two-wayadj.n.
Hexham (1648) renders Dutch twee-wegh by ‘a Two-way, or a double way’.
A. adj.
1.
a. Having, or connected with, two ways, roads, or channels; situated where two ways meet. two-way cock, one with two outlets, which may act together or alternatively.
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society > travel > means of travel > route or way > way, path, or track > junction of roads, paths, or tracks > [adjective]
three-wayeda1382
quadrivial1480
forked1525
two-way1571
three-way1587
two-hand1607
trivial1614
biviousa1644
bisected1794
1571 A. Golding tr. J. Calvin Psalmes of Dauid with Comm. (xxv. 12) We stand as it were in a twowayleete, in every of our dooings, we hang in doubt, and are at our wittes end.
1619 E. M. Bolton tr. Florus Rom. Hist. i. ix. 36 Being situated in the midst, betweene Latium, and Tuscanie, as it were in a two-way-leet.
1844 H. Stephens Bk. of Farm II. 209 The gauge-cock, of which there are usually two, but sometimes one, a two-way cock.
b. Of a plug or adaptor: able to accommodate two plugs at the same time.
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the world > matter > physics > electromagnetic radiation > electricity > electrical appliances or devices > [adjective] > accommodating two plugs
two-way1923
1923 T. Eaton & Co. Catal. Spring–Summer 357 Two-way socket plug.
1977 Times 24 Sept. 22/2 You can use two or three-way adaptors..but do be careful not to overload your current supply.
c. Of a loudspeaker: having two separate drive units for different frequency ranges.
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the world > physical sensation > hearing and noise > audibility > sound magnification or reproduction > [adjective] > loudspeaker
loud-speaking1855
two-way1950
three-way1960
1950 Audio Engin. Aug. 15/2 Many loudspeakers are two-way: that is, the frequency range is divided and each portion is handled by separate radiating systems.
1960 C. Brown Introd. Hi-Fi iv. 91 Small horn~loaded diaphragm loudspeakers are used in some two- and three-way systems of the direct radiator type (i.e. all units facing the listener).
1978 Detroit Free Press 16 Apr. 18 a/1 (advt.) Two-way bass reflex speaker system. 8-in. woofer, 3-in. tweeter.
2. Extending in two directions or dimensions, or having two modes of variation. (In quot. 1894 coinciding with sense A. 1) two-way stretch attributive phrase, designed to stretch in both length and width; also elliptical such an elastic corset.
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the world > relative properties > number > specific numbers > two > duality > [adjective] > capable of existing in two states, etc.
two-way1891
biphasic1909
two-state1959
the world > matter > constitution of matter > softness > pliableness > [adjective] > elastic > stretchable
stretchable1398
extensible1611
extensive1612
tensible1626
tensile1626
reaching1651
distendible1673
extendible1693
distractile1709
distensile1739
extensile1744
elastic1781
distensible1828
distensive1836
stretchy1854
stretching1897
two-way stretch1932
the world > textiles and clothing > clothing > types or styles of clothing > underwear > [noun] > corset > types of
cosins1727
tabbies1752
jupe1810
tournure1831
crinoline1870
roll-on1933
Merry Widow1952
bralette1953
waspie1957
two-way stretch1959
shapewear1977
1891 Cent. Dict. (at cited word) A surface is a two-way spread.
1894 A. Cayley Coll. Math. Papers XIII. 507 The link may rotate in either direction..that is, B may move from B1 along b in either of the two opposite senses, say B1 is a ‘two-way point’.
1932 Daily Mail 3 Oct. 10/1 A two-way stretch elastic girdle.
1959 News Chron. 19 Aug. 3/8 A girdle of Ellen Terry's—‘I mean a sash, not a two-way stretch.’
1964 Observer 22 Mar. 3/1 Mr Clutson invented the two-way stretch elastic.
1977 Summit (Austin Reed, Ltd.) Autumn 44 Men's two-way stretch riding breeches from £18.
3. Of a switch, wiring, etc.: that enables a light or other device to be switched on or off at either of two points.
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the world > matter > physics > electromagnetic radiation > electricity > transmission of electricity, conduction > wire as conductor > [adjective] > operated at two points
two-way1893
the world > matter > physics > electromagnetic radiation > electricity > circuit > device to open or close circuit > [adjective] > providing two routes
two-way1893
1893 W. P. Maycock Electr. Lighting III. xv. 382 Fig. 240 shows a double-pole, 2-way switch, which would be connected in a parallel circuit in the manner illustrated.
1903 Daily Record (Glasgow) 15 Dec. 4 As a burglar may be driven out of the house by judicious handling of a two-way switch.
1933 D. L. Sayers Murder must Advertise vii. 113 The hall-light..was fitted with two-way wiring.
1960 Pract. Wireless 36 395/1 A two-way switch is provided so that C9 may be connected to either.
4.
a. Involving or permitting movement or communication in each of two opposite directions; (of a radio) capable of both transmitting and receiving.
