Forms: α. 1 wǽpen, wœp(e)n, wépen, wǽmn, 1–2 wǽpn, 2–3 Orm. wæpenn, 3–7 wepen, 4 wepene, -in, 4–5 wepne, 4–6 weppen, 5–6 wepun, wep(p)yn, 5–7 wepon, 5 weppon, weppun, (vepen), 6 weapen, 6– weapon; β. 3 E. Anglian wopen; north. and Sc. 3–7 wapen, 4 wappen, vap(p)yn, 4–7 wapin, 5–6 wappin, wap(p)yn, 5 vappin, 5, 7 wappon, 6 wapon, vapon, vapin, vaupyn, waippin, waipone, wapoune, 7 wapone. [Com. Teut.: OE. wǽpen neut. = OFris. wépin, OS. wâpan (MLG. wâpen, whence MHG. wâpen, wâppen, mod.G. wappen only in the sense of armorial bearings), OHG. wâfan (MHG. wâfen neut., mod.G. waffe fem.), ON. vápn neut. (Sw. vapen, Da. vaaben), Goth. *wēpn (pl. wēpna):—OTeut. *wǣpno-m:—pre-Teut. *wēbno-m. A parallel type *wǣðno-m (pre-Teut. *wēpnó-m) is supposed by some scholars to be implied by certain rare forms in various Teut. langs.: OHG. or OS. (Hildebrandslied) wâbnum dat. pl., OE. wǽmn, ON. vámn. Outside Teut. no probable cognates have been found.
The northern ME. wāpen (later wappen) and the rare (E. Anglian) wopen represent the ON. vápn: cf. WAPENTAKE, WAPPENSHAW. The shortening of the long stressed vowel in the first syllable is normal; Ormin has still the OE. quantity.
The pl. in OE. was normally identical in form with the sing., but in the 10th and 11th-c. forms with final -u occur. In Layamon c. 1205 the plural is usually wepnen, though there are also examples of wepne and wapen. From the beginning of the 14th c. the plural has in ordinary use been formed with the suffix -(e)s; with regard to the occasional uninflected plural see 1 b below.]
1. An instrument of any kind used in warfare or in combat to attack and overcome an enemy.
α. Beowulf, 1509. Swa he ne mihte no … wæpna ʓewealdan. Ibid., 1573. He … wæpen hafenade heard be hiltum.
c. 930. O. E. Chron., an. 917. & a-hreddon eall þæt hie ʓe-numen hæfdon, & eac hira horsa & hira wæpna micelne dæl.
c. 1205. Lay., 6424. Morpidus … seouen hundred of-sloh and swemde mið wepnen.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 240. Þe þet his wepnen worpeð awei, him luste beon iwunded.
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron. Wace (Rolls), 15518. When þey were waxen on elde, Armes to bere, & wepne to welde.
1377. Langl., P. Pl., B. III. 304. Alle þat bereth baslarde, brode swerde or launce, Axe other hachet or eny wepne ellis.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Monk’s T., 34. With-outen wepene saue his handes tweyne He slow and al torente the leon.
1415. Hoccleve, To Sir J. Oldcastle, 471. A clod Of eerthe, at your heedes to slynge or caste, Were wepne ynow.
c. 1511. 1st Eng. Bk. Amer. (Arb.), Introd. 28/1. There wepyns is lange pykes and stones ther they caste myghtly with.
1559. Mirr. Mag., Dk. Suffolk, xxi. And sum with weapons would have layed on lode.
1610. Shaks., Temp., II. i. 322. ’Tis best we stand vpon our guard…: let’s draw our weapons.
1614. Raleigh, Hist. World, V. iii. § 21. 579. The Battels of foote … drew neere together … till they were almost within a weapons cast.
1636. Massinger, Bashf. Lover, I. ii. In a cause like this, The Husbandman would change his ploughing-irons To weapons of defence.
