What is the meaning of the word weigh in the phrase "get under way".though dictionary suggest that it is way, but i failed to understand how "weigh" became "way".
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I'd say it's an "eggcorn / mishmash" conflation of get under way (start moving, many contexts) and weigh anchor (nautical, raise the anchor so a ship can move). Which only really applies to the written form anyway, since in speech they're indistinguishable.– FumbleFingersCommented Apr 11, 2022 at 13:24
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1 Answer
It is way - if you have seen it written as weigh, that is an error. A ship is said to be under way when it is moving through the water. According to Oxford Languages, this expression goes back to the 18th century and comes from the Dutch word onderweg, meaning on the way!
answered Apr 11, 2022 at 8:06
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The Oxford English Dictionary labels “under weigh” a common variant of “under way” that arose “from erroneous association with the phr. ‘to weigh anchor.’ ”. In most dictionaries, the “variant” label means the spelling is acceptable in standard English, unless a more restrictive label, like “dialect” or “slang” or “offensive,” is also appended. The earliest example given of 'under way' is 1743, and of 'under weigh' is 1777. The Pequod, the ship that appears in the 1851 novel Moby-Dick by American author Herman Melville got 'under weigh'. However, I agree that it is best avoided. Commented Apr 11, 2022 at 10:15
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@MichaelHarvey can I say "I am on my weigh to the supermarket"? Commented Apr 11, 2022 at 15:35
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@WeatherVane - no, 'under weigh', the entire phrase, seems to be considered an erroneous or acceptable (OED) variant of 'under way' in connection with boats, ships, etc. Commented Apr 11, 2022 at 16:49