Headway
/ˈhɛd.weɪ/noun
Forward movement or progress, especially in making progress against difficulty.
Did you know?In early maritime English, headway was the forward motion of a ship, and the word preserves the idea of the vessel’s “head” pointing into the way ahead.
Etymological Timeline
Old English
OE
hēafod
“head, top, chief part”
Old English
OE
weg
“way, path, road”
Middle English
ME
hede wey
“the direction or course a ship makes while moving forward”
17th Century
English
headway
“forward motion, especially of a ship”
Modern English
English
headway
“progress or advancement, especially gradual progress”