Ware a.

Forms: 1–2 wær (inflected wære, ware), 2–7 war, 2–3 warr, 3 wear, 3–5 wer, 4 were, (5 werre), (4 whar, quar, waare), 4–5 compar. warr(e, 5 waar, 5–6 warr(e, compar. warrer, -are, 4–6 Sc. var, 4– ware. [OE. wær = OS. war, ON. var-r (Da., Sw. var), Goth. war-s (in warai sijaima νηφῶμεν 1 Thess. v. 6):—OTeut. *waro-, f. *war- to observe, take care; see WARE sb.² Cf. AWARE a. (OE. ʓewær:—OTeut. *ʓiwaro-).]

  I.  In predicative use.

  1.  Cognizant, informed, conscious; chiefly with of, how, that, etc. = AWARE 2. † Be (well) ware: take note, ‘nota bene.’ Obs. exc. arch.

O. E. Chron. (Parker MS.), an. 917. & þa wurdon þa land-leode his ware, & him wiþ ʓefuhton.

c. 1000.  Ælfric, Saints’ Lives, xxii. 230. He eode ða nihtes þæt he his life ʓeburʓe ac ða haðenan wurdon wære his fare.

1154.  O. E. Chron. (Laud MS.), an. 1140. & hi wurthen war wid uten & folecheden heom.

c. 1200.  Ormin, 5210. & Helyseow hiss mann wass warr Þatt teȝȝ þa sholldenn shædenn. Ibid., 7286. Þatt hæþenn follc, Kalldisskenn follc, Wass war off Cristess come.

a. 1225.  St. Marher., 16. Ant ichulle makien þe war of alle mine wiheles.

c. 1250.  Gen. & Ex., 1308. Ðo wurð ðe child [Isaac] witter and war ðat ðor sal offrende ben don.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 6549. Quen þai war war o moyses þai fled a-way, als in a res.

c. 1325.  Spec. Gy Warw., 45. A god man þer was … Alquin was his rihte name, Off him þe eorl was wel war.

c. 1330.  R. Brunne, Chron. Wace (Rolls), 11498. Oure auncestre Iulius Sesar Wan Brelayne (art þou nought war?).

c. 1350.  Will. Palerne, 3382. William was wiȝtly whar of his come.

1377.  Langl., P. Pl., B. XIII. 421. Þise ben þe braunches, beþ war, þat bryngeth a man to wanhope.

c. 1386.  Chaucer, Knt.’s T., 38. He was war, as he caste his eye aside, Where that ther kneled in the hye weye A compaignye of ladyes.

1470–85.  Malory, Arthur, II. xvi. 94. And at the last he came in to a fayr forest in a valey and was ware of a Toure. Ibid., IV. xvi. 140. And thenne was syr Gawayne ware how ther henge a whyte shelde on that tree.

1530.  Tindale, Lev. v. 2. Ether when a man toucheth any vnclene thinge … and is not warre of it, he is also vnclene and hath offended. Ibid., 18. And the preast shall make an attonement for him for the ignoraunce which he dyd and was not ware.

1556.  Olde, Antichrist, 16 b. Our most cruel blood thirstye enemies are not ware of this glory of our persecution.

1592.  Shaks., Rom. & Jul., I. i. 131. Towards him I made, but he was ware of me, And stole into the couert of the wood. Ibid. (1600), A. Y. L., II. iv. 58. Thou speak’st wiser then thou art ware of.

1612.  R. Fenton, Usury, 7. Wee shall finde much more in it, then they that make the lightest account of it, are ware of.

