in a family way

in a family way

1. (euphemistic) Alternative form of in the family way.
   • 1855 August 25, “Law Intelligence: Supreme Court—Special Term”, in New York Times, page 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 November 10, “Dear TIME-Reader”, in 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.

2. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see family,‎ way.
   • 1859, William Makepeace Thackeray, chapter 58, in The Virginians:

     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 August 9, John Rivera, “Religious orders set to adopt milder stance on sex abusers”, in Baltimore Sun, retrieved 11 Aug. 2008:

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

• See also Thesaurus:pregnant

• “in a family way”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.