under weigh

See also: underweigh

English

Etymology

Variant form of underway, by association with weigh anchor.

Adverb

under weigh (not comparable)

1. Underway.
   • 1838, [Letitia Elizabeth] Landon (indicated as editor), chapter XXI, in Duty and Inclination: […], volume III, London: Henry Colburn, […], →OCLC, page 273:

     The last affecting adieu having been given, the General prolonged his stay to see the vessel under weigh: as it spread its sails, he viewed it glide down the Thames with feelings such as those alone experience who part from a much-loved relative, about to be divided by interminable waters.

   • 1851 November 14, Herman Melville, Moby-Dick; or, The Whale, 1st American edition, New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers; London: Richard Bentley, →OCLC:

     But then, the idea was, that his presence was by no means necessary in getting the ship under weigh, and steering her well out to sea.

   • 1859, W. M Thackeray, The Virginians: a Tale of the Last Century‎^[1], B. Tauchnitz:

     After one of those delays which always were happening to retard our plans and weaken the blows which our chiefs intended to deliver, an expedition was got under weigh from New York at the close of the month of September...

   • 1876, Earl of Dunraven, The Great Divide: Travels in the Upper Yellowstone in the Summer of 1874‎^[2], London: Chatto and Windus, page 265:

     Scarcely had we got things fixed and supper under weigh, when a yell from Boteler, 'He's going to spout!' caused us to drop teapot and pannikin, and tumble out of the tent in half no time.

   • 1883, Benjamin Jowett, Thucydides‎^[3], Boston, D. Lothrop:

     Suddenly the Syracusans manned their ships and again bore down upon them; the Athenians, in great disorder and most of them fasting, hurried on board, and with considerable difficulty got under weigh.

   • 1883, James Nasmyth, James Nasmyth, Engineer: An Autobiography‎^[4], Harper & Brothers:

     I was reluctant to tear myself away from Pisa; but the Ercolano could not wait, and I was back in good time, and soon under weigh...
     ...His duty was to carry me to the next post-house, and there leave me to be carried forward by another similar conveyance. But the pony No.2 was about a mile off, occupied in drawing a plough, so that I had to wait until the job was over. In about an hour or so I was again under weigh.