come their way


1 [wey]
Often, ways. distance: They've come a long way.
an old Roman or pre-Roman road: Icknield Way.
Law. a right of way.
Informal. business: to be in the haberdashery way.
movement or passage through the water.
Machinery. a longitudinal strip, as in a planer, guiding a moving part along a surface.
by way of,
by the route of; through; via.
give way,
give way to,
to yield to: He gave way to their entreaties.
go all the way, Slang.
to do completely or wholeheartedly.
to engage in sexual intercourse.
in a family way, pregnant.
lead the way,
make one's way,
make way,
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,
murdered: to have a person put out of the way.
pave the way to/for. pave ( def 3 ).

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

wayless, adjective

3. scheme, device. See method. 4. detail, part. 7. space, interval. 10. track. 14. usage, practice, wont. Unabridged
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World English Dictionary
way (weɪ)
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
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
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Word Origin & History

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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