anyway

views updated May 23 2018

an·y·way / ˈenēˌwā/ • adv. 1. used to confirm or support a point just mentioned: it's all right, and anyway, it was my fault. ∎  used in questions to emphasize the speaker's wish to obtain the truth: “What are you doing here, anyway?”2. used in conversations: ∎  to change the subject or to resume a subject: How she lives with him is beyond me. Anyway, I really like her. ∎  to indicate that the speaker wants to end the conversation: “Anyway, I must go.” ∎  to indicate that the speaker is passing over less significant aspects in order to focus on important points: “John always enjoyed a drink. Anyway, he died last year.”3. used to indicate that something happened or will happen in spite of something else: nobody invited Miss Honey to sit down so she sat down anyway.

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