way

Language:	Old English
Origin:	weg

way
1 noun

method

[countable] a method that you use to do or achieve something:

Look up a word starting with D or S for samples of headword or sentence pronunciations on the LDOCE CD-ROM

There are several different ways we can tackle this problem.

way of doing something

Evening classes are one way of meeting new people.

There's no way of knowing if the treatment will work.

way to do something

What's the best way to learn a language?

in the same way/in different ways etc

Make the drink with boiling water in the same way as tea.

Animals communicate in various ways.

(in) the right/wrong way

I think you're going about this the wrong way.

ways and means (=methods of doing something, especially ones that are secret or not yet decided)

There are ways and means of raising the money that we need.

way out/out of/around

One way around the problem (=method of dealing with it) is recycling.

There seems to be no way out of the current economic crisis.

way into television/publishing/finance etc (=a method of getting involved in a particular activity or type of work)

companies eager for a way into business in Europe

manner

[countable] the manner or style in which someone does something or in which something happens:

Look at the way he's dressed!

in a ... way

'Hello,' he said in a friendly way.

Maria got up and took a shower in a leisurely way.

(in) this/that way

I find it easier to work in this way (=like this).

Sorry, I didn't know you felt that way (=had that feeling or opinion).

The drugs didn't seem to affect Anna in the same way.

that's no way to do something (=used to tell someone that they should not be doing something in a particular manner)

That's no way to speak to your father!

in more ways than one (=in a number of ways)

The changes will benefit the company in more ways than one.

in somebody's (own) way (=in a personal way that other people may not recognize)

I'm sure he does love you, in his own way.

direction/how to go somewhere

[countable]TTR

a) a road, path, direction etc that you take in order to get to a particular place

the way to/from/out etc

Which is the quickest way to the sea from here?

There are several ways through the woods.

ask/tell/show somebody the way

Could you tell me the way to the station?

Does anyone know the way from here?

I was afraid of losing my way in the dark.

Can you find your way back to the car park?

the way out (=the door, path etc which you can use to leave a building or area)

Which is the way out?

the way in (=the door, path etc which you can use to enter a building or area)

She looked all around, but she couldn't seem to find the way in.

on somebody's way (=in the same direction as someone is going)

Want a lift? It's on my way.

out of somebody's way (=not in the same direction as someone is going)

I live miles out of your way.

b) a particular direction from where you are now:

Which way is north?

Walk this way.

A big Mercedes was coming the other way (=from the opposite direction).

He left the house, looking carefully both ways.

part of something that is true

[countable] used to say that there is a fact or a feature of something that makes a statement or description true

in a/one way

In one way you're right, I suppose.

in some/many ways

Working at home makes sense, in many ways.

Ben is a perfectly normal child in every way.

He never got mad at me. He was great in that way.

in no way (=used to emphasize that something is not true)

This should in no way be seen as a defeat.

distance/time

[singular] a distance or a length of time, especially a long one:

I was still a long way from home.

some way/quite a way (=quite a long distance)

She had to park some way from the restaurant.

a long way off/away/ahead etc (=far away in distance or in time)

A peace settlement now seems a long way off.

I don't want to go all that way and not see him.

all the way down/across/through etc (something) (=the full distance or length of something)

Did you really swim all the way across?

I was awake all through the night.

a (long) ways American English

That's quite a ways from here, isn't it?

the space in front of you

[countable usually singular] if someone or something is in the way, they are blocking the space in front of you, and you cannot move forward

be in the way/be in somebody's way (=be blocking a road, someone's path etc so that they cannot move forward easily)

There was a big truck in the way.

Sorry, am I in your way?

A policeman yelled at the crowds to get out of the way.

The way ahead was blocked.

make way (for something/somebody)

a) to move to the side so that there is space for someone or something to pass

The crowd stepped aside to make way for the procession.

b) to make it possible for something newer or better to be built, organized etc

Several houses were demolished to make way for a new road.

out of the way

a) also out of somebody's way if someone or something is out of the way, they are somewhere where they are not likely to cause a problem, need attention, be annoying etc

move/put/push etc something out of the way

Why don't you tie your hair back, out of the way?

If Uncle Tom had been drinking, I kept out of his way.

When Mac was safely out of the way, Peter came round.

b) if a particular matter, job etc is out of the way, it has been done or dealt with:

I'd rather get the interview out of the way in the morning.

As soon as the contract's out of the way, we can start.

c) a place that is out of the way is far from any towns

on the/your/its way

a) arriving or happening soon:

There's a letter on its way to you.

More changes are on the way.

b) travelling towards a particular place:

She should be on the way here by now.

on the/your/its way to

The ships were already on their way to the gulf

c) while going from one place to another

on the/your/its way to/out/home etc

I ran out of gas on my way to the airport.

