in a way
noun
1.
manner, mode, or fashion: a new way of looking at a matter; to reply in a polite way.
2.
characteristic or habitual manner: Her way is to work quietly and never complain.
3.
a method, plan, or means for attaining a goal: to find a way to reduce costs.
4.
a respect or particular: The plan is defective in several ways.
5.
a direction or vicinity: Look this way. We're having a drought out our way.
6.
passage or progress on a course: to make one's way on foot; to lead the way.
7.
Often, ways. distance: They've come a long way.
8.
a path or course leading from one place to another: What's the shortest way to town?
9.
British.
a.
an old Roman or pre-Roman road: Icknield Way.
b.
a minor street in a town: He lives in Stepney Way.
10.
a road, route, passage, or channel (usually used in combination): highway; waterway; doorway.
11.
Law. a right of way.
12.
any line of passage or travel, used or available: to blaze a way through dense woods.
13.
space for passing or advancing: to clear a way through the crowd.
14.
Often, ways. a habit or custom: The grandmother lived by the ways of the old country.
15.
course or mode of procedure that one chooses or wills: They had to do it my way.
16.
condition, as to health, prosperity, or the like: to be in a bad way.
17.
range or extent of experience or notice: the best device that ever came in my way.
18.
a course of life, action, or experience: The way of transgressors is hard.
19.
Informal. business: to be in the haberdashery way.
20.
Nautical.
a.
b.
movement or passage through the water.
21.
Machinery. a longitudinal strip, as in a planer, guiding a moving part along a surface.
22.
by the way, in the course of one's remarks; incidentally: By the way, have you received that letter yet?
23.
by way of,
a.
by the route of; through; via.
b.
as a method or means of: to number articles by way of distinguishing them.
c.
British. in the state or position of (being, doing, etc.); ostensibly: He is by way of being an authority on the subject.
24.
come one's way, to come to one; befall one: A bit of good fortune came my way.
25.
26.
give way to,
a.
to yield to: He gave way to their entreaties.
b.
to become unrestrained or uninhibited; lose control of (one's temper, emotions, etc.): I gave way to my rage and ordered them from the house.
27.
go all the way, Slang.
a.
to do completely or wholeheartedly.
b.
to take a decisive action, especially one from which no retreat is possible: Neither side wants to go all the way with nuclear warfare.
c.
to engage in sexual intercourse.
28.
go out of one's way, to do something that inconveniences one; make an unusual effort: Please don't go out of your way on my account.
29.
have a way with, to have a charming, persuasive, or effective manner of dealing with: He has a way with children; to have a way with words.
30.
have one's way with, (especially of a man) to have sexual intercourse with, sometimes by intimidating or forcing one's partner.
31.
in a family way, pregnant.
32.
in a way, after a fashion; to some extent: In a way, she's the nicest person I know.
33.
in someone's way, forming a hindrance, impediment, or obstruction: She might have succeeded in her ambition, had not circumstances been in her way. Also, in the way.
34.
lead the way,
a.
to go along a course in advance of others, as a guide.
b.
to take the initiative; be first or most prominent: In fashion she has always led the way.
35.
make one's way,
a.
to go forward; proceed: to make one's way through the mud.
b.
to achieve recognition or success; advance: to make one's way in the world.
36.
make way,
a.
to allow to pass; clear the way: Make way for the king!
b.
to relinquish to another; withdraw: He resigned to make way for a younger man.
c.
Nautical. to make forward or astern progress even though engines are not running.
37.
no way, Informal. not under any circumstances; no: Apologize to him? No way!
38.
out of the way,
a.
in a state or condition so as not to obstruct or hinder.
b.
dealt with; disposed of: I feel better, now that one problem is out of the way.
c.
murdered: to have a person put out of the way.
d.
out of the frequented way; at a distance from the usual route.
e.
improper; amiss: There was something decidedly out of the way about her explanation.
f.
extraordinary; unusual: Such behavior was out of the way for him.
39.
40.
see one's way clear, to regard as suitable or possible; consider seriously: We couldn't see our way clear to spending so much money at once. Also, see one's way.
41.
take one's way, to start out; travel; go: He took his way across the park and headed uptown.
00:10
In a way
is always a great word to know.
So is zedonk. Does it mean:
| a gadget; dingus; thingumbob. |
| the offspring of a zebra and a donkey. |
Origin:
before 900; Middle English wei(gh)e, wai, Old English weg; cognate with Dutch, German Weg, Old Norse vegr, Gothic wigs; akin to Latin vehere to carry
before 900; Middle English wei(gh)e, wai, Old English weg; cognate with Dutch, German Weg, Old Norse vegr, Gothic wigs; akin to Latin vehere to carry
Related forms
way·less, adjective
Synonyms
3. scheme, device. See method. 4. detail, part. 7. space, interval. 10. track. 14. usage, practice, wont.
