Meaning of way In English

• 0 a route, direction, or path:

  • Do you know the way to the restaurant?

  • I've only been living in Madrid for a couple of weeks so I don't really know my way around it yet.

  • We'll have to stop for petrol on the way to the airport.

  • Can you find your own way out of the building?

  • He elbowed/pushed his way (= hit/pushed people so that he could go past them) to the front of the crowd.

  • The bus stopped for us to eat lunch but within half an hour we were on our way/under way (= travelling) again.

  • There's no way through here - you'll have to go round.

  • They flew from Los Angeles to Toronto by way of Chicago.

  • Many people have lost their way (= become lost) in the forest.

  • Only local people could find their way through the maze of narrow streets.

  • We slowly made our way down the river.

  • It's getting late - we should make our way home soon.

  • "Which way does the room face?" "North."

  • Which way up should this box be? (= Which side should be on top?)

  • The numbers are the wrong way round - it should be 71, not 17.

  • I thought the older people would be more offended than the young people, but it was the other way round.

  • I thought the older people would be more offended than the young people, but it was the other way around.

  • Our offices are at 17 King's Way.

• 1 a distance or a period of time:

  • We walked a long way yesterday.

  • The holiday seems like it's a long way off.

  • figurative We managed to pull ourselves all the way from 12th place to first place.

  • US They still have a ways to go.

• 2 a particular choice, opinion, belief, or action, especially from among several possibilities:

  • I like the way you've done your hair.

  • In some/many ways it would be better if we met on Monday rather than Wednesday.

  • In a way (= partly), I would rather they didn't come because it will mean extra work.

  • He might have to resign or he might be demoted, but either way, his career is effectively over.

  • They don't write songs the way (= as) they used to.

• 3 the manner in which someone behaves or thinks, or in which something happens:

  • Don't worry - it's just his way.

  • He looked at me in a sinister way.

  • It's amazing the way she manages to stay so calm.

  • The way he was shouting, you'd have thought he was badly hurt.

  • To my way of thinking, they shouldn't be building so many roads.

  • It's always the way at work - either I have nothing to do or I'm rushed off my feet!

  • Over the years we've got used to his funny little ways.

• 4 an action that can produce the result you want; a method:

  • There are many ways of solving the problem.

  • [ + to infinitive ] That's not the way to do it - let me show you.

  • That method hasn't worked, so let's try your way.

• 5 the space needed for a particular movement or action:

  • "Sorry, am I in your way? I'll move."

  • I couldn't see the stage because there was a pillar in the way (= between me and the stage).

  • Make way for some new clothes by clearing out ones you never wear.

  • You need to get out of the way of that car.

  • figurative She's determined to succeed and she won't let anything get/stand in her way (= prevent her).

• 6 If someone gets or has their way, what they want happens:

  • If she doesn't get/have her (own) way, she sulks like a four-year-old.

• 7 the bad condition or state of someone or something, especially the state of a person's health:

  • He's been in a bad way (= very ill) ever since the operation.

• 8 used to emphasize degree or separation, especially in space or time:

  • After the third lap, she was way behind the other runners.

  • She spends way too much money on clothes.

• 9 in the direction of:

  • I think they live Birmingham way.

• 10 a route or path to follow in order to get to a place:

  • Do you know the way to the train station?

  • I don’t really know my way around town yet.

  • Our office is at 17 Harbor Way.

  • The numbers should be the other way around – 71, not 17.

  • He made his way from sales assistant to head of sales.

• 11 distance, or a period of time:

  • We walked just a short way before he got tired.

  • When Mom called us for supper, we were still a ways from being finished.

• 12 a particular manner, characteristic, or fashion:

  • I like the way your hair is fixed.

  • Jack and Beth feel the same way about animals.

  • There is no way I can leave her.

  • They don’t write songs the way they used to.

  • My little sister gets furious if she doesn’t get her way.

• 13 (used for emphasis) far or long:

  • That skirt’s way too much money.

  • Come on now, Alexander, it’s way past your bedtime.

  • That car is way cool!