1812.  Cary, Dante, Parad., VIII. 15. I was not ware that I was wafted up.

1847.  Emerson, Poems, Saadi, 34. Be thou ware where Saadi dwells.

1886.  Burton, Arab. Nts. (abr. ed.), I. 111. I was ware of a ship in the offing.

  2.  Prepared, on one’s guard, watchful, vigilant, cautious, alert. Cf. AWARE 1. Now arch.

c. 1000.  Ags. Gosp., Luke xii. 40. And be ʓe wære forþam þe mannes sunu cymð þære tide þe ʓe ne wenað.

a. 1023.  Wulfstan, Hom., xlii. (1883), 191. Us is micel þearf, þæt we wære beon þæs eʓeslican timan, þe nu towærd is.

a. 1225.  Juliana, 35. Make me war & wite me wið his crefti crokes þat ha me ne crechen.

a. 1250.  Owl & Night., 170. Ne spedestu nouht mid þin vnwrenche For ich am war and can blenche.

1303.  R. Brunne, Handl. Synne, 8084. Yn a prouerbe, telle men þys ‘He wyys ys, þat ware ys.’

c. 1325.  Evil Times Edw. II., 343, in Pol. Songs (Camden), 339. Theih wolen bigile the in thin hond, but if thu be the warre.

1375.  Barbour, Bruce, V. 546. Bot how that euir it fell, perde, I trow he sall the varrar be.

c. 1380.  Wyclif, Wks. (1880), 20. And þerfore comaundiþ crist þat we be war and flee fro þe ypocrisie of pharisees.

c. 1440.  Promp. Parv., 516. War, or a-war (v.r. aware), cautus, Cath. precavens.

c. 1450.  Merlin, i. 5. Than this holy man counselled hem to be wele ware, and kepe hem fro euell dedes.

c. 1480.  Henryson, Swallow & other Birds, 193. His pray full sendill tymis will he mis, Bot gif we birdis all the warrer be.

1561.  T. Norton, Calvin’s Inst., IV. 54. But when he warneth vs of the daunger, he doeth it to this entente to make vs the warer.

a. 1584.  Montgomerie, Cherrie & Slae, 687. I wischt them to be war, And rashlie not to ryn ouir far, Without sik gydis as ȝe.

1814.  Scott, Lord of Isles, V. xv. But evil news the letters bare,—The Clifford’s force was strong and ware.

1860.  Trench, Serm. Westm. Abbey, xxxi. 353. When the world speaks thee fair, and thy very enemies are at peace with thee,—then be thou ware.

a. 1897.  H. Newbolt, Drake’s Drum, 24. They shall find him ware an’ wakin’, as they found him long ago!

  † 3.  Careful or guarded in action. Const. of, in, with and inf. Obs.

a. 1240.  Sarles Warde, in O. E. Hom., I. 253. Reade hwet us beo to donne at we beon þe warre ant wakere to witen us on euch half under godes wengen.

a. 1340.  Hampole, Ps. xvi. 9. Kepe me as þe appel of þe eghe: þat is, perfitly and tendirly, for a man has no lym þat he is warere with, þan wiþ his eghe.

1398.  Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., III. xi. (1495), 55. By the vertue estimatiue we ben waar to voyde euyll and folowe that is good.

1450–1530.  Myrr. our Ladye, I. xviii. 48. The goodman droue sleape from hym, and was more ware to kepe hymselfe waker in goddes seruyce alway after.

1538.  Starkey, England, II. i. 170. Thys … schold make the vnder offycerys to be ware and dylygent to dow theyr duty.

1583.  Golding, Calvin on Deut. xxxiii. 195. Neuertheless he warneth us therewithal to bee more ware in abstayning from all wicked othes.

  4.  Careful or cautious in avoiding.

  † a.  Const. with. Obs.

c. 1000.  Ælfric, Saints’ Lives, xiii. 150. And ða woruld-menn wæron wære wið heora fynd.

c. 1200.  Vices & Virtues, 71. Ðat tu … lierne fastliche ða ȝekyndes of sennes, hwannen and hwanne hie cumen, þat ðu muȝe bien war wið hem.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 23827. Þe soth þai spar us noght to tell, for to do us be war wit hell.