Guess who I bumped into on the way home.

d) also along the way while moving from one situation or part of your life to another:

Don's had to change jobs several times along the way.

e) if someone has a baby on the way, they are pregnant

be under way

a) to have started to happen or be done:

Plans are well under way for a new shopping centre.

The tournament got under way on Friday.

b) to have started to move or travel somewhere:

Our train was already under way.

make your way

a) to go towards something, especially when this is difficult or takes a long time

make your way to/through/towards etc

The team slowly made their way back to base.

make your own way (home/to something etc) (=go somewhere without the help or company of other people)

Don't worry. I can make my own way to the beach.

b) to gradually become successful in a particular job, activity, profession etc:

young people who are making their way in industry

push/grope/inch etc your way somewhere

to get somewhere by using force or moving carefully:

She elbowed her way to the front of the queue.

He drank some water, then groped his way back to the bedroom.

give way

a) to be replaced by something else

give way to

Stone has given way to glass and concrete.

My anger gave way to depression.

b) to agree to do what someone else wants, instead of what you want, especially after a lot of discussion or argument:

Despite growing pressure, the Minister of State refused to give way.

give way to

Maria seemed to despise him for giving way to her.

c) to break because of too much weight or pressure:

The floor's rotten and likely to give way.

d) British English to stop or slow down when you are driving, in order to allow other vehicles to go first [= yield American English]

In Britain, give way to cars coming from the right.

clear/pave/open/prepare etc the way (for something)

to make it possible for something to happen or develop later:

a study that paved the way for further research

The Queen's death opened the way for him to return.

a/the way forward

an action, plan etc that seems a good idea because it is likely to lead to success:

A way forward lies in developing more economic links.

a/the way forward for

This treatment may be the way forward for many inherited disorders.

state/condition

[singular] a particular state or condition:

My family was in a bad way financially.

The chicken's nice and crispy - just the way I like it.

It's worth thinking how you can improve the way things are.

somebody was born/made that way (=used to say that someone's character is not likely to change)

He'll always be mean - he was born that way.

fact/event

[singular] used to refer to something that happens:

I hate the way you always give in to him.

behaviour

[countable] someone's typical style of behaving, especially when it seems different or unusual

be (just) somebody's way

Don't worry if she's quiet - that's just her way.

Esther quickly changed the subject, as was her way.

strange/funny/odd etc ways

We all have our funny little ways.

change/mend your ways (=stop behaving badly)

➔ see the error of your ways

at error (6)

; ➔ be set in your ways

at set3 (6)

development/progress

[singular] used in expressions about developing and improving:

The team has a long way to go (=needs to develop or improve a lot) before it can match that performance.

Microwave ovens have come a long way (=have developed or improved a lot) since they first appeared in our kitchens.

Jen is now well on the way to recovery (=she has improved and will be well soon).

go some way towards doing something

also

go a long way towards doing something

to help a little or a lot to make something happen:

ideas that go some way towards reducing environmental problems

choices/possibilities

[countable] used when talking about two choices someone could make, or two possibilities that could happen:

I'm not sure which way he'll decide.

The election could go either way (=both results are equally possible).

Make your mind up one way or the other.

either way (=used to say that something will be the same, whichever of two things happens)

Either way, it's going to be expensive.

within two feet/ten years etc either way

no more than two feet etc more or less than a particular amount:

Your answer must be within a centimetre either way.

(in) one way or another

also

one way or the other

used to say that someone does or will do something somehow, although you are not sure how:

One way or the other he always seems to win.

We'll find the money, one way or another.

way around/round/up

a particular order or position that something should be in:

Which way around does this skirt go?

the other way around/round/up (=in the opposite order or position)

The picture should be the other way up.

Art reflects life, or is it the other way around (=is it 'life reflects art')?

the right/wrong way around/round/up

Are the batteries in the wrong way round?

by way of something

a) also in the way of something as a form or means of something:

I'd like to say something by way of introduction.

little in the way of something also not much/enough in the way of something (=not much of something)

The town has little in the way of leisure facilities.

b) if you travel by way of a place, you go through it [= via]:

We went by way of London.

get in the way of something

to prevent someone from doing something, or prevent something from happening:

Your social life must not get in the way of your studies.

go out of your way to do something

to do something with more effort than is usual or expected:

She went out of her way to make me feel welcome.

get/have your (own) way

to do what you want to, even though someone else wants something different:

Don't let the children always get their own way.

go your own way

to do what you want, make your own decisions etc:

At 18, most young people are ready to go their own way.

