? Obs. [f. WARE sb.1 + -LESS.] Very frequent in Spenser and Daniel.
1. Unwary, incautious, imprudent.
1562. A. Brooke, Romeus & Jul., 220. How surely are the wareless wrapt by those that lye in wayte?
1596. Spenser, F. Q., V. v. 17. Yet was he iustly damned by the doome Of his owne mouth, that spake so wareless word, To be her thrall.
1595. Daniel, Civ. Wars, V. v. For warelesse insolence whilst vndebard Of bounding awe, runnes on to such excesse.
1751. Mendez, Seasons, xxvi. in Pearch, Coll. Poems (1770), II. 241. The wareless sheep no longer bite the mead.
1767. Mickle, Concub., I. xxvi. Ythrilld with Horrour gapd the wareless Wight.
1813. Hogg, Queens Wake, Introd. 6. Your blights, your chilling influence shed, On wareless heart and houseless head.
1847. H. S. Riddell, Poems, 18. But thats a true, now that I mind To caution ane sae wareless.
absol. 1563. Mirr. Mag., Blacke Smyth, iii. Who seemes in sight as simple as a saynt, Hath layd a bayte the wareles to begyle.
2. Unguarded, unconscious (of danger).
1562. Phaër, Æneid, IX. Bb 3. And first Euryalus he seeth whom al mens hands had got, Through fraud of night and place of troublous tumult wareles trapt.
1596. Spenser, F. Q., IV. ii. 3. Both they vnwise, and warelesse of the euill, That by themselues vnto themselues is wrought. Ibid., V. i. 22. That when he wakt out of his warelesse paine, He found him selfe, vnwist, so ill bestad, That lim he could not wag.
1821. Blackw. Mag., IX. 540. How bright it burns!of threatening wreck To warn the wareless mariner.