Obs. Forms: α. 3–4 warnest(o)ur(e, (5 warusture ?), 3–4 warnisto(u)re, (4 warinstour), 5 warn(e)stor(e, warnystoor. β. 3 wermestore, 4–5 warmstore, 5, 7 warme store. [a. OF. warnesture, northeastern var. of garnesture, f. warnir, garnir: see GARNISH v. Cf. GARNITURE.]
1. Provisions kept in store, provender.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 1698. Þou sal alsua mak a boure For to hald in þi wermestore. Ibid., 4688. Ma þan a thusand selers Fild he wit wins, neu and fress, And warnistore o salt fless. Ibid. (c. 1375), 24788 (Fairf.). He … caried warnestoure on mani wise.
c. 1400. trans. Secreta Secret., Gov. Lordsh., 65. Whanne men trowyn wynter þat it is cold, men ordeyns herbergage and cloþing, and warmstores of cole and woode, and of many oþer þynges.
14[?]. 26 Pol. Poems, xiii. 122. Stuffe ȝoure castels in eche coost, Warnestor and folk þeder sende.
c. 1470. Henry, Wallace, IX. 1200. I will remayn quhill this warnstor be gane.
1483. Cath. Angl., 409/1. Warnstore, annona, entica, wernestura.
2. ? A magazine for provisions, ? a fortified place.
1297. R. Glouc. (Rolls), 2075. In eche stude hii sette þer strong warnesture & god.
1338. R. Brunne, Chron. (1810), 180. Þe Sarazins kept it þat tym for þer chefe warinstour.
3. In warnestore: in safe keeping, in reserve.
c. 1440. Bone Flor., 878. They were not ordeygned therfore [for the siege], They had golde in warme store, But mete was them full nede.
1615. Brathwait, Strappado (1878), 182. Nor doth he want for any one of these, A statute in warme store if that he please.
