Origin and history of spillway

Middle English spillen, from Old English spillan "destroy; destroy the life of, mutilate, kill," especially in a brutal way, also in late Old English "to waste;" a variant of spildan "destroy," from Proto-Germanic *spilthjan (source also of Old High German spildan "to spill," Old Saxon spildian "destroy, kill," Old Norse spilla "to destroy," Danish spilde "lose, spill, waste," Middle Dutch spillen "to waste, spend").

This is reconstructed to be from a probable PIE root *spel- (1) "to split, break off" (source also of Middle Dutch spalden, Old High German spaltan "to split;" Greek aspalon "skin, hide," spolas "flayed skin;" Latin spolium "skin, hide;" Lithuanian spaliai "shives of flax;" Old Church Slavonic rasplatiti "to cleave, split;" Middle Low German spalden, Old High German spaltan "to split;" Sanskrit sphatayati "splits").

The original sense in English faded after c. 1600. The transitive sense of "let (liquid) fall or run out" developed mid-14c.; the meaning "flow out of a container onto the ground" is from early 15c. This evolution out of the "kill" sense might be from use of the word in reference to shedding blood (attested by late 13c.).

The general intransitive sense of "run out and become wasted" is from 1650s. Also, of a river, etc., "to run or flow over the brim," 1650s. Spill the beans is recorded by 1910 in a sense of "spoil the situation;" 1919 as "reveal a secret." To cry for spilt milk (usually with negative) is attested from 1738. Related: Spilled; spilt; spilling.

Middle English wei, "established road," from Old English weg (Mercian wæg) "track or path by which some place may be reached, line or course of travel, distance to be travelled."

This is reconstructed to be from Proto-Germanic *wega- "course of travel, way" (source also of Old Saxon, Dutch weg, Old Norse vegr, Old Frisian wei, Old High German weg, German Weg, Gothic wigs "way"). According to Watkins this is from PIE root *wegh- "to go, move, transport in a vehicle," also the source of voyage and wagon.

Other senses in Old English were "room, space, freedom of movement;" also, figuratively, "course of life" especially, in plural, ways, "habits of life" as regards moral, ethical, or spiritual choices. Also "method or manner of proceeding" (right way).

It is attested from mid-13c. as "place of passage, opening in a crowd." To make way "give room for passage" is from c. 1200. In nautical use, "progress through the water," by 1660s.

It is attested by c. 1300 as "manner in which something occurs" and by mid-15c. in reference to state or condition (in a bad way, family way). Phrase in the way of "in the matter or business of" is from 1630s. By way of "for the purpose of" is from 14c.

It is attested by 1590s as "course insisted upon," in get (or have) one's way (1590s), also have it (one's) way (1709). For there to be no two ways about it is by 1818.

Adverbial constructions this way "in this direction," that way "in that direction" are from late 15c. Out of the way "remote from society, not in the usual course" is by c. 1300. In the way "so placed or of such a nature as to impede" is from c. 1500.

From the "course of life" sense comes way of life (c. 1600). From the "course of travel" sense comes the figurative go separate ways (1837); one way or (the) other (1550s); have it both ways (1847); and the figurative sense of come a long way (1922).

To be by the way "along or near the road" was in Old English; figuratively, in discourse, by 1550s; introducing a new remark by 1610s.

To go out of one's way "do more than circumstances require" is by 1748. On my way, expressing intention to hurry and arrive quickly, is attested by 1919. In Middle English, by woods and ways was an alliterative way to say "everywhere."

Encouragement phrase way to go is short for that's the way to go. Adverbial phrase all the way "completely, to conclusion" is by 1915; the sexual sense is implied by 1924.

Ways and means "resources at a person's disposal" is attested from early 15c. (with means (n.)).