but that it must admit the exception, which the Rule of Law upon which it is grounded, carries with it.

1668.  Dryden, Ess. Dram. Poesy, 46. I mean besides the Chorus, or the Monologues, which by the way, show’d Ben. no enemy to this way of writing.

c. 1730.  Burt, Lett. N. Scot. (1754), II. 97. By the way, altho’ the Weather was not warm, he was without Shoes, Stockings, or Breeches.

1836.  Dickens, Sk. Boz, Sentiment. This, by the way, was another bit of diplomacy.

1840.  Thackeray, Barber Cox, Feb. When we lost sight of him, and of his little account, too, by the way.

1884.  Rider Haggard, Dawn, xxvii. By the way, talking of letters, there was one came for you this morning in your Cousin Philip’s handwriting.

  e.  in predicative or complemental use.

1564.  T. Dorman, Proof Cert. Art. Relig., 95 b. This is yow saie but by the waie, before yow entre into the matter.

1652.  Needham, trans. Selden’s Mare Cl., 46. Also, a word by the way, touching the Mediterranean Sea in possession of the Romanes.

1653.  W. Ramesey, Astrol. Restored, 5. But this by the way, let us now proceed.

1719.  De Foe, Crusoe, I. (Globe), 245. However, I allow’d Liberty of Conscience throughout my Dominions: But this is by the Way.

1904.  F. C. Burnand, Records & Remin., II. 285. But this by the way.

  f.  As a by-work; as a subordinate piece of work.

1611.  Cotgr., s.v. Passant, En passant, sleightly, lightly, cursarily, accidentally, by the way.

a. 1708.  Beveridge, Thes. Theol. (1711), III. 265. It is not to be done by the way, but with all our might.

1881.  Jowett, Thucyd., I. 91. Maritime skill is … not a thing to be cultivated by the way [ἑκ παρέργου] or at chance times.

  † g.  Indirectly, by a side channel of information.

1605.  Shaks., Macb., III. iv. 130. Macb. How say’st thou that Macduff denies his person At our great bidding. La. Did you send to him Sir? Macb. I heare it by the way: But I will send.

  h.  attrib. as adj. phr.: Incidental, casual, haphazard.

1869.  Mrs. Whitney, We Girls, ii. At parting, she … said … in an off-hand, by-the-way fashion—‘Ruth’ [etc.].

1881.  F. Hueffer, Wagner (1883), 32. The introduction in a by-the-way manner of the two great religious principles appears not particularly happy.

1881.  Saintsbury, Dryden, i. 21. The ordinary prose style of the day … indulged … in every détour and involution of second thoughts and by-the-way qualifications.

  32.  By way of —. A prepositional phrase used in various senses. Also † by the way of. (The governed sb. is usually without article.)

  † a.  By means of; through the medium of; by the method of. Obs.

1390.  Gower, Conf., I. 69. This lord … spak so that be weie of schrifte He drowh hem [sc. the priests] unto his covine.

1439.  in Fenland N. & Q. (1905), July, 222. And yat … ye wole at yis tyme in yis oure grete necessite putte youre handes and ese us by wey of lone of ye somme of C marc.

a. 1450.  Marg. Anjou, Lett. to Dame J. Carew (Camden), 97. Burneby … desireth with all his hert to do yow worship by wey of marriage.

1495.  Rolls of Parlt., VI. 493/2. That noo persone … be not empeached nor chargeable…, be wey of accion or otherwise.

1526.  Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 2. I requyre you … that … ye neuer by way of curiosite be besy to attempte ony persone therin.

1530.  Palsgr., 898. Diuerse comunications by way of dialoges.

1577–87.  Holinshed, Chron., III. 1149/2. To indamage some of his countries by waie of inuasion.

1598.  Grenewey, Tacitus, Ann., II. xvi. (1622), 56. Flaccus … by way of great promises [per ingentia promissa], perswaded him … to enter into the Romane garrison.

1613.  Shaks., Hen. VIII., III. i. 54. We come not by the way of Accusation, To taint that honour euery good Tongue blesses.

1663.  Gerbier, Counsel, 5. Master-work-men may receive Instructions by way of Draughts, Models, Frames, &c.

1675.  J. Owen, Indwelling Sin, viii. (1732), 96. At least spiritual Sense is not radically in them, but only by way of Communication.

  † b.  By the action of (a person or persons). Obs.

