Etymology Dictionary

WAY,  a road, path, distance, direction, means, manner, will.  (E.)   M.E. wey, way, Chaucer, C. T. 34.—A.S. weg, Grein, ii. 655. + Du. weg. + Icel. vegr. + Dan. vei. + Swed. väg. + G. weg. + O.H.G. wec. + Goth. wigs.   β. All from Teut. type WEGA, a way; Fick, iii. 282.   Further allied to Lithuan. weża, the track of a cart, from wèszti, to drive, or draw, a waggon; Lat. uia, a way; Skt. vaha, a road, way, from vah, to carry.   All from ✔WAGH, to carry; see Wain, Viaduct, Vehicle.   Der. al-way, al-ways, q.v.; length-ways, side-ways, &c.; also way-faring, i.e. faring on the way, A.S. weg-férend, Matt. xxvii. 39, where férend is the pres. part. of féran, to fare, travel, Grein, i. 285, a derivative of the more primitive verb faran, to go (see Fare); way-far-er; way-lay, Tw. Night, iii. 4. 176; way-mark, Jer. xxi. 21 (A.V.); way-worn.   Also way-ward, q.v.