way

I. noun Etymology: Middle English, from Old English weg; akin to Old High German weg way, Old English wegan to move, Latin vehere to carry, via way Date: before 12th century 1. a. a thoroughfare for travel or transportation from place to place b. an opening for passage <

this door is the only way out of the room

> 2. the course traveled from one place to another ; route <

asked the way to the museum

> 3. a. a course (as a series of actions or sequence of events) leading in a direction or toward an objective <

led the way to eventual open heart operations — Current Biography

> b. (1) a course of action <

took the easy way out

> (2) opportunity, capability, or fact of doing as one pleases <

always manages to get her own way

> c. a possible decision, action, or outcome ; possibility <

they were rude—no two ways about it

> 4. a. manner or method of doing or happening <

admired her way of thinking

>; also method of accomplishing ; means <

that's the way to do it

> b. feature, respect <

in no way resembles her mother

> c. a usually specified degree of participation in an activity or enterprise <

active in real estate in a small way

> 5. a. characteristic, regular, or habitual manner or mode of being, behaving, or happening <

knows nothing of the ways of women

> b. ability to get along well or perform well <

she has a way with kids

> <

a way with words

> 6. the length of a course ; distance <

has come a long way in her studies

> <

still have a way to go

> 7. movement or progress along a course <

worked her way up the corporate ladder

> 8. a. direction <

is coming this way

> b. participant — usually used in combination <

three-way discussion

> 9. state of affairs ; condition, state <

that's the way things are

> 10. a. plural but sometimes singular in construction an inclined structure upon which a ship is built or supported in launching b. plural the guiding surfaces on the bed of a machine along which a table or carriage moves 11. category, kind — usually used in the phrase in the way of <

doesn't require much in the way of expensive equipment — Forbes

> 12. motion or speed of a ship or boat through the water Synonyms: see method II. adjective Date: 1799 of, connected with, or constituting an intermediate point on a route III. adverb Date: 1849 1. a. away 7 <

is way ahead of the class

> b. by far ; much <

ate way too much

> c. very 2 <

way cool

> <

way excited

> 2. all the way <

pull the switch way back

>