under way

under way
under way
There is a choice between under way and underway, with the two-word form still marginally preferable although the other is equally well attested:

• I started up the bagpipes and was soon under way, marching up and down the church hall —B. Millin, 1991

• The foot-and-mouth outbreak led to the suspension of the testing programme that was underway to try to monitor and contain TB —farming website, BrE 2002 [OEC].

The reworking of the phrase as under weigh, which arose from associations of ships weighing anchor and setting sail, was common in 19c writers (including Byron, Marryat, and Thackeray) but has largely disappeared since the nautical connection is irrelevant to most contexts.

Modern English usage. 2014.

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Synonyms:
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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Under way — Under Un der, prep. [AS. under, prep. & adv.; akin to OFries. under, OS. undar, D. onder, G. unter, OHG. untar, Icel. undir, Sw. & Dan. under, Goth. undar, L. infra below, inferior lower, Skr. adhas below. [root]201. Cf. {Inferior}.] 1. Below or… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • under way — adverb Etymology: probably from Dutch onderweg, from Middle Dutch onderwegen, literally, under or among the ways Date: 1720 1. in motion ; not at anchor or aground 2. into motion from a standstill 3. in progress ; afoot < preparations were under… …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • To be under way — Way Way, n. [OE. wey, way, AS. weg; akin to OS., D., OHG., & G. weg, Icel. vegr, Sw. v[ a]g, Dan. vei, Goth. wigs, L. via, and AS. wegan to move, L. vehere to carry, Skr. vah. [root]136. Cf. {Convex}, {Inveigh}, {Vehicle}, {Vex}, {Via}, {Voyage} …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Way — Way, n. [OE. wey, way, AS. weg; akin to OS., D., OHG., & G. weg, Icel. vegr, Sw. v[ a]g, Dan. vei, Goth. wigs, L. via, and AS. wegan to move, L. vehere to carry, Skr. vah. [root]136. Cf. {Convex}, {Inveigh}, {Vehicle}, {Vex}, {Via}, {Voyage},… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Way leave — Way Way, n. [OE. wey, way, AS. weg; akin to OS., D., OHG., & G. weg, Icel. vegr, Sw. v[ a]g, Dan. vei, Goth. wigs, L. via, and AS. wegan to move, L. vehere to carry, Skr. vah. [root]136. Cf. {Convex}, {Inveigh}, {Vehicle}, {Vex}, {Via}, {Voyage} …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Way of the cross — Way Way, n. [OE. wey, way, AS. weg; akin to OS., D., OHG., & G. weg, Icel. vegr, Sw. v[ a]g, Dan. vei, Goth. wigs, L. via, and AS. wegan to move, L. vehere to carry, Skr. vah. [root]136. Cf. {Convex}, {Inveigh}, {Vehicle}, {Vex}, {Via}, {Voyage} …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Way of the rounds — Way Way, n. [OE. wey, way, AS. weg; akin to OS., D., OHG., & G. weg, Icel. vegr, Sw. v[ a]g, Dan. vei, Goth. wigs, L. via, and AS. wegan to move, L. vehere to carry, Skr. vah. [root]136. Cf. {Convex}, {Inveigh}, {Vehicle}, {Vex}, {Via}, {Voyage} …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Way pane — Way Way, n. [OE. wey, way, AS. weg; akin to OS., D., OHG., & G. weg, Icel. vegr, Sw. v[ a]g, Dan. vei, Goth. wigs, L. via, and AS. wegan to move, L. vehere to carry, Skr. vah. [root]136. Cf. {Convex}, {Inveigh}, {Vehicle}, {Vex}, {Via}, {Voyage} …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Way passenger — Way Way, n. [OE. wey, way, AS. weg; akin to OS., D., OHG., & G. weg, Icel. vegr, Sw. v[ a]g, Dan. vei, Goth. wigs, L. via, and AS. wegan to move, L. vehere to carry, Skr. vah. [root]136. Cf. {Convex}, {Inveigh}, {Vehicle}, {Vex}, {Via}, {Voyage} …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Way station — Way Way, n. [OE. wey, way, AS. weg; akin to OS., D., OHG., & G. weg, Icel. vegr, Sw. v[ a]g, Dan. vei, Goth. wigs, L. via, and AS. wegan to move, L. vehere to carry, Skr. vah. [root]136. Cf. {Convex}, {Inveigh}, {Vehicle}, {Vex}, {Via}, {Voyage} …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Way train — Way Way, n. [OE. wey, way, AS. weg; akin to OS., D., OHG., & G. weg, Icel. vegr, Sw. v[ a]g, Dan. vei, Goth. wigs, L. via, and AS. wegan to move, L. vehere to carry, Skr. vah. [root]136. Cf. {Convex}, {Inveigh}, {Vehicle}, {Vex}, {Via}, {Voyage} …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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