bywayof
- By theroute of.
- Synonyms:through,via
From Shakespeare to Miltonby way of the English Bible, our language has been shaped by humanist ideas.
1878,Thomas Hardy, chapter1, inThe Return of the Native:Intensity was more usually reachedby way of the solemn thanby way of the brilliant.
1950 April, R. A. H. Weight, “They Passed by My Window”, inRailway Magazine, pages258-259:In 1919, demobilisation specials from Purfleet, Essex, to the North, usually made up of nondescript, almost paintless or grey stock which had seen long wartime service, chalked with slogans, were worked throughby way of Bromley and the North London line[…].
2003, Kate Kondell (screenplay),Legally Blonde 2 (motion picture), spoken by Elle Woods (Reese Witherspoon):My name is Elle Woods, Bostonby way of Bel Air.
- For thepurpose of; as ameans of; as aninstance of; as a type or form of.
By way of apology, he tried to be gallant.
By way of qualification, I should point out that…
1949 November and December, “Notes and News: Festiniog and Welsh Highland Railways”, inRailway Magazine, page409:By way of contrast there is an air of finality about the closure of the Welsh Highland Railway.
2023 December 13, Robin Leleux, “Restored... and a richly deserved award: Cullybackey”, inRAIL, number998, page39:Considerable work had to be doneby way of repairs and replacement of bricks and woodwork (doors, floors, skirtings and panelling) where these were too far gone to be salvageable, including reprofiling to match originals.
- (UK, often followed bybeing) Possessing thecharacteristics,nature, orstanding of; in the state or condition of.
1898,H. G. Wells, “The Trouble of Life”, inCertain Personal Matters,pages16–17:Thoreau, too, come to think of it, was,by way of being a prophet, a pioneer in this Emancipation of Man from Bothery.
by the route of, through, via
for the purpose of, as a means or instance of
possessing the characteristics, nature, or standing of
