Obs. For forms see the sb. [f. the sb.; in Law-L. warrantizāre.]
1. trans. Law. To guarantee the possession of (real property) to a person.
c. 1450. Godstow Reg., 346. They warantized to the forsaid Richard and to his heires the forsaid tenement with the pertynentis ayenst all maner of men for ever.
c. 1460. Oseney Reg., 53. And i vmfrey and my heyres all þe forsaide thynges to þe forsaide church and Chanons for Euer shall warantize agaynste all men and women.
2. gen. To guarantee; to be a guarantee or security for; to secure the possession of (something) to a person; to secure (a person or thing) from.
c. 1532. Du Wes, Introd. Fr., in Palsgr., 952. Pleuir, to warantise.
1593. Nashe, Christs T., Q 4, Certaine meanes hee hath assigned vs, which he hath promised to blesse, but without means no blessing hath he warrantizd.
1598. Yong, Diana, 235. Who shall this old age from sorrowes warrantize?
1598. Hakluyt, Voy., I. 144. In regard whereof you wil vndertake to warrantize, and make good vnto vs those penalties and forfaitures which shal vnto vs appertaine, for all wools [etc.].
1616. R. C., Times Whistle, i. 275. A moste lawfull act, For which you will warrantize him heaven and happie day.
1628. Wither, Brit. Rememb., III. 461. To warrantize thy health.
b. To warrant, sanction, authorize; to confirm, corroborale.
1600. Nashe, Summers Last Will, D 4. A sillie fancie, Autumne, hast thou told, Which no Philosophie doth warrantize.
1603. Holland, Plutarchs Mor., 863. There is nothing else but necessitie alone, doeth warrantize the killing of a man.
1643. S. Marshall, Copy of Let., 8. like enough some Court-Chaplaine might warrantize the kings conscience.
1664. J. Webb, Stone-Heng (1725), 125. The Customs of the Romans highly warrantize Mr. Jones his Discovery of our Antiquity.
3. To protect, defend.
c. 1450. Merlin, xvi. 269. But yef I may haue bailly ouer his body, he shall so be deffouled that ther ne shall nothinge in the worlde hym warantise.
c. 1489. Caxton, Blanchardyn, xxiv. 88. But what occysion or defence that he made myght not warauntyse hym.
c. 1500. Melusine, xxiv. 200. Thenne anthony smote a knyght by such vertue that the targe nor his cote of stele might not warauntyse hym.
Hence † Warrantising vbl. sb. and ppl. a.
c. 1450. Godstow Reg., 226. & that hys yft, graunt, & warantizinge shulde be stronge & sure, he put to hyt hys seele.
1628. Venner, Baths of Bathe (1650), 360. Their Spaniel-like fawning carriage, and warrantizing promises.