Obs. Forms: 4 warnische, -ysch, -issh, -yssh, warenyss, warnise, -yse, 4, 5 warnish. Also pa. t. and pa. pple. 4–5 war-, varnist, -yst, 4 varnys(i)t. [a. AF. warniss-, warnir dial. var. of OF. garnir: see GARNISH v.]
1. trans. To provide or furnish with an ample supply of something; esp. to supply (a place) with men and stores.
13[?]. K. Alis., 6052 (Laud MS.). Hij hadden warnysshed Cites & tounes.
c. 1330. Arth. & Merl., 6605. Castels, tours, heiȝe & lowe, He dede warnise wiþ store þan.
c. 1340. Hampole, Psalter, lviii. 7. Thai sall warenyss halykirke with lare and vertus.
1375. Barbour, Bruce, IV. 102. For thai sa stith saw the casteill, And wist that it wes varnist weill.
c. 1400. Sc. Trojan War, I. 247. Þai woddys warnist were In-to haboundance of wylde dere.
c. 1470. Henry, Wallace, IV. 214. On Gargownno was byggyt a small peill, That warnyst was with men and wittaill weill.
b. refl. To equip oneself.
13[?]. Cursor M., 24788 (Gött.). He dred him sare þat were suld rise, And warnist him on mani wise.
c. 1400. Sc. Trojan War, II. 726. One þare best wyse Inne þar armour they thame warnyse.
2. To provide with guards.
1387–8. [see WARNISH sb.].
Hence Warnished ppl. a.; Warnishing vbl. sb. (esp. in sense ‘that with which one is provided’).
c. 1340. Hampole, Psalter, xvi. 10. Vndire the shadow of thi wengis that is, in the warnysnge of thi charite and of thi mercy. Ibid., xxx. 27. He selkouthed his mercy til me in cyte warnyst [L. in ciuitate munita].
1375. Barbour, Bruce, VI. 350. It [sc. valour] Has so gret varnasyng [v.r. warnysing] of vit, That it all peralis weill can se.
1382. Wyclif, 2 Kings xix. 32. He schal not commen in to this cytee,… and warnyschynge [Vulg. munitio] schal not enuyroun it.
