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manner, mode, or fashion:
a new way of looking at a matter; to reply in a polite way.
characteristic or habitual manner:
Her way is to work quietly and never complain.
a method, plan, or means for attaining a goal:
to find a way to reduce costs.
a respect or particular:
The plan is defective in several ways.
a direction or vicinity:
Look this way. We’re having a drought out our way.
passage or progress on a course:
to make one’s way on foot; to lead the way.
Often, ways. distance:
They’ve come a long way.
a path or course leading from one place to another:
What’s the shortest way to town?
British.

an old Roman or pre-Roman road:
Icknield Way.
a minor street in a town:
He lives in Stepney Way.

a road, route, passage, or channel (usually used in combination):
highway; waterway; doorway.
Law. a right of way.
any line of passage or travel, used or available:
to blaze a way through dense woods.
space for passing or advancing:
to clear a way through the crowd.
Often, ways. a habit or custom:
The grandmother lived by the ways of the old country.
course or mode of procedure that one chooses or wills:
They had to do it my way.
condition, as to health, prosperity, or the like:
to be in a bad way.
range or extent of experience or notice:
the best device that ever came in my way.
a course of life, action, or experience:
The way of transgressors is hard.
Informal. business:
to be in the haberdashery way.
Nautical.

ways, two or more ground ways down which a hull slides in being launched.
movement or passage through the water.

Machinery. a longitudinal strip, as in a planer, guiding a moving part along a surface.
by the way, in the course of one’s remarks; incidentally:
By the way, have you received that letter yet?
by way of,

by the route of; through; via.
as a method or means of:
to number articles by way of distinguishing them.
British. in the state or position of (being, doing, etc.); ostensibly:
He is by way of being an authority on the subject.

come one’s way, to come to one; befall one:
A bit of good fortune came my way.
give way,

to withdraw or retreat:
The army gave way before the advance of the enemy.
to collapse; yield; break down:
You will surely give way under the strain of overwork.

give way to,

to yield to:
He gave way to their entreaties.
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.

go all the way, Slang.

to do completely or wholeheartedly.
to take a decisive action, especially one from which no retreat is possible:
Neither side wants to go all the way with nuclear warfare.
to engage in sexual intercourse.

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.
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.
have one’s way with, (especially of a man) to have sexual intercourse with, sometimes by intimidating or forcing one’s partner.
in a family way, pregnant.
in a way, after a fashion; to some extent:
In a way, she’s the nicest person I know.
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.
lead the way,

to go along a course in advance of others, as a guide.
to take the initiative; be first or most prominent:
In fashion she has always led the way.

make one’s way,

to go forward; proceed:
to make one’s way through the mud.
to achieve recognition or success; advance:
to make one’s way in the world.

make way,

to allow to pass; clear the way:
Make way for the king!
to relinquish to another; withdraw:
He resigned to make way for a younger man.
Nautical. to make forward or astern progress even though engines are not running.

no way, Informal. not under any circumstances; no:
Apologize to him? No way!
out of the way,

in a state or condition so as not to obstruct or hinder.
dealt with; disposed of:
I feel better, now that one problem is out of the way.
murdered:
to have a person put out of the way.
out of the frequented way; at a distance from the usual route.
improper; amiss:
There was something decidedly out of the way about her explanation.
extraordinary; unusual:
Such behavior was out of the way for him.

pave the way to / for. pave (def 3).
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.
take one’s way, to start out; travel; go:
He took his way across the park and headed uptown.
Also, ‘way. away; from this or that place:
Go way.
to a great degree or at quite a distance; far:
way too heavy; way down the road.
Contemporary Examples

The Real Story Behind Thanksgiving Nick Bunker November 23, 2010
How to Stop the Bleeding Howard Kurtz November 3, 2010
What’s Next, Police With Tanks? James Poulos June 27, 2014
The Seductive Killer Drifter Justine Griffin October 25, 2010
Mitt Romney’s Game-Change Moment in the Denver Presidential Debate Michael Tomasky October 1, 2012

Historical Examples

It Happened in Egypt C. N. Williamson
Philothea Lydia Maria Child
The Three Cities Trilogy, Complete Emile Zola
The Spenders Harry Leon Wilson
Scientific American Supplement, No. 417 Various

noun
a manner, method, or means: a way of life, a way of knowing
a route or direction: the way home

a means or line of passage, such as a path or track
(in combination): waterway

space or room for movement or activity (esp in the phrases make way, in the way, out of the way)
distance, usually distance in general: you’ve come a long way
a passage or journey: on the way
characteristic style or manner: I did it in my own way
(often pl) habits; idiosyncrasies: he has some offensive ways
an aspect of something; particular: in many ways he was right

a street in or leading out of a town
(capital when part of a street name): Icknield Way

something that one wants in a determined manner (esp in the phrases get or have one’s (own) way)
the experience or sphere in which one comes into contact with things (esp in the phrase come one’s way)
(informal) a state or condition, usually financial or concerning health (esp in the phrases in a good (or bad) way)
(informal) the area or direction of one’s home: drop in if you’re ever over my way
movement of a ship or other vessel
a right of way in law
a guide along which something can be moved, such as the surface of a lathe along which the tailstock slides
(pl) the wooden or metal tracks down which a ship slides to be launched
a course of life including experiences, conduct, etc: the way of sin
(archaic) calling or trade
(sentence modifier) by the way, in passing or incidentally
by way of

via
serving as: by way of introduction
in the state or condition of: by way of being an artist

each way, (of a bet) laid on a horse, dog, etc, to win or gain a place
give way

to collapse or break down
to withdraw or yield

give way to

to step aside for or stop for
to give full rein to (emotions, etc)

go out of one’s way, to take considerable trouble or inconvenience oneself
have a way with, to have such a manner or skill as to handle successfully
have it both ways, to enjoy two things that would normally contradict each other or be mutually exclusive
in a way, in some respects
in no way, not at all
lead the way

to go first
to set an example or precedent

make one’s way

to proceed or advance
to achieve success in life

(informal) no way, that is impossible
(informal) on the way out

becoming unfashionable, obsolete, etc
dying

out of the way

removed or dealt with so as to be no longer a hindrance
remote
unusual and sometimes improper

pay one’s way, See pay1 (sense 11)
see one’s way, see one’s way clear, to find it possible and be willing (to do something)
(Irish) the way, so that: I left early the way I would avoid the traffic
under way, having started moving or making progress
adverb
(informal)

at a considerable distance or extent: way over yonder
very far: they’re way up the mountain

(informal) by far; considerably: way better
(slang) truly; genuinely: they have a way cool site
n.

way the wind blows, which
way to go