way

pronunciation

How to pronounce way in British English: UK [weɪ] word uk audio image

How to pronounce way in American English: US [weɪ] word us audio image

Noun:

how something is done or how it happens
how a result is obtained or an end is achieved
a journey or passage
the condition of things generally
a course of conduct
any artifact consisting of a road or path affording passage from one place to another
a line leading to a place or point
the property of distance in general
doing as one pleases or chooses
a general category of things; used in the expression `in the way of'
space for movement
a portion of something divided into shares
Adverb:

to a great degree or by a great distance; very much (`right smart' is regional in the United States)

Word Origin

way: way: [OE] In common with German and Dutch weg, Swedish väg, and Danish vej, way goes back to a prehistoric Germanic *wegaz. This was formed from the base *weg- ‘move, carry’ (source also of English waggon, wee, and weigh), which in turn was descended from Indo- European *wegh-. This also produced English vector, vehicle, etc, and a variant of it is responsible for English wag and wave of the sea.=> vehicle, vogue, wag, waggon, wave, wee, weigh

way (n.): Old English weg "road, path; course of travel; room, space, freedom of movement;" also, figuratively, "course of life" especially, in plural, "habits of life" as regards moral, ethical, or spiritual choices, from Proto-Germanic *wegaz (cognates: Old Saxon, Dutch weg, Old Norse vegr, Old Frisian wei, Old High German weg, German Weg, Gothic wigs "way"), from PIE *wegh- "to move" (see weigh). From c. 1300 as "manner in which something occurs." Adverbial constructions attested since Middle English include this way "in this direction," that way "in that direction," both from late 15c.; out of the way "remote" (c. 1300). In the way "so placed as to impede" is from 1560s. From the "course of life" sense comes way of life (c. 1600), get (or have) one's way (1590s), have it (one's) way (1709). From the "course of travel" sense comes the figurative go separate ways (1837); one way or (the) other (1550s); have it both ways (1847); and the figurative sense of come a long way (1922). Adverbial phrase all the way "completely, to conclusion" is by 1915; sexual sense implied by 1924. Make way is from c. 1200. Ways and means "resources at a person's disposal" is attested from early 15c. Way out "means of exit" is from 1926. Encouragement phrase way to go is short for that's the way to go.

way (adv.): c. 1200, short for away (adv.). Many expressions involving this are modern and American English colloquial, such as way-out "far off;" way back "a long time ago" (1887); way off "quite wrong" (1892). Any or all of these might have led to the slang adverbial meaning "very, extremely," attested by 1984 (as in way cool).