by the way
Irrelevantly, off-topic.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“By the way, do you have the time?”
“We finished discussing the project, and by the way, did you remember to email the client?”
“She finished her presentation with great confidence, and by the way, she mentioned that the team had already secured the necessary funding for the next phase.”
first recorded 10th c.
The expression first appeared in the 10th century, derived from the Old English *weġ*, denoting a road. In this earliest form, the phrase functioned as a literal description for an object or person situated by the side of the path. By circa 1000, the usage shifted slightly to describe events occurring during the course of one's journey, suggesting a brief pause in travel rather than a permanent roadside fixture.
The figurative transition toward a conversational interruption began in the mid-16th century. The modern sense, functioning as a polite method for introducing a tangent or an incidental remark, was first recorded in 1614. It retains the ghost of its original travel metaphor, treating a new topic as a minor curiosity encountered while moving toward a different destination.
- 01
a little of something goes a long way
Only a small amount of something is usually required to produce a great effect.
- 02
all the way to Egery and back
The long way; a roundabout route; a long distance to travel.
- 03
come a long way
To make significant progress.
- 04
cry all the way to the bank
To be happy due to the receipt of money, but sad about the cause.
- 05
cut both ways
To have both benefits and drawbacks.
- 06
die the way one lived
To die because of or after doing something characteristic of oneself, especially something that one enjoyed doing.
- 07
don't let the door hit you on the way out
Used as a command to leave in haste, or to indicate that one is glad, or at least unmoved, to see the addressed person leaving.
- 08
feel one's way
To do by guesswork, erring on the side of caution.
Last updated August 10, 2026