Obs. Forms: 4–5 wayfe, weyve, wave, (4 weive), 4–6 wayve, 4 north., 5–6 Sc. waif, 5 waive, (wafe); pa. t. 4–5 wayved, weyved, (4 Sc. wavit), 4 wafte, 5 waivet. [a. ON. veifa (Norw. veiva) to wave, swing (trans. with obj. in dat.; also rarely refl.), corresponding to MDu. weiven to wave, swing, also (= mod.Du. wuiven) to beckon, signal (? whence WEAVE v.2 Naut.), and OHG. -weiben (in ziweiben to destroy, disperse, ungeweibet unbroken):—OTeut. *waiðjan. A parallel formation, OTeut. *waiðōjan, is represented by OHG. weibôn, MHG. weiben, to move hither and thither, wander, waver; these senses (cf. branch II below) may, though not recorded, have belonged to the ON. word. The root, OTeut. *wĭð- :—Indo-Eur. *weip-, is a variant of OTeut. *wĭp- :—Indo-Eur. *weib- as in L. vibrāre (see VIBRATE v.). Both these roots are represented, with the general sense to wave or swing, to shake, both in Teut. and other langs., and each of them has a variant with prefixed s: see SWEEP v., SWIFT a. (The Indo-Eur. *weiþ-, *weib-, to wind, represented, e.g., by OE. wǽfan, Goth. biwaibjan to wrap, clothe, are probably unconnected.)
Cf. ME. wēve-n, WEVE v., which is of cognate if not identical origin, and has most of the senses below. In some contexts it is difficult to distinguish between waive v.1 and v.2, and probably some shades of meaning may have originated from confusion between the two. See also WAVE v., the relations of which to this verb are to some extent uncertain.]
I. trans. 1. To move to and fro or from side to side (the beard, hand or something held in the hand); to wave, wag.
1338. R. Brunne, Chron. (1725), 242. Þer pencels þei weyued.
13[?]. Gaw. & Gr. Knt., 306. [He] Wayued his berde for to wayte quo-so wolde ryse.
c. 1450. St. Cuthbert (Surtees), 2367. Cuthbert wayued his hand on þaim.
1570. Levins, Manip., 204/15. To Wayue, wag, agitare.
2. To waive up: to throw open (a window, a wicket, etc.). Cf. to weve up, WEVE v.
13[?]. E. E. Allit. P., B. 453. Þenne wafte he [Noah] vpon [? read vp] his wyndowe, & wysed þer-oute.
c. 1375. Sc. Leg. Saints, xxv. (Julian), 315. With þat þe curtyng vpe he wauit.
1377. Langl., P. Pl., B. V. 611. Biddeth amende-ȝow meke him til his maistre ones, To wayne [? read wayue] vp þe wiket þat þe womman shette.
a. 1400–50. Wars Alex., 945 (Dubl. MS.). Than passyd forth þe prouude whene into a prevay chamer, Wayfez vp a wyndow & waytes þar-owt.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 676. Medea … Waynet [? read wayuet] up a window, the welkyn beheld.
c. 1420. Anturs of Arth., 408 (Douce MS.). He wayned [? read wayued] vp his viser fro his ventalle.
3. To remove, put away, banish. (Cf. WAIVE v.1 1 a, of which some of the quots. here may be fig. examples.)
1377. Langl., P. Pl., B. XX. 167. And elde hent good hope and hastilich he shifte hym, And wayued awey wanhope and with lyf he fyȝteth.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Man of Law’s T., 210. Thou knyttest thee, ther thou art nat receyued; Ther thou were weel, fro thennes artow weyued.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 9783. Hit is wit soche wildnes wayne [? read wayue] out of mynd.
14[?]. Hoccleve, Minor Poems, i. 192. [The Virgin says] O Iohn,… an heuy sone Haue I of thee; deeth hath myn othir weyued! Ibid., vii. 79. Thy might, I woot wel, is my gilt to weyue.
1426. Lydg., De Guil. Pilgr., 5321. Thy .iiij. wyttys thow hast lost. Ther myght, ther force, ar fro the weyved.
c. 1440. Towneley Myst., xvi. 247. A-way let ye wafe all sich langage.
a. 1500[?]. Chester Pl., Christ’s Entry Jerus., 52. Though I be wretched and vnworthy, wayve me not from thy wonne! Ibid., Magi’s Obl., 111. By Myrre, that waues Corruption.
4. a. To cast off (a garment: cf. WEVE v.). b. To cast away (money).
c. 1400. Laud Troy Bk., 15388. Fro his necke his mantel he wayued.
c. 1440. York Myst., xxxii. 318. Þis money … Þat Judas in a wreth has wauyd away.
