English

Alternative forms

• in the family way

Adjective

in a family way ‎(not comparable)

1. (euphemistic) Pregnant.
   • 1855 Aug. 25, "Law Intelligence: Supreme Court—Special Term," New York Times, p. 8:

     She mentioned that she was in a family way and . . . stated that she needed all her money to pay the doctor's bills at the approaching deliverance.

   • 1947 Nov. 10, "Dear TIME-Reader," Time (retrieved 11 Aug. 2008):

     Her way of paying for these gift subscriptions was to choose one of her sows which was in a family way and, when the sow littered, to sell its offspring.

   • 2005 April 15, Carolyn See, "Squab and Squabbles" (book review of Mothers and Sons by Paul Hond), Washington Post, p. C03 (retrieved 11 Aug. 2008):

     Three pregnancies occur in this novel: Nina, Fran and Danielle all find themselves in a family way.

Synonyms

• See also Wikisaurus:pregnant

Adverb

in a family way ‎(not comparable)

1. In the manner of members of a family.
   • 1859, William Makepeace Thackeray, The Virginians, ch. 58:

     Why don't we ask him and his ladies to come over in a family way and dine with some other plain country gentlefolks?

   • 2002 Aug. 9, John Rivera, "Religious orders set to adopt milder stance on sex abusers," Baltimore Sun (retrieved 11 Aug. 2008):

     The congregation agrees in a family way to take care of them for life.

References

• in a family way at OneLook Dictionary Search