The time when war is being waged.
1387. Trevisa, Higden, VIII. 283. The woodes in Wales…, þat were grete socour to men of þe contray to hyde hem self in werre tyme.
1445. trans. Claudian, in Anglia, XXVIII. 271. Whom than thou makist not riche Whan werre tyme is and whan pees is, þou list not hem to knowe.
1545. Ascham, Toxoph., I. Wks. (1904), 59. When he shalbe … compelled in war tyme … to faule to his bowe.
1707. Mortimer, Husb., 33. The Seed coming from France, this War-time hath prevented its being so much propagated as otherways it would have been.
1831. Scott, Cast. Dang., i. Above all, it was war-time, and of necessity all circumstances of mere convenience were obliged to give way to a paramount sense of danger.
1849. C. Brontë, Shirley, ii. These war times were hard, and everything was dear.
1851. Kingsley, Yeast, xiii. There was too much filthiness and drunkenness went on in the old war-times, not to leave a taint behind it, for many a generation.
attrib. 1915. H. H. Henson (title), War-time Sermons.
1915. Lady Jephson (title), A War-time Journal.
