A dictionary of Confusable Phrases: More Than 10,000 Idioms and Collocations

in the trade • in trade
in the trade —engaged in the particular business or industry:
Of this number of whales, about half have been taken by five
ships now in the trade.
in trade —engaged in commercial occupation (as a shop-
keeper, etc.): Duncan Gregg had gone up the ladder a little.
But not very much, he was still in trade.
in the way • on the way
in the way —
1
. placed so as to be an obstruction or cause
inconvenience: I can’t empty the bottle — there’s a piece of
cork in the way. 2. (coll.) said of smb. being around: I’m glad,
too, to see you here. One feels safer when you’re in the way.
3. in the manner: Broadband Internet brought about a shift
in the way that people used their computers.
Note: 
The expression does not fully correlate in meaning with
the phrase in a way—
1
. to a certain extent; in certain respects:
He considers himself clever, and in a way he is justified. 2. =
in the way 3: America’s government is designed in a way that
attempts to ensure that all political groups have proportional
representation.
on the way —
1
. moving towards a place; approaching: My
friends have not arrived yet, but they are on the way. 2. (of
time) drawing near: Christmas is on the way; we are in
in the picture
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November already. 3. (also: on the road) in good prospect of
smth.: Once only a dream, artificial blood vessels are on the
way to becoming reality. 4. (of a child) about to be born: We
have four simply adorable grandchildren with another on the
way. 5. (of a woman) pregnant: Elizabeth has become pregnant
in her old age, and will have a son. She is already six months
on the way.
See also: in the road / on the road.