1447.  in Reg. Mag. Sig. Scot., 1450, 70/2. Gif it happnis the said landis to be distroublit or vexit be way of Inglismen it sal be alowit to the said Alex. of the malis.

  † c.  Law. By way of feat [= AF. par voye de fait]: see FEAT sb. 1 b. Also (Sc.), by way of deed.

1535.  Stewart, Cron. Scot., III. 141. The tother part with haill power and mycht, Without ressone agane he wald persew, Be way of deid his richtis till reskew.

1564.  Reg. Privy Council Scot., I. 275. In caise ather of the saidis partiis…, sall happin to be hurt, harmit, invadit, or persewit be utheris be way of deid.

1582–8.  Hist. James VI. (1864), 62. That na injure be done to ony subiect be way of deid.

  d.  As an instance or a mode of; in the capacity or with the function of; as something equivalent to.

  [Cf. AF. ‘par voye de charite,’ 1321 in Rolls Parlt., I. 393.]

13[?].  E. E. Allit. P., A. 580. By þe way of ryȝt to aske dome.

c. 1380.  Wyclif, Wks. (1880), 59. He were a cruel fadir þat myȝtte not ȝeue his owene childre bred … & ȝit wolde not suffre anoþer man to helpe þes children bi weie of mercy.

c. 1389.  in Eng. Gilds (1870), 38. Also þese bretherin han ordeyned, be weye of charite, þat [etc.].

a. 1400.  Maundev. (1839), xviii. 199. The Kyng of that Contree, ones every ȝeer, ȝevethe leve to pore men to gon in to the Lake, to gadre hem precyous Stones and Perles, be weye of Alemesse.

1429.  Rolls of Parlt., IV. 349/1. Bi weie of hongyng or keveryng.

1551.  Sir J. Williams, Accompte (Abbotsf. Club), 99. To be gevin vnto straungers by waie of his maiesties reward, v^ml li.

1589.  Puttenham, Eng. Poesie, III. xviii. (Arb.), 203. We be allowed now and then to ouer-reach a little by way of comparison.

1672.  Villiers (Dk. Buckhm.), Rehearsal, I. i. (Arb.), 31. My next Rule is the Rule of Record, and by way of Table-book.

1674.  Essex Papers (Camden), I. 168. There ought to be a distinction made in Letters of that nature, betweene passing a thing over by way of Connivance and giving a Publick Liberty.

1711.  Steele, Spect., No. 78, ¶ 4. Nothing was wanting but some one to sit in the Elbow Chair. by way of President.

1712.  Addison, Ibid., No. 267, ¶ 2. Virgil makes his Heroe relate it by way of Episode.

1744.  M. Bishop, Life, 260. Most of them were very industrious in selling one Thing or other by Way of turning the Peny to a good Use.

1749.  Fielding, Tom Jones, III. vii. I ask pardon for this short appearance, by way of chorus, on the stage.

1806.  J. Beresford, Miseries Hum. Life, ii. § 22. Attempting to spring carelessly … over a five-barred gate, by way of shewing your activity to a party of ladies.

1820.  Byron, Juan, V. liii., note. In Turkey nothing is more common than for the Mussulmans to take several glasses of strong spirits by way of appetizer.

1842.  Dickens, Amer. Notes, xiv. The drapers always having hung up at their door, by way of sign, a piece of bright red cloth.

1843.  Prescott, Mexico, I. ii. I. 31. The sovereign … holding a golden arrow, by way of sceptre, in his left hand.

1856.  Ruskin, King of Golden River, i. 4. He used to clean … the plates, occasionally getting what was left on them, by way of encouragement.

1868.  J. Bruce, Digby’s Voy. Mediterr. (Camden), Pref. p. x. Dr. Richard Farrar composed some lines upon him by way of epitaph.

1868.  Louisa M. Alcott, Little Women, vi. ‘You’ll have to go and thank him,’ said Jo, by way of a joke.

1892.  Bookseller, 17/1. The summary [for the Act] given by way of introduction is concise and clear.

  † e.  By way of excellency (or eminence): = ‘par excellence.’ Obs.

1621–31.  [see EMINENCE 8 c].

1643.  [see EMINENCY 8].

1694.  Locke, Advers. Theol., in King, Life (1858), 343. There is one Spirit manifestly distinguished from God, i. e. one created Spirit by way of excellency: i. e. the Holy Spirit.