1697. Dryden, Æneis, V. 668. Fix’d in the Mast the feather’d Weapon stands.
1750. Gray, Long Story, 39. They hid their armour And veil’d their weapons bright and keen.
1821. Byron, Sardanap., II. i. My sword! O fool, I wear no sword: here, fellow, Give me thy weapon.
1859. Dickens, T. Two Cities, I. v. Nothing was represented in a flourishing condition, save tools and weapons.
1870. Emerson, Soc. & Solit., Eloquence (end). The Arabian warrior of fame, who wore seventeen weapons in his belt.
1880. Encycl. Brit., XI. 278. The term ‘small arms’ includes sporting and military weapons carried by the shooter.
1902. A. S. Hurd, How Navy Is Run, 81. There is a roar and a crash as the great 25-ton weapon speaks.
β. c. 1250. Gen. & Ex., 469. Wopen of wiȝte and tol of grið.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 15722. Sper and suerd and mace þai bring, And wapens oþer maa.
1375. Barbour, Bruce, IX. 711. Thair fayis thaim met vith vapnys bar.
c. 1470. Henry, Wallace, I. 193. Wapynnys he bur, outhir gud suerd or knyff.
c. 1470. Golagros & Gaw., 461. With alkin wappyns … that wes for were wroght.
1549. Compl. Scot., xi. 96. Al the vaupynis and armour of scotland to be delyuerit to the inglismen.
a. 1578. Lindesay (Pitscottie), Chron. Scot. (S.T.S.), I. 194. All the arteilzerrie … with all maner of vaponis.
1650. J. Nicoll, Diary (Bann. Club), 28. Our Scottis army being all drowsie … and many of thame thair horsses and wapines to seik.
† Proverb. a. 1575. Pilkington, Expos. Neh. iv. (1585), 64 b. A weapon boods peace, as the common saying is.
transf. (humorously) 1712–4. Pope, Rape Lock, III. 128. Just then, Clarissa drew with tempting grace A two-edg’d weapon from her shining case.
1853. Dickens, Bleak Ho., xix. For Chadband … can wield such weapons of the flesh as a knife and fork, remarkably well.
1873. Tristram, Moab, v. 95. Much skill in the handling of those, to him, novel weapons, a knife and fork.
† b. Down to the end of the 16th c., the plural, when used in the collective sense = ‘arms,’ was often identical in form with the sing. Obs.
c. 825. Vesp. Psalter, xlv. 10. Boʓan forþreste[ð] & ʓebriceð wepen [Vulg. arma].
c. 1200. Ormin, 8187. & hise cnihhtess alle imæn Forþ ȝedenn wiþþ þe bære, Wiþþ heore wæpenn alle bun, Swa summ þeȝȝ sholldenn fihhtenn.
c. 1205. Lay., 499. Al þæt wapmon-cun Þa mihte beren wapen.
c. 1250. Gen. & Ex., 3283. Wepen, and srud, siluer, and gold.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 7572. Þat all mai wit þat godd o might Sauues noght man in wapen bright.
c. 1425. Eng. Conq. Irel., xxi. 54. Out of wepne [v.r. wepyn], he was as redy to otheres byddynge as other to hys.
c. 1450. in Kingsford, Chron. Lond. (1905), 137. And then the erll of Arondell sett gouernance in that contre and tokyn all wepyn from hem.
c. 1520. Barclay, Salust’s Jugurth, xl. 56 b. Their ennemies … lette them to go to the castell of the towne where their armoure and wepyn was.
1550. Harington, trans. Cicero’s Bk. Friendship (1562), 26. As if Coriolanus hadde anye freendes, whether they ought to haue borne weapon with hym agaynste their countrey.
1561. T. Hoby, trans. Castiglione’s Courtyer, I. (1900), 89. He was forced to arise from bankettes and runne to weapon.
1585–6. Earl Leycester, Corr. (Camden), 426. They doe make reckoning of all ther vyttell, of ther armour, and wepon.