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society > communication > telecommunication > [adjective] > types of link or network
ship-to-ship1904
two-way1922
ship-to-shore1923
multichannel1930
multipath1936
multi-channelled1950
store-and-forward1963
terrestrial1968
ISDN1974
society > communication > telecommunication > radio communications > radio equipment > [adjective] > two-way
two-way1922
1922 Encycl. Brit. XXXII. 1027/2 A problem of practical importance is that of two-way radiotelephony enabling two communications to speak and hear simultaneously.
1927 Glasgow Herald 16 Apr. 7 The purpose..is to strengthen the direct connection between Great Britain and the Middle Western group of American States by increasing the two-way tonnage exchange clearing through the Virginian ports.
1938 Radio Times 1 July 6/3 A two-way broadcast arranged by the BBC and the Columbia Broadcasting System of America.
1957 L. F. R. Williams State of Israel viii. 144 There is a growing two-way traffic in literature between Israel and other countries.
1967 ‘R. Stark’ Damsel (1968) ii. 47 Eight lanes of two-way traffic were flanked by broad swaths of green grass.
1971 A. Price Alamut Ambush x. 127 He was fixing up the two-way speaker in the porch..so that I could answer the door from here.
1976 L. Deighton Twinkle, twinkle, Little Spy xxi. 207 Has he got a two-way radio in the car?
1981 R. Hayman K xii. 156 A solitude which was unbroken by the two-way traffic in fantasies that went on in his correspondence.
b. Occurring or existing in two directions; reciprocal; two-way street (figurative), a situation of mutual action; something that works both ways.
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the world > relative properties > relationship > correlation > [adjective] > mutual or reciprocal
evena1425
interchangeablec1450
relativea1500
reciprocativea1504
mutual1513
reciproque?1533
reciprocous1567
requiteda1586
intermutual1595
alternate1600
commutual1604
vicissitudinary1629
reciprocal1632
reflexivea1635
reciprocated1663
related1671
mutuous1683
turn about1802
interdependent1817
interrelated1827
reciprocating1827
reciprocate1833
transmutuala1834
reflective1839
interpendent1855
interradiating1858
two-way1950
the world > relative properties > relationship > correlation > [noun] > interaction > situation involving
two-way street1950
1950 J. Jenks From Ground Up ii. 17 The agri-cultural relationship is, like all vital relationships, two-way.
1951 Sun (Baltimore) 14 Dec. 5/6 ‘An amendment..provided that if any company..gave so much as a cigar to a Government employé, the contract should be cancelled... Do you think that should be made stronger?’.. ‘Yes, it is a two-way street.’
1959 Times 19 Sept. 6/3 In sharp contrast with other days this week the market was more ‘two-way’—that is, there was more buying to offset the selling.
1968 H. Waugh Con Game xi. 101 ‘Our aim in this racket is to use you.’ ‘I prefer to think of it as a two-way street.’
1969 T. F. Torrance Theol. Sci. ii. 67 The relation between God and the creature is a two-way relation.
1975 Lang. for Life (Dept. Educ. & Sci.) xiv. 214 Some will have had very little sustained two-way conversation in the home.
1975 Times Lit. Suppl. 21 Nov. 1392/5 Tolerance..was a two-way street: if the Germans were to learn to live with the Jews, so too must the Jews learn to live with the Germans.
1982 Times 12 Jan. 12/3 The jobbers..encountered a fair amount of two-way business.
c. two-way mirror, a mirror which lets through enough light for an observer at the back to see through it, without being seen from the front.
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the world > physical sensation > sight and vision > optical instruments > mirror > [noun] > other mirrors
perspective glass1570
side mirror1769
index-glass1773
Claude Lorraine glass1792
anamorphoscopea1884
magnetic mirror1884
ox-eye1890
busybody1892
rear mirror1896
triple mirror1907
three-way mirror1964
two-way mirror1967
1967 J. Gardner Madrigal i. 3 They directed total concentration through the sighting side of a two-way mirror.
1974 Times 23 Jan. 2/5 Everyone laughed at a show business party when looking through a two-way mirror at couples having sexual intercourse.
1982 R. Hill Who guards a Prince i. viii. 57 Locking doors was an empty gesture in these days of two-way mirrors.
B. n.
A two-way radio.
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society > communication > telecommunication > radio communications > radio equipment > [noun] > radio set > two-way
mobile radio1915
transceiver1934
voice radio1940
transreceiver1942
transmitter-receiver1950
two-way1963
1963 ‘W. Haggard’ High Wire v. 54 There's an operator with a two-way somewhere near the junction. I'm picking up his message.
1974 V. Brome Day of Destr. v. 51 We've just received a message over the two-way to say he's stuck..in the middle of a swamp.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1916; most recently modified version published online December 2019).
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adj.n.1571