Headway

wiktionary

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Partly from Middle English hauedwei, from Old English hēafodweġ(“head-road, main-road”), equivalent to head +‎ way; partly as a shortening of ahead-way, the source of the nautical sense.

etymonline

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headway (n.)

c. 1300, "main road, highway," from Old English heafodweg; see head (adj.) + way (n.). Sense of "motion forward" first attested 1748, short for ahead-way; ultimately nautical (compare leeway).