1699.  trans. Dupin’s Hist. Canon O. & N. Test., I. They are likewise styl’d the Scriptures by Way of Eminence.

1703.  [see EMINENCY 8].

a. 1704.  [see EXCELLENCE 1 b].

1711.  Shaftesb., Charac., Misc. V. ii. III. 278. Have you writ … a Play, a Song, an Essay, or a Paper, as by way of Eminence, the current Pieces of our Weekly Wits are generally stil’d.

  f.  Followed by gerund, forming predicative phrases with the sense: In the habit of (doing something); also, more usually, making a profession of, or having a reputation for (being or doing so-and-so). colloq.

1824.  Miss Ferrier, Inher., xxxii. The Colonel was by way of introducing him into the fashionable circles.

1852.  C. B. Mansfield, Paraguay, etc. (1856), 182. A wiseacre passenger, who is by way of knowing the river well, says they are called capinchos in these parts.

1862.  H. Kingsley, Ravenshoe, xlvii. Mary was ‘by way of’ helping Lady Hainault’s maid, but she was very clumsy about it.

1877.  Lady Barker, Yr.’s Housekeeping S. Africa, iv. 61–2. ‘Charlie,’ our groom, who is by way of being a very fine gentleman, and speaks ‘Ingliss’ after a strange fashion of his own, only condescends to work until he can purchase a wife.

1881.  Mallock, Rom. 19th Cent., III. v. II. 34. I am by way, here, of doing the same thing.

1891.  Sat. Rev., 18 July, 77/1. Mr. Brander Matthews finds fault with the phrase ‘by way of being,’ and says an American can hardly understand it…. ‘By way of being’ is endeavouring or purporting to be, holding oneself out in a certain character, or being so reputed; and this with an implied disclaimer of precise knowledge or warranty on the speaker’s part.

1897.  Du Maurier, Martian, V. 236. The Gibsons were by way of spoiling me. Ibid., IX. 379. Nor did he … come across them at any house he was by way of frequenting.

1906.  Lit. World, 15 Nov., 515/1. The character of this woman, who is by way of being the female villain of the story, is drawn with skill.

  g.  By the route that passes through or over (a specified place): = VIA prep. Also † by the way of.

  Formerly with omission of of, the place-name being prefixed to way. Cf. sense 9.

11[?].  O. E. Chron. (MS. F.), an. 888. Heo forðferde be Rome weʓe [L. in itinere Rome].

1460.  Paston Lett., I. 515. He schall send his man hom be Newmarket wey.

1701.  W. Wotton, Hist. Rome, 481. He went by the way of Illyricum.

1771.  Smollett, Humph. Cl., To Sir W. Phillips, 21 Sept. We set out from Glasgow by the way of Lanark.

1865.  Cornh. Mag., XI. 595. It [the Black Death] invaded France by way of Avignon.

1901.  Alldridge, Sherbro, xxvi. 291. From Bafodia we were diverging from the main road to Freetown which is by way of the Bumban hills.

  † h.  Through the medium of (a person). Obs.

1560.  Sir N. Throgmorton, in Wright, Q. Eliz. (1838), I. 49. The 29th of October last, I wrote to you from Paris by the waye or Monsieur de Chantonet.

  † 33.  From the way: Out of the way, in a secluded place. Obs.

1593.  Shaks., Lucr., 1144. Some darke deepe desert seated from the way,… Will wee find out.

  34.  In the (etc.) way. (See also senses 17–19.)

  † a.  As one proceeds or goes along; in the course of one’s journey (to a place). Also in one’s way; in early use, in way. Cf. to take in one’s way (sense 7). Obs.

  To do (a person, etc.) in the way: to send out (refl. to set forth) on a journey or expedition.

1297.  R. Glouc., 3765. He … greiþede is noble ost & dude him in þe weye.

a. 1300.  K. Horn, 1007. Horn dude him in þe weie On a god Galeie.

13[?].  K. Alis., 3392 (Laud MS.). Þine Olifauntz & þine beest Do alle ordeyne on hast And do hem done in þe waye Þat hij weren in feld contreye.

13[?].  Guy Warw., 259. At Felice he tok his leue þo, and in his way he goþ apliȝt.

