what does the word way mean here?

[bartholomew]

His only daughter in the family way by some...

A father talking about his daughter that got pregnant at the age of 14. What is this way in this sentence?

[woofgang]

way here is linked to the way (sorry) it is sometimes used to describe a journey or pathway as in "the way of the cross" which is the route that Jesus took carrying his cross and the incidents that happened on it. This young lady has started on her journey of being a mother and having a family

[Quizmonster]

'In the family way' is just one of a multitude of euphemisms for 'pregnant'. To have a bun in the oven...to be in the club...to be up the spout...are just a further three of them. As Woofgang suggests above, it means she is "on the road" towards becoming a mother.

[woofgang]

on the road THAT was the phrase I couldn't remember, thanks Quizzy!