out of the way Definition

out
adverb

1. Away from the inside; not in or at a place.

Example: Go out into the garden
2. Not in one's home or place of work.

Example: I called but you were out
Thesaurus: absent, away, busy, elsewhere, gone, left; Antonym: in.
3. To or at an end; to or into a state of being completely finished, exhausted or extinct, etc.

Example: The milk has run out
Example: before the day is out
Example: Put the candle out
4. Aloud.

Example: cry out
5. With care or taking care.

Example: Listen out for the baby
Example: watch out
6. In all directions from a central point.

Example: Share out the sweets
7. To the fullest extent or amount.

Example: Spread the blanket out
8. To public attention or notice; revealed.

Example: The secret is out
9. sport.
Said of a person batting: no longer able to bat, eg because of having the ball caught by an opponent.
Example: bowled out
10. In or into a state of being removed, omitted or forgotten.

Example: miss him out
Example: Rub out the mistake
11. Not to be considered; rejected.

Example: That idea's out
12. Removed; dislocated.

Example: have a tooth out
13. Not in authority; not having political power.

Example: voted them out of office
14. Into unconsciousness.

Example: pass out in the heat
15. In error.

Example: Your total is out by three
16. colloq
Existing.
Example: the best car out
17. Said of a flower: in bloom.
18. Said of a book: published.

Example: will be out in the autumn
19. Visible.

Example: the moon's out
20. No longer in fashion.

Example: Drainpipes are out, flares are in
21. Said of workers: on strike.

Example: called the miners out
22. Said of a jury: considering its verdict.
23. old use
Said of a young woman: introduced into fashionable society.
24. Said of a tide: at or towards the lowest level of water.

Example: going out

adj

1. External.

Thesaurus: outer, removed, distant, external, outside, extraneous, open, exposed; Antonym: inside.
2. Directing or showing direction outwards.

prep

(especially US)
1. colloq
Out of something.
Example: Get out the car

exclamation

1. sport.
Expressing:that the batsman is dismissed.
2. Expressing: that a radio transmission has finished.

Example: over and out

noun

1. A way out, a way of escape; an excuse.

Thesaurus: escape, way out; excuse, explanation.

verb outed, outing

intr
1. To become publicly known.

Example: Murder will out
2. To make public the homosexuality of (a famous person who has been attempting to keep their homosexuality secret). Compare come out (sense 10) at come.

Idiom: be out for something

colloq
To be determined to achieve it.
Example: He's just out for revenge

Idiom: out and about

Active outside the house, especially after an illness.

Idiom: out and away

By far; much.

Idiom: out of something

From inside it.
Example: drive out of the garage

Not in or within it.
Example: be out of the house

Having exhausted a supply of it.
Example: be out of butter

From among several.
Example: two out of three cats

From a material.
Example: made out of wood

Because of it.
Example: out of anger

Beyond the range, scope or bounds of it.
Example: out of reach
Example: out of the ordinary

Excluded from it.
Example: leave him out of the team

No longer in a stated condition.
Example: out of practice

At a stated distance from a place.
Example: a mile out of town

Without or so as to be without something.
Example: cheat him out of his money

Idiom: out of date

Old-fashioned and no longer of use; obsolete.
Thesaurus: passé, old, obsolete, old-fashioned, outmoded, archaic, disused, ancient.

Idiom: out of it

colloq
Not part of, or wanted in, a group or activity, etc.

slang
Unable to behave normally or control oneself, usually because of drink or drugs.

Idiom: out of pocket

Having spent more money than one can afford.

Idiom: out of the way

Difficult to reach or arrive at.
Thesaurus: isolated, secluded, far-off, distant, remote, off the beaten path.

Unusual; uncommon.

Idiom: ins and outs

See ins and outs at in.

Idiom: out to lunch

slang
Said of a person: slightly crazy; in a dream world.

Idiom: out with it!

An exhortation to speak openly.

Etymology: Anglo-Saxon ut.

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way
noun ways

1a. A route, entrance or exit, etc that provides passage or access somewhere;

Thesaurus: road, trail, walk, highway (US), byway.
1b. The passage or access provided.
2. The route, road or direction taken for a particular journey.
3. A track or road.
4. Used in street names.

Form: Way
5. A direction of motion.

Example: a one-way street
Example: a two-way radio
6. An established position.

Example: the wrong way up
Example: the other way round
7. A distance in space or time.

Example: a little way ahead
8. One's district.

