'A word in edgeways', or as it is sometimes written 'a word in edgewise', is a 19th century expression that was coined in the UK. 'Edgeways/edgewise' just means 'proceeding edge first'. The allusion in the phrase is to edging sideways through a crowd, seeking small gaps in which to proceed through the throng.

Is the saying edgewise or edgeways?

A: That's right. Our Macquarie Dictionary confirms this by giving the entry to “edgeways” but acknowledging the “edgewise” variant exists. Conversely, America's Merriam-Webster lists “edgeways” as a “chiefly British” meaning for “sideways” – only crediting “edgewise” with the idiom.

What does the saying edgewise mean?

1 : sideways. 2 : as if by an edge : barely —usually used in the phrase get a word in edgewise.