ways

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ways there are more ways of killing a cat than choking it with cream proverbial saying, mid 19th century; meaning that there are more ways of achieving an end that giving an opponent a glut of what they most want. (Compare the next two entries.)
there are more ways of killing a dog than choking it with butter proverbial saying, mid 19th century; meaning that there are more ways of achieving an end than giving an opponent a glut of what they most want. (Compare the adjacent entries.)
there are more ways of killing a dog than hanging it proverbial saying, late 17th century; meaning that there are more ways than one of achieving an end. (Compare the preceding two entries.)
ways and means the methods and resources that are at a person's disposal for achieving some aim; recorded from Middle English.

See also the parting of the ways, way.