1377.  Langl., P. Pl., B. XVII. 47. As we wenten þus in þe weye wordyng togyderes.

1382.  Wyclif, Gen. xlv. 24. Ne wraththe ȝe in the weye.

c. 1450.  Mirk’s Festial, 9. He stervet yn þe way.

1629.  Hobbes, Thucyd., II. 127. But they of Stratus, aware of this, whilest they were yet in their way … placed diuers Ambushes not farre from the Citie.

c. 1643.  Ld. Herbert, Autobiog. (1886), 140. Going from St. Julian’s to Abergavenny, in the way to Montgomery Castle.

1712.  Budgell, Spect., No. 277, ¶ 11. If you please to call at my House in your Way to the City.

1748.  Richardson, Clarissa (1811), VII. 143. In the afternoon [she] was at Islington church, in her way home.

1791.  Smeaton, Edystone L., § 264. The master of the floating light saw the buoy in his way to Plymouth.

1822.  [Mary A. Kelty], Osmond, I. 186. A heavy foreboding made her linger in her way to her own apartment.

  b.  In Biblical use, to be or walk in the way with († mid) = to accompany a person on a journey; fig. to associate with.

[c. 950.  Lindisf. Gosp., Matt. v. 25. Uæs ðu ʓeðafsum wiðerbracæ ðinum hraðe miððy bist in uoeʓ mið him [Vulg. dum es in via cum eo].

1611.  Bible, Prov. i. 15. My sonne, walke not thou in the way with them.

  c.  (Chiefly in one’s way.) On or along the road by which one travels; so as to be met, encountered or observed.

c. 1205.  Lay., 26770. Wo wæs heom iboren þa iþan weie heom weoren biuoren. Ibid., 26793. In his weiȝe þat he funde al he hit aqualde.

a. 1591.  H. Smith, Caveat Chr., Serm. (1601), 498. Sinne is not long in comming: nor quickly gone, vnlesse God stop vs, as hee met Balaam in his way.

1592.  Shaks., Ven. & Ad., 879. Like one that spies an adder, Wreath’d vp in fatall folds iust in his way. Ibid. (1610), Temp., II. ii. 11. Like Hedg-hogs, which Lye tumbling in my bare-foote way.

1721.  E. Ward, Merry Trav., I. (1729), 35. Resolving to … moisten well our dusty Clay, At the next Alehouse in our Way.

1726.  Swift, Gulliver, IV. i. I had not got far when I met one of these Creatures full in my way, and coming up directly to me.

1840.  Dickens, Old C. Shop, xlii. She had gained a little wooden bridge, which … led into a meadow in her way.

  d.  fig. in phrases like to come, fall, lie in (one’s) way, to be met with in one’s experience, to come within (one’s) range of possible observation, utilization or attainment. Similarly to lay, put, throw in (a person’s) way. Also predicatively, in phrases like it will be (a certain sum of money, etc.) in my way = I shall gain (so much) in the specified contingency.

1596.  Spenser, State Irel. (Globe), 631/2. Under it [sc. his mantle] he can cleanly convay any fitt pillage that cometh handsomely in his way.

1596.  Shaks., 1 Hen. IV., V. i. 28. Rebellion lay in his way, and he found it.

1605.  [see FALL v. 34].

1617.  J. Chamberlain, in Crt. & Times Jas. I. (1848), II. 43. It [sc. his having a son] may be a hundred thousand pounds in his way, if his father keep his word.

a. 1662.  Duppa, Rules & Helps Devot., I. (1675), 72. The Imagination … casting thoughts in our way, and forcing the Understanding to reflect upon them.

1677.  Temple, Moxa, Miscell. (1680), 193. The General Officers of Armies,… the publick Ministers … (that have fallen in my way) being generally subject to it [sc. the Gout] in one degree or other.

1691.  T. H[ale], Acc. New Invent., p. xii. It comes in my way here to retaliate to him.

1722.  Wollaston, Relig. Nat., v. 107. When one man alters the opinion of another by throwing a book, proper for that purpose, in his way.

1743.  Bulkeley & Cummins, Voy. S. Seas, 154. We have now nothing to live on but Seal, and what Providence throws in our Way.

1744.  M. Bishop, Life, 46. Though it might have been Thousands in my Way had I continued my Business.

1763.  Cowper, in Southey, Life & Wks. (1835), I. 163. My friends must excuse me, if I write to none but those who lay it fairly in my way to do so.

