Forms: 3 weorreur, 3–5 werrour(e, 3–4 werreur, wereur, verreur, 5 werrur, verrour, 5– warrer. [Early ME. weorreur, werrour, etc., a. AF. werrour, agent-n. f. werrer to war, f. werre WAR sb.; coalescing with the later English formation on WAR v. + -ER1.]
† 1. One who engages in warfare, a soldier, warrior. Also, an antagonist, a persecutor. Obs.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 246. Þe weorreur of helle mei longe asailen ou.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 8306. Wereur art þou ful wight. Ibid., 20933. To þaim he [Paul] first was verreur [Gött. werreur] And afterward becom prechur. Ibid. (13[?]), 18014 (Gött.). [S]ir sathan þan till hell ansuerd … Receiue iesu … vr werreur bath mi and þine.
13[?]. Guy Warw. (1891), 398. Hou he hadde euer ben strong werrour, For Iesu loue.
c. 1400. Laud Troy Bk., 3773. Theire Cite Is bothe styff, stalworthe, and strong,… And ful of men and gode verroures.
1436[?]. Pol. Poems (1859), II. 199. The merveillouse werrour and victorious prince, Kynge Herry the vth.
c. 1440. Gesta Rom., iv. 11 (Harl. MS.). Oure lord, þe doȝty werrour, ihesu criste.
1482. Warkw., Chron., 2. The best warrer of all that time.
2. One who wars or contends (against something).
1836. Lane, Mod. Egypt., II. xi. 168. On the occasions of all the great religious festivals in Cairo,… these female warrers against modesty [i.e., unveiled girls] … are sure to be seen.