go somebody's way

a) if an event goes your way, it happens in the way you want:

The government are hopeful that the vote will go their way.

everything/things/nothing goes somebody's way (=used to talk about events in general)

b) literary to continue a journey, or to leave and do what you want to do next:

She said goodbye and went her way.

c) to travel in the same direction as someone:

I can take you - I'm going your way.

come somebody's way

if something comes your way, you get or experience it, especially by chance:

Luck had come her way at the very last moment.

in a big/small way

used to talk about the degree to which something happens, or how important it is:

The business was a success, in a small way.

by a long way

by a large amount:

He was the best in the group by a long way.

talk/buy etc your way into/past etc something/somebody

to get where you want or achieve something you want by saying or doing something:

Caroline managed to talk her way past the guard.

work/munch/smoke etc your way through something

to deal with, eat, smoke etc a large amount of things:

He worked his way through the pile of documents.

She had munched her way through a packet of biscuits.

be on the/your way out

to be becoming less popular, important, powerful etc:

Is the royal family on the way out?

across/over the way

on the opposite side of the street:

They live across the way from us at number 23.

have a way of doing something

used to say that something often or usually happens:

Cheer up - these problems have a way of working out.

get into the way of doing something

British English to start to do something regularly:

He'd got into the way of smoking first thing in the morning.

not in any way, shape, or form

used to emphasize that something is not true:

I am not responsible for his actions in any way, shape, or form.

split something two/three etc ways

also divide something two/three etc ways to divide something into two, three etc equal parts:

We'll split the cost between us five ways.

have a way with somebody/something

to be especially good at dealing with people or things of a particular type:

David seems to have a way with children.

She's always had a way with words (=been good at using words effectively).

the way of the world

how things always happen or are done, especially when this is not easy to change:

In those days these policies favoured men. That was the way of the world.

every which way

informal

a) in all directions:

Bullets were flying every which way.

b) British English every possible method:

I tried every which way to avoid it.

TTR used in the names of roads:

Church Way

46 spoken

by the way

used when saying something that is not related to the main subject you were talking about before:

By the way, have you seen my keys anywhere?

47 spoken

no way!

a) used to say that you will definitely not do or allow something:

'Can I borrow your car?' 'No way!'

There's no way I'll ever get married again.

no way José! (=used to emphasize that you will not do something)

b) especially American English used to say that you do not believe something or are very surprised by it:

She's 45? No way!

48 spoken

the way I see it

also

to my way of thinking

used before telling someone your opinion:

The way I see it, it was a fair trade.

49 spoken

that's the way

used to tell someone that they are doing something correctly or well, especially when you are showing them how:

Now bring your foot gently off the clutch - that's the way.

50 spoken

that's (just) the way something/somebody is

also

that's (just) the way something goes

used to say that a particular situation or person cannot be changed:

Don't try to fight it. That's just the way it is.

Sometimes Tim needs to be alone. That's the way he is.

51 spoken

be with somebody all the way

to agree with someone completely:

I'm with you all the way on this salary issue, Joe.

52 spoken

if I had my way

used when telling someone what you think it would be best to do:

If I had my way, we'd leave this place tomorrow.

53 spoken

56 spoken

way to go!

American English used to tell someone that they have done something very well or achieved something special

57 spoken

(that's/it's) always the way!

British English used to say that things always happen in the way that is least convenient:

The train was late - always the way when you're in a hurry!

58 spoken

down your/London etc way

in your area, the area of London etc

59 spoken

go all the way (with somebody)

to have sex with someone

➔ halfway , one-way , right of way , two-way

; ➔ that's the way the cookie crumbles

at cookie (3)

; ➔ cut both ways

at cut1 (36)

; ➔ in the family way

at family (7)

; ➔ go the way of all flesh

at flesh1 (9)

; ➔ go your separate ways

at separate1 (4)

; ➔ know your way around (something)

at know1 (10)

; ➔ be laughing all the way to the bank

at laugh1 (8)

; ➔ lead the way

at lead1 (7)

; ➔ look the other way

at look1 (9)

; ➔ out of harm's way

at harm1 (6)

; ➔ parting of the ways

at parting1 (3)

; ➔ pay your way

at pay1 (13)

; ➔ to put it another way

at put (4)

; ➔ rub somebody up the wrong way

at rub1 (7)

; ➔ see which way the wind is blowing

at wind1 (6)

; ➔ see your way (clear) to doing something

at see1 (39)

; ➔ any way you slice it

at slice2

; ➔ stand in somebody's way

at stand1 (30)

; ➔ where there's a will there's a way

at will2 (5)

➔ work your way to/through etc something

at work1 (12)

Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.

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wax² verb

way¹ noun