1789.  Wolcot (P. Pindar), Subj. Painters, i. (note). Which will be a benefit ticket in Sir William’s way.

1797.  Jane Austen, Pride & Prej., xliii. It might seem as if she had purposely thrown herself in his way again.

1828.  Scott, Tales Grandf., Ser. I. xxiv. A warrant empowering them to take all Portuguese vessels which should come in their way.

1841.  S. Warren, Ten Thou., II. vii. 189. They say he has a cousin who is one of the officers to the Sheriff of Middlesex, and puts a good many little things in his way!

1882.  Besant, All Sorts, xxxi. These things he knew nothing of; they had not come in his way.

1888.  McCarthy & Praed, Ladies’ Gall., II. ii. 19. Every actor whom it had come in my way to know … was a poor devil.

  e.  In such a position, or of such a nature, as to obstruct, impede, or be an annoyance. Chiefly in phr. to be or stand in (one’s) way, or in the way of (a person or thing); also to put, throw in (one’s) way.

1500–20.  Dunbar, Poems, xii. 14. Welth, warldly gloir, and riche array Ar all bot thornis laid in thy way.

1564.  Brief Exam., B iij. Ye must … take heede, lest ye stande in your owne way.

a. 1700.  Evelyn, Diary, 27 Aug. 1667. He thwarted some of them and stood in their way.

a. 1750.  Ld. Dartmouth, in Burnet, Own Time (1900), II. 251, note. King Charles gave him [Godolphin] a short character when he was page,… of being never in the way, nor out of the way.

1773.  Foote, Bankrupt, I. Wks. 1799, II. 99. To throw some confounded rub in the way.

1787.  ‘G. Gambado,’ Acad. Horsem., 41. Thus, then, you go off with eclat, provided nothing is in your horse’s way; and if there is,… he will probably leap over it.

1796.  Mme. D’Arblay, Camilla, II. iii. I. 183. [His] egotism … sacrificed his best friends and first duties, if they stood in its way.

1836.  Dickens, Sk. Boz, Sentiment. The smaller girls managed to be in everybody’s way, and were pushed about accordingly.

1866.  Le Fanu, All in Dark, xxxv. He would have been in the way—unutterably de trop.

1867.  Trollope, Last Chron. Barset, II. lix. 159. She considers herself to have a claim upon [him] … and that I stand in her way.

1868.  Freeman, Norm. Conq., II. vii. 132. At such a moment as this, when one would have thought that horses were distinctly in the way.

1885.  Manch. Exam., 11 June, 4/7. The Liberal party will be bound in honour to throw no factious obstacles in their way.

1887.  Baring-Gould, Gaverocks, II. xxiii. 17. His pride stood in the way of success.

  f.  Within reach or call, at hand, get-at-able; in a place where things are going on or where one can be found readily. ? Now rare or Obs.

1598.  R. Bernard, Terence, Eun., V. ix. (1607), 188. Whether you be in the way, or out of the way [te praesente absente].

1687.  Miége, Gt. Fr. Dict., II. s.v., To be in the way, or in a readiness, se tenir prêt, ne pas s’écarter.

1729.  Swift, Direct. Serv., Gen. ¶ 1. When your Master or Lady call a Servant by Name, if that Servant be not in the Way, none of you are to answer.

c. 1760.  Challoner, in E. H. Burton, Life (1909), II. xxiv. 28. We will spend our evenings … at our own lodgings, so that we may … be in the way for such as shall come for Instructions.

1814.  Jane Austen, Mansf. Park, xviii. I came here to-day intending to rehearse it with Edmund … but he is not in the way.

1840.  Dickens, Old C. Shop, viii. In order that … he might take care to be in the way at the time.

1859.  H. Kingsley, G. Hamlyn, xxxix. I’m glad, too, to see you here. One feels safer when you’re in the way.

1897.  R. N. Bain, trans. Jókai’s Pretty Michal, xxx. 229. He himself, however, had not been in the way when beauty was being served out.

  g.  In the humor or mood (for what is going on). Obs. exc. dial.

1703.  Rules of Civility, 114. A sort of People never in the way, never pleas’d with any thing.

1856.  J. Ballantine, Poems, 108. He is aye in the way for a crack.

  † h.  (To be) in one’s way: in the right course of action, within one’s rights. Obs.

