Voyage (; 48), n.
Etymology: [OE. veage, viage, OF. veage, viage, veiage, voiage, F. voyage, LL. viaticum, fr. L. viaticum traveling money, provision for a journey, from viaticus belonging to a road or journey, fr. via way, akin to E. way. See Way, n., and cf. Convey, Deviate, Devious, Envoy, Trivial, Viaduct, Viaticum.]
1. Formerly, a passage either by sea or land; a journey, in general; but not chiefly limited to a passing by sea or water from one place, port, or country, to another; especially, a passing or journey by water to a distant place or country. I love a sea voyage and a blustering tempest. J. Fletcher. So steers the prudent crane Her annual voyage, borne on winds. Milton. All the voyage of their life Is bound in shallows and in miseries. Shak.
2. The act or practice of traveling. [Obs.] Nations have interknowledge of one another by voyage into foreign parts, or strangers that come to them. Bacon.
3. Course; way. [Obs.] Shak.
2 other Webster entries under this spelling
Voyage, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Voyaged; p. pr. & vb. n. Voyaging.]
To take a voyage; especially, to sail or pass by water. A mind forever Voyaging through strange seas of thought alone. Wordsworth.
Voyage, v. t.
To travel; to pass over; to traverse. With what pain [I] voyaged the unreal, vast, unbounded deep. Milton.
Shades of meaning
Fernald has no entry of its own for voyage; he lists it under journey.
Where he writes about it:
A voyage, which was formerly a journey of any kind, is now a going to a considerable distance by water, especially by sea; as, a voyage to India. — from journey