Formerly also means and ways, moyens and ways, ways and grounds: see WAY sb.1 13 b. Cf. F. voies et moyens (? after Eng. Parliamentary use).
1. The methods and resources that are at a person’s disposal for effecting some object.
1433. Rolls of Parlt., IV. 449/2. All the weys and menes by the whiche yei mowe enhaunce ye prises of her Merchandises.
1483. in Lett. Rich. III. & Hen. VII. (Rolls), I. 48. His grace is wele content that his said commissioners finde suche weyes and meanes as the said Sir Rauff shalle move frely without enpechement or trouble.
1561. T. Hoby, trans. Castiglione’s Courtyer, III. (1577), O viij. After he had long attempted by all wayes and meanes to compasse hir.
1583. Whitgift, Serm. (1589), C 5 b. Gregorie … sought also waies and means secretly to murther him.
1699. G. Harvey, Van. Philos. & Physick, v. 40. To preserve Health … no better ways and means can be used, than applying at certain intervals, to those cleansers or abstersives here before mentioned.
1710. Steele, Tatler, No. 195, ¶ 6. I send with this, my Discourse of Ways and Means for encouraging Marriage.
a. 1737. M. Green, Seeker, 30.
| Dominion and wealth are the aim of all three, | |
| Tho’ about ways and means they may disagree. |
1775. Burke, Sp. Concil. Amer., 22 March, 56. Fortunately I am not obliged for the ways and means of this substitute to tax my own unproductive invention.
1848. Dickens, Dombey, liii. He has been devising ways and means all the way here of explaining himself, and has been satisfied with none.
1882. ‘Edna Lyall,’ Donovan, xv. It was true that there were ways and means of raising money.
1905. P. Landon, Lhasa, II. 136. In Tibet there are ways and means unknown to western nations.
† b. rarely in sing. way and mean. Obs.
c. 1400. Apol. Loll., 83. In þe þrid maner is a þing seid better þan an oþer, in þis, as it helpiþ better by sum wey and mene to þe ȝend of a þing, þan an oþer doþ.
1500–20. Dunbar, Poems, lxxvii. 70. The for to pleis thay socht all way and mein.
[1530. Palsgr., 287/2. Wey or meane, acheison.]
2. spec. In Legislation: Methods of procuring funds or supplies for the current expenditure of the state.
Committee of Ways and Means. (a) A committee of the whole House of Commons, which sits to receive the annual financial statement from the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and to consider the means of procuring the necessary annual supply. (b) U.S. A standing committee of the House of Representatives, to which are referred bills dealing with revenue, tariff, etc.
1644. Jrnl. Ho. Comm., III. 509/1. This Committee, or any Four of them, is to consider of all Ways and Means for raising of Monies … and to make Report to the House. Ibid. (1685), IX. 759/1. The House then … resolved into a Committee of the whole House, to consider of the Ways and Means to raise his Majesty’s Supply.
1695–6. Luttrell, Brief Rel., IV. 16. The commons were yesterday in a committee of the whole house upon wayes and means for raising two millions.
1695. (title) An Essay upon ways and means of supplying the war. [By C. Davenant.]
1737. Gentl. Mag., VII. 654/1. When we take this Affair into our Consideration in the Committee of Ways and Means.
1738. Johnson, London, 245. Ye Senatorian Band, Whose Ways and Means support the sinking Land.
1767. Sterne, Tr. Shandy, IX. xi. The first Lord of the Treasury thinking of ways and means, could not have returned home, with a more embarrassed look.
1785. Rolliad, Prob. Odes, xi. 92. Rapt in St. Stephen’s future scenes, I sit perpetual Chairman of the Ways and Means.
1798. T. Jefferson, Lett. to J. Madison, 26 April, Writ. 1854, IV. 237. The Committee of Ways and Means have voted a land tax.
1824. Macaulay, Prophetic Acct. Epic Poem, Misc. Writ. 1860, I. 149. His Lordship … advises him [Mr. Vansittart] to look after the ways and means, and leave questions of peace and war to his betters.
fig. 1699. Garth, Dispensary, VI. 108. No Ways and Means their Cabinet employ, But their dark Hours they waste in barren Joy.
b. Pecuniary resources in general.
† To be upon ways and means, to be trying to raise money.
1738. Gentl. Mag., VIII. 41/2. So have I known a buxom lad … taught by kind mamma at home; Who gives him many a well try’d rule, With ways and means—to act a fool.
1760. Foote, Minor, II. Wks. 1799, I. 250. People that are upon ways and means, must not be nice.
1791. Smeaton, Edystone L., § 313. And whenever it shall appear to be necessary to renew it [sc. the gilding], I doubt not but ways and means will be found.
1869. A. Macdonald, Love, Law & Theol., x. 159. The party then adjourned to McGroggy’s large room, and … resolved themselves into a committee of ways and means.
1872. Geo. Eliot, Middlem., lviii. She had not yet had any anxiety about ways and means.
1879. ‘Edna Lyall,’ Won by Waiting, xxi. She … went to the nursery, to discuss ways and means with Bella’s nurse.