1689.  Andros Tracts, I. 111. Answer was made by the Deponent, that if we [the Watch] should kill them [suspicious persons resisting arrest], we were in our way, then Mr. Randolph … said, you are in the way to be hanged.

  i.  Once in a way: on a single (exceptional) occasion; as a solitary or rare instance; rarely, exceptionally; quasi-adj., of rare occurrence, exceptional. Also for once in a way.

  This phrase would seem to be a corruption of the earlier once and away, which may have meant originally ‘once and then go away,’ ‘once and no more,’ though all the instances quoted under ONCE adv. 8 c admit of being interpreted in the sense above explained. Cf. once in a while (see ONCE 8 c).

1842.  Newman, Ch. Fathers, 302. I must beg indulgence once in a way, to engage myself in a dry and somewhat tedious discussion.

1853.  [see ONCE B. 9 b].

1858.  Trollope, Dr. Thorne, xix. Now I like this kind of thing once in a way.

1860.  Reade, Cloister & H., liii. They agreed to take a holiday for once in a way.

1913.  Sat. Rev., 21 June, 762/2. The case of Ulster and the campaign of Sir Edward Carson really offers him this luxury for once in a way.

  35.  In the way of —. (Or equivalent construction.) (See also sense 17.)

  † a.  As a mode, instance or manifestation of; as tantamount to or supplying the place of. Also in way of. Cf. by way of (32 d). Obs.

c. 1450.  Godstow Reg., 97. The Abbesse and the Couente … graunted … that, in the wey of charite, that they wold fynde for ever a prest conuenient þat shold do a prestis service every day, namely for the sowles of the forsaid peple.

a. 1513.  Fabyan, Chron., cxxvii. (1533), 62. Dagobert … bete his mayster, & after in way of dyspyte caused the berd of his tutour to be shauen of.

1534.  Star Chamber Cases (Selden Soc.), II. 310. Onlesse your said highenes be good and gracious lord vnto hym in weye of right and justice.

1565.  Cooper, Thesaurus, s.v. Abijcio, Abiicere se alteri ad pedes … to prostrate him self at ones feete in way of intreatie.

1568.  Grafton, Chron., II. 23. King William should geue him yerely in the way of a fee .xij. Markes of Golde.

1606.  Shaks., Tr. & Cr., III. iii. 13. I doe beseech you, as in way of taste To giue me now a little benefit.

1621.  J. Chamberlain, in Crt. & Times Jas. I. (1848), II. 273. He concluded with a wish … for the felicity … of that … happy couple; and, in a way of amen, caused the Bishop of London … to give them a benediction.

1633.  Bp. Hall, Hard Texts, Amos ii. 1. Moab … burnt the very bones of the King of Edoms sonne to ashes, in way of sacrifice to his gods.

c. 1643.  Ld. Herbert, Autob. (1886), 176. Which I then bestowed upon some servants of the Prince, in way of retribution for my welcome thither.

1817.  Jas. Mill, Brit. India, II. V. i. 327. In way of compensation, he was allowed a pension.

  b.  By means of, by adopting the method of. Now rare. Also † in way of.

  The first quot. may perhaps belong to sense 17.

1607.  Shaks., Cor., III. ii. 137. Ile returne Consull, Or neuer trust to what my Tongue can do I’ th way of Flattery further.

1771.  Smollett, Humph. Cl., To Sir W. Phillips, 18 July. He attempted to open her eyes in the way of exhortation, and, finding it produced no effect, had recourse to prayer.

1823.  Scott, Quentin D., xxx. That in the way of treaty more permanent advantages could be obtained … than by an action which would stain her with a breach of faith and hospitality.

1849.  Macaulay, Hist. Eng., I. ii. 220. The attack was made, not in the way of storm, but by slow and scientific approaches.

  † c.  With a view to; as a means of attaining or performing; so as to effect or produce. Also in way of, in a way of. Obs.

1588.  Shaks., L. L. L., IV. ii. 14. A kinde of insinuation, as it were in via, in way of explication.

c. 1643.  Ld. Herbert, Autobiog. (1886), 138. He commanded me … not to send any more to Sir John Ayres, nor to receive any message from him, in the way of fighting.

1655.  Fuller, Ch. Hist., IX. 190. And yet in way of recovering health by changing of Aire, of study for a time in the University,… or of being imployed in publick Affairs, they [licences to clergy for non-residence] cannot be wholy abrogated.