3. scheme, device. See method. 4. detail, part. 7. space, interval. 10. track. 14. usage, practice, wont.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Link To in a way
Collins
World English Dictionary
way (weɪ) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —n | |
| 1. | a manner, method, or means: a way of life; a way of knowing |
| 2. | a route or direction: the way home |
| 3. | a. a means or line of passage, such as a path or track |
| b. (in combination): waterway | |
| 4. | space or room for movement or activity (esp in the phrases make way, in the way, out of the way) |
| 5. | distance, usually distance in general: you've come a long way |
| 6. | a passage or journey: on the way |
| 7. | characteristic style or manner: I did it in my own way |
| 8. | (often plural) habits; idiosyncrasies: he has some offensive ways |
| 9. | an aspect of something; particular: in many ways he was right |
| 10. | a. a street in or leading out of a town |
| b. (capital when part of a street name): Icknield Way | |
| 11. | something that one wants in a determined manner (esp in the phrases get or have one's (own) way) |
| 12. | the experience or sphere in which one comes into contact with things (esp in the phrase come one's way) |
| 13. | informal a state or condition, usually financial or concerning health (esp in the phrases in a good (or bad) way) |
| 14. | informal the area or direction of one's home: drop in if you're ever over my way |
| 15. | movement of a ship or other vessel |
| 16. | a right of way in law |
| 17. | a guide along which something can be moved, such as the surface of a lathe along which the tailstock slides |
| 18. | (plural) the wooden or metal tracks down which a ship slides to be launched |
| 19. | a course of life including experiences, conduct, etc: the way of sin |
| 20. | archaic calling or trade |
| 21. | (sentence modifier) by the way in passing or incidentally |
| 22. | by way of |
| a. via | |
| b. serving as: by way of introduction | |
| c. in the state or condition of: by way of being an artist | |
| 23. | each way (of a bet) laid on a horse, dog, etc, to win or gain a place |
| 24. | give way |
| a. to collapse or break down | |
| b. to withdraw or yield | |
| 25. | give way to |
| a. to step aside for or stop for | |
| b. to give full rein to (emotions, etc) | |
| 26. | go out of one's way to take considerable trouble or inconvenience oneself |
| 27. | have a way with to have such a manner or skill as to handle successfully |
| 28. | have it both ways to enjoy two things that would normally contradict each other or be mutually exclusive |
| 29. | in a way in some respects |
| 30. | in no way not at all |
| 31. | lead the way |
| a. to go first | |
| b. to set an example or precedent | |
| 32. | make one's way |
| a. to proceed or advance | |
| b. to achieve success in life | |
| 33. | informal no way that is impossible |
| 34. | informal on the way out |
| a. becoming unfashionable, obsolete, etc | |
| b. dying | |
| 35. | out of the way |
| a. removed or dealt with so as to be no longer a hindrance | |
| b. remote | |
| c. unusual and sometimes improper | |
| 36. | pay one's way See pay |
| 37. | see one's way, see one's way clear to find it possible and be willing (to do something) |
| 38. | (Irish) the way so that: I left early the way I would avoid the traffic |
| 39. | under way having started moving or making progress |
| —adv | |
| 40. | informal |
| a. at a considerable distance or extent: way over yonder | |
| b. very far: they're way up the mountain | |
| 41. | informal by far; considerably: way better |
| 42. | slang truly; genuinely: they have a way cool site |
| [Old English weg; related to Old Frisian wei, Old Norse vegr, Gothic wigs] | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
Etymonline
Word Origin & History
way
O.E. weg "road, path, course of travel," from P.Gmc. *wegaz (cf. O.S., Du. weg, O.N. vegr, O.Fris. wei, O.H.G. weg, Ger. Weg, Goth. wigs "way"), from PIE *wegh- "to move" (see weigh). Most of the extended senses developed in M.E. Adj. meaning "very, extremely" is early 1980s,
perhaps from phrase all the way. Wayfaring is O.E. wegfarende; Ways and means "resources at a person's disposal" is attested from c.1430. Way-out (adj.) "original, bold," is jazz slang, first recorded 1940s.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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Slang Dictionary
way definition
|
Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions by Richard A. Spears.Fourth Edition.
Copyright 2007. Published by McGraw Hill.
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Copyright 2007. Published by McGraw Hill.
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American Heritage
Idioms & Phrases
in a way
To a certain extent, with reservations; also, in some respects. For example, In a way I like the new styles, or You're right, in a way, but we have to consider the price. [Mid-1800s]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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