(rarely) -way.
1. Of position: With the edge (instead of the broad surface) uppermost, foremost, or turned towards the spectator.
1566. in Peacock, Eng. Ch. Furniture (1866), 73. Alter stones ij—one is broke … thother … yet standeth edgewaie in the grownd.
1641. Best, Farm. Bks. (Surtees), 126. They layd them [fir deals] edg-wayes.
1715. Desaguliers, Fires Impr., 160. The Partition Plates must be fix’d edgewise to the great Plate.
1723. Lond. Gaz., No. 6156/4. One of his fore Teeth … standing edgeway.
1775. Sheridan, Rivals, V. iii. I’ll stand edgeways.
1857. Birch, Anc. Pottery (1858), II. 303. Curved bricks set edgeways in a thick slip of the same material.
1879. Newcomb & Holden, Astron., 358. At certain times the rings of Saturn are seen edgeways.
1885. H. J. Stonor, in Law Times, LXXX. 119/1. The ladder … standing edgeways.
fig. 1664. H. More, Myst. Iniq., Apol. 538. This Objection is set edge-wise, and seems to stand, I confess, in a very dangerous posture.
1677. Gilpin, Dæmonol. (1867), 409. Sometime a scripture will be set so cross or edgeway to their good and comfort.
b. Edge to edge.
c. 1850. Rudim. Navig. (Weale), 121. Each is composed of … deals … bolted together edgewise.
2. Of motion: With the edge foremost.
1794. Vince, in Phil. Trans., LXXXV. 44. When they [the planes] move edge-ways.
1828. Scott, F. M. Perth, II. 156. The savage raised the axe … and brought it down again edgeways.
b. fig. in To get a word, etc., in edgeways, etc.
1777. Sheridan, Sch. Scand., II. ii. All her words appear to slide out edgewise.
1824. Miss Mitford, Village, Ser. I. (1858), 156. As if it were possible for any of us to slide in a word edgewise!
1870. Morris, Earthly Par., III. IV. 206. At the last [he] pushed in his word Edgewise, as ’twere.
3. On the edge (instead of the broad side).
1791. Smeaton, Edystone L., § 239. The sea acting edgewise upon the joint would exert the same power to lift it up.