1662.  H. More, Antid. Atheism, Ep. Ded. Which was done in way of Divine Honour to the Wisdom of the Deity. Ibid., Philos. Writ. (1712), Pref. Gen. p. xxi. The ancient Divines and Prophets … witness that the Soul is join’d to this earthly body in a way of punishment.

1760–72.  H. Brooke, Fool of Qual. (1809), III. 17. Coming closer…, in the way, as it were, of claiming acquaintance with him.

  d.  In the course or routine of.

1639.  S. Du Verger, trans. Camus’ Admir. Events, 58. Providing that it were done in the way of publicke justice.

1693.  Congreve, Old Bach., IV. iii. In the way of Trade, we still suspect the smoothest Dealers of the deepest designs.

1765.  Foote, Commissary, I. 3. Not at all given to lying, but like other tradesfolks, in the way of her business.

1863.  Kingsley, Water-Bab., i. 6. Remembering that he had come in the way of business, and was, as it were, under a flag of truce.

  † e.  When one is concerned with. Obs.

1596.  Shaks., 1 Hen. IV., III. i. 139. But in the way of Bargaine,… Ile cauill on the ninth part of a hayre. Ibid. (1606), Tr. & Cr., II. ii. 189. Hect. … Hectors opinion Is this in way of truth: yet nere the lesse [etc.].

  † f.  In the way of honesty: under honorable conditions; so far as honor allows. Obs.

1595.  Shaks., John, I. i. 181. For thou wast got i’ th way of honesty. Ibid. (1598), Merry W., II. ii. 75. I defie all Angels … but in the way of honesty. Ibid. (1606), Ant. & Cl., V. ii. 253. But in the way of honesty, how she dyed of the byting of it, what paine she felt.

1639.  J. Clarke, Parœm., 25. Yours to command in the way oi honesty.

  g.  To be in the way of: to be likely to do or obtain (something), to have a good chance of (doing or attaining something); formerly also † in way of, † in a way of: To put (a person) in the or a way of, † in way for: to put him in a position to obtain or achieve (something). Also with to and inf. instead of of.

  See also FAIR a. 14.

1303.  R. Brunne, Handl. Synne, 1212. For ȝyf þou mayst, & wylt noght, þou art yn weye to peyne be broght.

1477.  Earl Rivers (Caxton), Dictes, 32. The whiche ypocras seeyng the crafte of physike in weye of perdicion because alle his felawes were dede.

1542.  Lament. & Piteous Treat., Ep. Ded. I purpose, as sone as my dysease is paste, to put me in waye with all dylygence to se you ryght soone.

1625.  Bacon, Ess., Friendship (Arb.), 179. A Physician, that … is vnacquainted with your body…, may put you in way for a present Cure, but ouerthroweth your Health in some other kinde.

1677.  in 12th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm., App. V. 36. Lord Mohun is now in a way of recovery.

1689.  [see 34 h].

1719.  De Foe, Crusoe, II. (Globe), 410. Being very ingenious at such Work, when they were once put in the Way of it. Ibid., 423. Seeing Things … in so fine a way of thriving upon my Island.

1729.  Law, Serious C., viii. 112. She has educated several poor children,… and put them in a way of an honest employment.

1779.  Warner, in Jesse, Selwyn & Contemp. (1844), IV. 259. You cannot expect a Dyer’s letter from me, as your nephew Charles is so much more in the way of having authentic information.

1823.  Scott, Quentin D., iv. Why did you not tarry at Brussels, then, with the Duke of Burgundy? He would put you in the way to have your bones broken every day. Ibid. (1827), Surg. Dau., Pref. Mr. Croftangry is in the way of doing a foolish thing.

1844.  Brougham, A. Lunel, xii. I soon was put in a way of earning a moderate weekly payment as a translator from the English and Italian.

1847.  Mrs. Carlyle, Lett., II. 4. Now I am in the way of getting well again.

1860.  Dickens, Uncomm. Trav., vi. Even then they might sometimes put themselves in the way of being blown into the Regent’s Canal.

1883.  D. C. Murray, Hearts, xiv. I am getting on a little in the world, and am in the way to earn a little money.

1885.  L’pool Daily Post, 7 July, 4/4. Diplomatic difficulties, which he hoped were in the way of solution.

  † h.  To be in way of marriage: to have a prospect of being married. Also, in (the) way of marriage, in way to marriage, with a view to matrimony. Obs.