1357.  Lay Folks’ Catech., T. 425. Prudencia—That wisses us to be war with wathes of the world.

c. 1380.  Wyclif, Serm., Sel. Wks. I. 19. Þis gospel biddiþ men to be ware wiþ false prophetis þat comen in cloþing of sheep.

  † b.  with inf. Cf. BEWARE v. 1 c. Obs.

c. 1375.  Sc. Leg. Saints, xxx. (Theodera), 27. Ȝet suld gud wemen ware be to rowne with þain in priuete.

c. 1380.  Wyclif, Sel. Wks., III. 184. And þerfore men schulden be war to take of þes foure statis.

1475.  Bk. Noblesse (Roxb.), 81. The ennemies of youre roiaume … wol doubt and be ware to take any entreprise ayenst your noble mageste.

1560.  Daus, trans. Sleidane’s Comm., 20. But he marueleth at their rashenes that they can not be ware by so many examples to blemishe them selues, and other Universities for euer.

  c.  with of. Cf. BEWARE v. 1 b. Obs. exc. arch.

1382.  Wyclif, Matt. xvi. 6. Beth war of the sourdowȝ of Pharisees and Saducees.

1390.  Gower, Conf., I. 231. For who these olde bokes rede Of suche ensamples as were ar, Him oghte be the more war Of alle tho that feigne chiere.

a. 1400.  Hymns Virg., etc. (1867), 65. Quod Besinesse, ‘man! of Slouthe be waare.’

1477.  Rolls of Parlt., VI. 193/1. In exemple to others to have been ware of suche attempting hereafter.

1548.  Hall, Chron., Edw. IV., 211. For suche thynges as wee se before our iyes, we bee well ware of.

1596.  Dalrymple, trans. Leslie’s Hist. Scot. (S.T.S.), I. 101, margin. They ar war of bludscheding.

1865.  Swinburne, Chastelard, III. i. 98. You would swear now you have used me faithfully; Shall I not make you swear? I am ware of you.

1868.  G. Macdonald, R. Falconer, I. xii. 164. ‘Laddie,’ she said, ‘be ye waure of judgin’ the Almichty.’

1885–94.  Bridges, Eros & Psyche, June x. But Psyche when that wistful speech she heard Was ware of all her spouse had warn’d her of.

  † d.  with negative or interrogative clause. Cf. BEWARE v. 1 d. Obs.

a. 1000.  Ælfric, Gen. xxiv. 6. Beo wær æt þam, þæt þu næfre minne sunu þyder ne læde.

a. 1100.  in Napier, Contrib. O. E. Lexicogr., 58. Preostas synt to myngienne ꝥ hi beon ware ꝥ hi ne wurðon beswicene fram deoflum þurh ʓeþanca smealicnysse.

c. 1325.  Spec. Gy Warw., 645. Nowe be þou were, þou proude gome, Þat þou ne be in pryde enome.

1340.  Hampole, Pr. Consc., 1397. By þis way byhoves us al gang, Bot be we war we ga noght wrang.

1393.  Langl., P. Pl., C. XVIII. 39. ‘A! wyf! be war,’ quaþ he [Tobit] ‘what ȝe haue hereynne; Lord leyue,’ quaþ þe lede ‘no stole þyng be here!’

c. 1400.  Maundev. (Roxb.), xvi. 74. It es gude to him þat schall wake þis hawke þat he be wele warre þat he slepe noȝt.

c. 1430.  Two Cookery-bks., i. 38. Be wyl war þat þey ben nowt Browne.

1475.  Marg. Paston, in P. Lett., III. 135. Never the less I shall be the warer how I shall dele here aftyr.

1531.  trans. St. German’s Dial. Doctor & Stud., II. viii. (1638), 74. I would advise every man to be well ware how hee distraineth in such cases.

1577.  B. Googe, Heresbach’s Husb., III. 143. Others vse the roote of Mandracke, being wel ware that they suffer them not to tast it.

1596.  Dalrymple, trans. Leslie’s Hist. Scot., I. 100. Thay ar war with al possible diligens that thay sched nocht thair blude.