5. To send or dispatch.
a. 1400–50. Wars Alex., 1175. Him moneste as a maister him … all þe trouage þare to him tittly to wayne [read wayue; MS. Dubl. wayfe]. Ibid., 1716 (Dubl MS.). Suche presandez owt of perse he to þe prince wayfez. Ibid., 1728. For it is wayved to vs to wete þat wickidly þou haues,… Puruayd þe pletours oure partis to ride. Ibid., 2316. And slike a word he þaim wayues be writ fra him-self. Ibid., 2695. Sire, we haue wayued to ȝow writtis.
6. To cause to pass; to divert. To waive (one’s) wit: to change one’s mind.
1390. Gower, Conf., I. 225. Be whom he was deceived Of love, and from his pourpos weyved.
a. 1400–50. Bk. Curtasye, 322, in Babees Bk. Be stabulle of chere and sumwhat lyȝt, Ne ouer alle wayue þou not thy syȝt.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 9950. Oft ho waivet hir wit & hir wille chaunget. And meuyt hir mynd, as maydons done yet.
1419. in 26 Pol. Poems, xvi. 100. Þat freek may wel be holden a fool, Þat wayueþ wit, and worcheþ by wille.
II. intr.
7. To wave, move to and fro in the wind; to be tossed about; to totter.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 13121. Wend yee þar þe rede to find þat heildes waifand wit þe wind?
1338. R. Brunne, Chron. (1725), 159. R. was perceyued, þei were renged redie, & how þer pencels weyued.
13[?]. E. E. Allit. P., B. 422. Wheder-warde so þe water wafte, hit [the ark] rebounde.
c. 1400. Gamelyn, 880. The Iustice and the scherreve bothe honged hye, To weyven with the ropes and with the winde drye.
c. 1400. Laud Troy Bk., 14682. Til thei se Gregeis oute comande With brode baneres a-boute wayvande.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 9513. For the smorther, & the smoke of þe smert loghys, Þat waivet in the welkyn … All the Citie might se the sercle aboute.
c. 1430. Syr Tryam., 246. And the knyght be there assente Schulde wayue wyth the wynde.
c. 1440. Capgrave, Life St. Kath., IV. 1377. Looke on your goddis how þei toumble and waue Right whan men swepe hem—so litil is her myght!
c. 1450. St. Cuthbert (Surtees), 4702. Þe schip weyued hidir and þidir.
c. 1450. Gol. & Gaw., 440. Wourthy to be Hingit heigh on ane tre,… To waif with the wynd.
1513. Douglas, Æneis, VI. v. 124. The south wind Nothus thre dayis me draif Throwout the see, with violent wallis waif. Ibid., X. ii. 102. Lyke as first, or wyndis blast be persave, The swouch is hard wythin the woddis waif. Ibid., XI. xv. 66. Bot for the tother part, suyth to say, He leit do waif with the swift wynd away.
1535. Lyndesay, Sat., 3973. To hunt cattell ȝe war ay speidie, Thairfoir ye sall weaue [Bann. MS. waif] in a widdy.
8. To wander, stray.
c. 1350. Will. Palerne, 2386. Many a bold burn after þat best prike,… þat noiþer burde ne barn bi-laft at þe quarrer, but went alter þe werwolf & wayned [? read wayued] from þe beres.
1390. Gower, Conf., I. 338. Here lieges wolde hem noght receive, So that thei mote algates weyve To seche lond in other place.
a. 1400[?]. Morte Arth., 960. Weryd worthe the wyghte ay, that the thy wytt refede, That mase the to wayfe here in thise wylde lakes!
c. 1440. Capgrave, St. Kath., III. 593. Ye wolde be with hym euere and neuere fro hym waue.
c. 1460. Towneley Myst., ii. 430. The kyng will that thay be safe…. At thare awne will let tham wafe. Ibid., xxi. 103. If he abowte waue Any langere, his warkys may we ban.
b. fig. To stray, wander in purpose.
c. 1425. Cast. Persev., 380, in Macro Plays, 88. Whom to folwe, wetyn I ne may:… as wynde in watyr I wave.
c. 1440. Capgrave, St. Kath., III. 199. I wyl the telle pleynly, I wil not waue, I wil not varye. Ibid., V. 390. Fro this decree shal I neuere-more waue.
9. To go by, pass.
1390. Gower, Conf., III. 318. And whan the presse of poeple is weived, He takth his hoste unto him tho, And seith, [etc.].
c. 1400. Rule St. Benet, 444. And sone when þat scho mai persaiue Þair syn, lat noght þe tym ouer wayue, Bot chaistese þam & tery noght.