1482.  Cely Papers (Camden), 102. He askyd me here I wher in any whay of maryayge.

1579.  Q. Eliz., in Nicolas, Sir C. Hatton (1847), 106. Such Princes as in former time have sought us in way of marriage.

1583.  Rich, Phylotus (1835), 11. But Phylotus in the ende desired Emelia of her father in the waie of Mariage.

1596.  Shaks., Merch. V., II. i. 42. Neuer to speake to Ladie afterward In way of marriage. Ibid. (1598), Merry W., I. iv. 89. To speake a good word to Mistris Anne Page for my Master in the way of Marriage.

1642.  Fuller, Holy & Prof. St., IV. xiii. 301. As if their sex in reference to men were not capable of any other kind of familiar friendship but in way to marriage.

  † i.  In a way of: in the habit of (doing something). Obs.

c. 1704.  Buccleuch MSS. (Hist. MSS. Comm.), I. 353. The House of Lords are in a way of having hours very uncertain.

  36.  On (or upon) the, or one’s, way. On, or in the course of, a journey. To be well on one’s way: to have fairly started, or to have made some progress. Also fig., in progress towards completion or accomplishment.

  In OE. on weʓe: see also AWAY adv.

c. 1000.  Ags. Gosp., Matt. v. 25. Beo þu onbuʓende þinum wiðerwinnan hraðe þa hwile þe ðu eart on weʓe mid him. Ibid., Mark ix. 34. Witodlice hi on weʓe [Vulg. in via] smeadon hwylc hyra yldost wære.

a. 1122.  O. E. Chron. (Laud MS.), an. 1086. Þæt þa godan men … gan on ðone weʓ þe us lett to heofonan rice.

c. 1205.  Lay., 1348. Brutus … ferde riht on his wei.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 8054. Fand þai noþer fra þat sith Man ne beist þat þai wit met, Þat on þair wai þam moght do lett.

c. 1400.  Ywaine & Gaw., 549. He thoght to be wele on hys way Or it war passed the thryd day.

c. 1420.  Anturs of Arth., 315. I mot walke one my wey, þorgh þis wilde wood.

1470–85.  Malory, Arthur, I. i. 36. Ryde on your wey, for I wille not be long behynde.

1523.  Surrey, in Ellis, Orig. Lett., Ser. I. I. 227. Trusting that the gonners be well on the waye hiderwards.

1526.  Tindale, Acts viii. 39. He went on his waye reioysynge.

1588.  Shaks., L. L. L., V. ii. 679. She is two moneths on her way [sc. with child].

1596.  Danett, trans. Comines (1614), 41. He sent a trumpeter to them, who met with the hostages vpon the way.

1597.  Shaks., 2 Hen. IV., II. i. 73. You should haue bene well on your way to Yorke.

1653.  Holcroft, Procopius, I. x. 16. Overtaking him upon the way.

1697.  Dryden, Virg. Georg., IV. 576. I will my self conduct thee on thy Way.

1812.  Byron, Ch. Har., I. xiv. And Cintra’s mountain greets them on their way.

1840.  Dickens, Old C. Shop, lxx. Day broke, and found them still upon their way. Ibid., lxxii. The boy had led him to his own dwelling … on their way back.

1860.  Tyndall, Glac., I. iii. 23. On the following morning I was on my way towards this valley.

1861.  Mill, Utilit., ii. 35. To inform a traveller respecting the place of his ultimate destination, is not to forbid the use of land-marks and direction-posts on the way.

1885.  Law Rep., 15 Q. B. D. 329. The debtor was on his way to the office of the official receiver.

  37.  Out of the way. (See also OUT-OF-THE-WAY adj. phr.)

  a.  Away from the road by which one is travelling; off the track or proper route. Also in fig. context.

1483.  Cath. Angl., 405/2. Oute of Way, devius, delirus.

1565.  Cooper, Thesaurus, s.v. Deflecto, Ex itinere ad visendum aliquem deflectere, to turne out of the way to see one.

1610.  Shaks., Temp., II. ii. 7. Nor lead me like a fire-brand, in the darke Out of my way.

1653.  W. Ramesey, Astrol. Restored, 161. Let us then … step a little out of our way, and say somewhat of the Critical days.