1596. Dalrymple, trans. Leslie’s Hist. Scot. (S.T.S.), II. 363. Thair myndes war sa in ydleset, and close fra weir and wapoune.
c. fig.
c. 888. Ælfred, Boeth., iii. § 1. Ic [Wisdom] wat þæt þu hæfst þara wæpna to hraðe forʓiten þe ic þe ær sealde.
a. 1000. Guthlac, 148 (Gr.). Ʒyrede hine ʓeorne mid gæstlicum wæpnum.
c. 1175. Lamb. Hom., 69. [God] ȝeue us wepne for to boren Mid gode werkes for us to weren.
a. 1200. Moral Ode, 336, in O. E. Hom., I. Mid fasten and almesse … Mid þo wepnen þe god haued ȝiuen alle mancunne.
c. 1200. Ormin, 12485. Þe deofell comm to wundenn Crist Þurrh gluterrnessess wæpenn.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 366. Þe wepnen þet slowen him, þet weren ure sunnen.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., II. v. (1495), 32. Angels ben callyd Smythes for they araye for vs ghostly wepyn.
1561. T. Norton, Calvin’s Inst., III. (1634), 405. That they … should dedicate themselves to God,… and their members, weapons of righteousness to God.
1593. Shaks., 2 Hen. VI., I. iii. 61. His Champions, are the Prophets and Apostles, His Weapons, holy Sawes of sacred Writ. Ibid. (1605), Lear, II. iv. 280. And let not womens weapons, water drops, Staine my mans cheekes.
1718. Pope, Iliad, XX. 297. So voluble a weapon is the tongue.
1832. Ht. Martineau, Manch. Strike, iv. 53. The first man who deserts the work … puts the weapon of the law into the hands of our opponents.
1849. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., vi. II. 151. A consummate master of all the weapons of controversy.
1864. Bryce, Holy Rom. Emp., xv. (1875), 253. The charge of heresy was one of the weapons used with most effect against Frederick II.
1871. Freeman, Norm. Conq., IV. xviii. 188. William was not slow to follow with other weapons. His course was … to seize the towns.
d. transf. Any part of the body (esp. of a bird or beast) which is or may be used as a means of attack or defence, as a claw, horn, tusk, or the like; in pl., the spurs of a game cock or hen.
1635. Markham, Pleas. Princes, 43. Your [Game] Henne … must be … well tufted on the crowne, which shewes courage: if shee have weapons she is better.
1749. Fielding, Tom Jones, II. iv. Those weapons which she wore at the ends of her fingers.
1823. ‘Jon Bee,’ Dict. Turf, Weapons, in cocking, the spurs appearing on hens or young cocks.
1914. A. S. Woodward, Guide Fossil Rem. Man, Brit. Mus. Nat. Hist. (1915), 5. Typical modern monkeys, with the canine teeth enlarged into weapons.
† e. A soldier of a class distinguished by the weapon he uses. Obs. rare–1.
1590. Sir J. Smyth, Disc. Weapons, 12. Whilest the Piquers and other weapons doo reduce themselues into forme vnder their Ensignes.
f. Used for: One skilled in the use of a weapon. rare–1. (? quasi-arch.)
1852. Thackeray, Esmond, II. viii. Blandford knows which of us two is the best weapon. At small-sword, or back-sword,… I can beat him.
2. Phrases.
† a. To take weapon in hand: to take up arms.
1538. Starkey, England, 79. In tyme of warr, hyt ys necessary for our plowmen and laburarys of the cuntrey to take wepun in hand.
1630. R. Johnson’s Kingd. & Commw., 573. Amurath never tooke weapon in hand against this people, before he understood … that all Persia was in uprore.
b. At all, any weapons: with weapons of any kind. † At the weapons of ——: with the weapons used by ——. † To play one’s prize(s at all, at several, in all weapons: fig. to use every or several means to win one’s contest (cf. PRIZE sb.2 b).
1620, a. 1670. [see PRIZE sb.2 b].
a. 1656. Bp. Hall, Soliloquies, lxxv. Wks. 1662, III. 461. If the question be concerning some scrupulous act to be done or omitted, now self-respect plays its prizes at all weapons.
1760–72. H. Brooke, Fool of Qual. (1809), III. 97. At any weapons against any odds I will prove him a traitor.
1781. C. Johnston, Hist. J. Juniper, II. 139. [He] said he was not a porter to fight with his fists; but would give him … satisfaction … at the weapons of a gentleman.