Example: if you're round our way
9. The route or path ahead; room to move or progress.
10. A means or method of doing something.

Thesaurus: means, method, mode, plan, technique, design, system, procedure, process, contrivance, step, idea, policy.
11. A distinctive manner or style.
12. Customs or rituals.

Form: ways
13. A characteristic piece of behaviour.
14. A habit or routine.
15. A typical pattern or course.

Example: It's always the way
16. A mental approach.

Example: different ways of looking at it
17. A respect.

Example: correct in some ways
18. An alternative course, possibility or choice, etc.
19. A state or condition.
20. Scale.
21. Progress; forward motion.

Example: made their way through the crowds
22. naut.
Headway; progress or motion through the water.
Example: made little way that day
23. engineering.
The machined surfaces of the top of a lathe bed on which the carriage slides.
Form: ways
24. engineering.
The framework of timbers on which a ship slides when being launched.

adverb

1. colloq
Far; a long way.
Example: met way back in the 60s

Idiom: across the way (over the way)

On or to the other side of something, eg a street.
Example: I just live across the way

Idiom: be on (get on one's way)

To make a start on a journey.

Idiom: by the way

Incidentally; let me mention while I remember.

Idiom: by way of ...

As a form or means of ....
Example: He grinned by way of apology

Idiom: by way of somewhere

By the route that passes through it.

Idiom: come someone's way

Said of an opportunity, etc: to become available to them, especially unexpectedly.

Idiom: divide something three ways (divide something four etc ways)

To divide it into three or four, etc parts.

Idiom: get one's own way (have one's own way)

To do, get or have what one wants, often as opposed to what others want.

Idiom: give way

To collapse or subside.

To fail or break down under pressure, etc.

To yield to persuasion or pressure.

Idiom: go all the way with someone (go the whole way with someone)

slang
To have sexual intercourse with them.

Idiom: go one's own way

To do or behave as one likes, especially in a manner different from others.

Idiom: go out of one's way

To make special efforts; to do more than is needed.

Idiom: go someone's way

Said eg of circumstances: to favour them.

Idiom: have a way with someone or something

To be good at dealing with them.

Idiom: have a way with one

colloq
To have an attractive manner.

Idiom: have it both ways

To benefit from two actions, situations or arguments, etc, each of which excludes the possibility or validity, etc of the others.

Idiom: have it one's way (have everything one's way, have everything one's own way)

To get one's way in something or everything, especially with disregard for the advice or opinions of others.

Idiom: in a bad way

colloq
In a poor or serious condition; unhealthy.

Idiom: in a big way

colloq
With enthusiasm; on a large or grandiose scale.

Idiom: in a way

From a certain viewpoint; to some extent.

Idiom: in its etc own way

As far as it etc goes; within limits.

Idiom: in no way

Not at all.

Idiom: in the way of something

In the nature of it.
Example: not much in the way of cash

Idiom: lead the way (show the way)

To act as a guide or inspiration to others.

Idiom: learn one's way around

To accustom oneself to one's new environment or duties, etc.

Idiom: look the other way

To ignore or pretend not to notice something.

Idiom: lose the way (lose one's way)

To leave one's intended or known route by mistake.

Idiom: make one's way

To go purposefully.

To progress or prosper.
Example: making her way in life

Idiom: make way for someone or something

To stand aside, or make room, for them or it.

To be replaced by them or it.

Idiom: no two ways about it

That's certain; no doubt about it.

Idiom: no way

slang
Absolutely not.

Idiom: on the way out

Becoming unfashionable.

Idiom: on the way to ...

Progressing towards ....
Example: well on the way to becoming a millionaire

Idiom: one way and another

Considering certain aspects or features, etc of something.
Example: It's been a good year, one way and another

Idiom: out of the way

Situated so as not to hinder or obstruct anyone.

Remote; in the middle of nowhere.

Idiom: pay one's way

To pay one's own debts and living expenses.

Idiom: put someone out of the way

To kill them.

Idiom: put someone in the way of something

To contrive to make it available to them.

Idiom: see one's way to doing something (see one's way clear to doing something)

To be able and willing to do it.

Idiom: that's the way!

A formula of encouragement or approval.

Idiom: the way (this way, that way)

The manner or tendency of a person's feelings or wishes, etc.
Example: Do you really want it this way?
Example: I didn't know you felt that way

Idiom: under way

In motion; progressing.

Etymology: Anglo-Saxon weg.