under way
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
Said of a ship in motion; it is a mistake to take thjs as "under weigh" and connect it with weighing the anchor.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “under way” mean?
Said of a ship in motion; it is a mistake to take thjs as "under weigh" and connect it with weighing the anchor.
Is “under way” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.