1831. G. P. R. James, Phil. Augustus, vi. He was … expert at all weapons.
c. (To challenge, fight, beat, etc., an adversary) at his own weapon or weapons, i.e., with such as he is expert in. Chiefly fig.
1610. Marcellini, Triumphs Jas. I., 83. To deale and cope with the envious and perfidious malignity of these calumniators, even at their owne weapons.
1618. Bolton, Florus, III. i. (1636), 163. Metellus,… fayning flight when he meant nothing lesse, matcht him at his own weapons.
1622. Mabbe, trans. Aleman’s Guzman d’Alf., II. 145. That he should put a full stoccado vpon me, and go brag when he had done, that he had beaten a master of defence at his owne weapon.
1678. Cudworth, Intell. Syst., 12. We insist so much upon this philosophy here,… because, without the perfect knowledge of it, we cannot deal with the atheists at their own weapon.
1760. Foote, Minor, I. (1767), 11. You cockneys now beat us suburbians at our own weapons.
1781. C. Johnston, Hist. J. Juniper, I. 51. This was truly foiling the Devil, at his own weapons.
c. 1810. Coleridge, Lit. Rem. (1838), III. 239. Their undue predilection for Patristic learning and authority … originated in the wish to baffle the Papists at their own weapons.
† 3. The penis. Obs.
a. 1000. Ags. Gloss., in Wr.-Wülcker, 265/33. Calamus, teors, þæt wæpen, uel lim.
1377. Langl., P. Pl., B. IX. 180. Whiles þow art ȝonge and þi wepne kene, Wreke þe with wyuynge.
4. attrib. and Comb.: simple attrib., as weapon-clang, -crash, -point, -stroke; weapon-proof adj.; objective, as weapon-maker, -whetter; also † weapon-bearer = ARMOUR-BEARER; † weapon-love, love as a WEAPON-SALVE; † weapon-man, one skilled in the use of weapons; weapon-smith Hist., a forger or maker of weapons; weapon-tool, a tool that could also be used as a weapon. Also WEAPON-SALVE.
1535. Coverdale, 1 Sam. xiv. 1. Ionathas sayde vnto his lad which was his *wapen-bearer: Come, let vs go ouer to the Philistynes watch. Ibid. (1547[?]), Confut. Standish, To Rdr. So am I ready to do the same agaynst … greate Goliath of Rome and his weapen-bearer.
1810. Scott, Lady of Lake, III. xviii. Then *weapon-clang, and martial call, Resounded through the funeral hall. Ibid. (1813), Rokeby, V. xxxi. And *weapon-crash and maddening cry, Of those who kill, and those who die!
a. 1711. Ken, Hymns Evang., Poet. Wks. 1721, I. 168. Thou when the Sword went through her tender Heart, With *Weapon-love didst then anoint the Blade.
1915. Mary Johnston, Fortunes of Garin, xv. 239. She rode through the street where the armourers and *weapon-makers worked at their trade more busily than in the days of peace.
1635. J. Hayward, trans. Biondi’s Banish’d Virg., II. 90. Practising my selfe in … imitating whatsoever I had seene done by any judicious *weapon-man.
1814. Scott, Lord of Isles, VI. xxi. Each *weapon-point is downward sent, Each warrior to the ground is bent.
1870. Bryant, Iliad, XXI. 699. I cannot think That he is *weapon-proof.
1849. Kemble, Saxons in Eng., II. vii. II. 306. The heroical *weapon-smith on the one hand, and on the other the poor professors of such rude arts as the homestead cannot do without.
1908. Expositor, Sept., 265. The settled weapon-smiths of ancient Egypt … were quite a different class from the nomad clans of tinsmiths and coppersmiths.
1870. Bryant, Iliad, XI. 471. Lightly falls the *weapon-stroke Of an unwarlike weakling.
1861. W. R. Wilde, Catal. Antiq. Anim. Materials R. Ir. Acad., 360. Weapons and *Weapon Tools.
1585. Higins, Junius’ Nomencl., 519/2. Samiarii,… *weapon whetters.