  5.  Prudent, sagacious, cunning, skilled; ? also, rarely, staid. Frequently coupled with wise. Obs. exc. arch.

c. 888.  Ælfred, Boeth., xxvii. § 2. Wisdom ʓedeð his lufiendas wise & weorðe [MS. Junius wære] & ʓemetfæste & ʓeþyldiʓe & rihtwise. Ibid. (c. 897), Gregory’s Past. C., xxxv. 236. Bio ʓe swæ ware swæ nædran, & swæ bilwite swæ culfran.

c. 1200.  Ormin, 18313. Ȝe wenenn wrang Off me; beþ warre & wise, Namm I nohht Godd, acc icc amm mann.

c. 1205.  Lay., 2108. Þe wes þe wiseste þe wes þe warreste [c. 1275 he was wis and war]. Ibid., 2967. Gornoille was swiðe wær [c. 1275 war] swa beoð wifmen wel ihwær & seide ane lesinge.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 8696. Þe king, þat was sa sli a clerc, Bath warr and wis in all his werc.

a. 1366[?].  Chaucer, Rom. Rose, 1258. She was not nyce, ne outrageous, But wys and war, and vertuous.

c. 1400.  Ywaine & Gaw., 12. Of al knightes he bare the pryse, In werld was non so war ne wise.

1423.  James I., Kingis Q., clxiv. And they were ware that longe sat In place, So tolter quhilum did sche It to-wrye.

c. 1440.  York Myst., xxxiii. 137. [Pilate to Caiaphas] Ȝa, butt be wise, witty, and warre.

1526.  Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 131. We sholde also be wele ware or wyse, as is y^e serpent.

1549.  Latimer, 3rd Serm. bef. Edw. VI. (Arb.), 76. Sathan … is ware inough, he is wily, and circumspect for stiryng vp any sedicion.

1563.  Mirr. Mag., II. Collingbourne, xxi. A poet must be … No flatterer, no bolsterer of vyce, But sound and swete, in all thinges ware and wyse.

1925.  R. Brooke, 1914 & other Poems, 29.

  † b.  with in, of (something specified), to (do something). Obs.

1307.  Elegy Death Edw. I., ii. Trewest mon of alle thinge, Ant in werre war ant wys.

13[?].  Seuyn Sag., 410. He … thought al night,… Hou that he might be wis and wer To overcome the emperice.

1382.  Wyclif, Dan. i. 4. [Men] lernd in al wisdam, war in science [Vulg. cautos scientia], and tauȝt in disciplyne.

a. 1400[?].  Morte Arth., 1973. Bot owre wyese kyng es warre to wayttene his renkes, And wyesly by the woddez voydez his oste.

c. 1425.  MS. Digby 233, lf. 225 b/2. He þat is a werrur on þe see he mot of ebbynge & of flowyng lyme be boþe wise and waar.

  † II.  6. Used attributively. Prudent, cantious, cunning. Obs.

c. 1386.  Chaucer, Prol., 309. A Sergeant of the Lawe war and wys … Ther was also.

a. 1400–50.  War Alex., 202. Þare gan þai graithly þam graue in golden lettirs, All þe wordis at he þaim werpid of þaire ware kynge.

1450–1530.  Myrr. our Ladye, 114. Ye saye that she ys prudente and a ware spender and dysposer of goodes. Ibid., II. 124. When crysten people a woke in busy prayer and in ware kepynge of themselfe that they myghte be redy to suffer martyrdom.

1555.  Eden, Decades (Arb.), 386. They are very ware people in theyr bargenynge, and wyl not lose one sparke of golde of any value.

a. 1568.  Ascham, Scholem., II. (Arb.), 142. And as for Plautus, except the scholemaster be able to make wise and ware choice … your scholer were better to play.

a. 1614.  J. Melvill, Autob. & Diary (Wodrow Soc.), 165. Being a slight and war man, and perceaving the esteat of the Kirk deceying, [etc.].