Obs. or arch. Forms: 1 ʓeara, ʓeare, ʓearo, ʓere, 2–4 ȝeare, 3 ȝære, 3–5 ȝare, 4 ȝaire, ȝhare, ȝar, yaar(e, yarre, 4–5 yhare, (4–6 ȝore, 5 yore, yere), 5–6 Sc. ȝair, (6 ȝoir, ȝor), 4–7 (9 arch.) yare. [OE. ʓeara, -o, -e, also ʓear(e)we, -uwe, corresp. to OS. garo (Du. gaar), OHG. garo, also garawo (MHG. gare, gar, also garwe, G. gar) completely, quite, ON. g(j)ǫrva, gerva quite, clearly, plainly; adv. of ȝearu, etc.: see YARE a.]
† 1. Quickly, without delay, promptly, immediately, soon. (Often used vaguely, esp. in full yare, as a rhyming tag.) Obs.
Beowulf, 2748 (Gr.). Þæt ic … ʓearo sceawiʓe sweʓle searoʓimmas.
c. 1250. Gen. & Ex., 2866. Ðat, bi ði leue, hise folc vt-fare, Ðre daiȝes gon and ben ðor ȝare, In ðe deserd.
a. 1300. K. Horn, 497 (Cambr. MS.). Aþelbrus … tolde him ful ȝare Hu he hadde ifare.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 2837. ‘Haste,’ he said, ‘þan þeder yaar, For i do noght til þou come þar.’ Ibid., 5225. Þan was iacob busked yare, Wit al þe gynge þat wit him ware.
1375. Barbour, Bruce, III. 696. And by the mole thai passyt ȝar, And entryt sone in-to the rase.
c. 1435. Torr. Portugale, 1320. The emperoure of Rome was there, The kynges of Pervens and of Calabere yare, And other two or thre.
a. 1450. Le Morte Arth., 3536. The ermyte Answeryd swythe yare.
14[?]. Guy Warw. (C.), 5944. And wyth hys fyste he smote me sore: Sythen he flewe awey fall ȝore.
1513. Douglas, Æneis, I. v. 37. Ane duelling place for Troianis biggit hes he,… and full ȝor, The armes of Troy has set wp in memor. Ibid., II. xi. 21. Send ws thi help als ȝoir, And conferme all thir takinnis sene befoir.
† b. Nimbly, briskly. Obs. rare.
1622. J. Taylor (Water P.), Merrie Wherrie-Ferry-Voy., Wks. 1630, II. 8/1. Though it [sc. a tongue] continuall toyl’d, And went as yare, as if it had bin Oyl’d.
c. As exclamation: = Quick! esp. in nautical use. arch.
1606. Shaks., Ant. & Cl., V. ii. 286. Yare, yare, good Iras; quicke: Me thinkes I heare Anthony call. Ibid. (1610), Temp., I. i. 7. Cheerely, cheerely my harts: yare, yare: Take in the toppe-sale.
1822. Hogg, Perils of Man, III. vii. 204. Yare, yare! Lord sauff us! Here they come! What’s to be our fate? Keep close for a wee while.
1867. Morris, Jason, IX. 241. Yare!—for the ebb runs strongly towards the sea.
† 2. Well, thoroughly; (often with know, etc.) certainly, plainly, without doubt. (Often used vaguely as in 1.) Obs.
Beowulf, 2656 (Gr.). Ic wat ʓeare þæt næron ealdʓewyrht þæt [etc.].
a. 900. Cynewulf, Crist, 109. God of gode ʓearo acenned sunu soþan fæder.
a. 1000. Boeth. Metr., ix. 9. He het him to gamene ʓeara forbærnan Romana buriʓ.
c. 1000. Ags. Gosp., Luke xx. 6. Hi wiston ʓere þæt iohannes wæs witeʓa.
c. 1205. Lay., 18816. Ah ful ȝare ich hit wiste.
13[?]. E. E. Allit. P., A. 834. Þe þryde tyme is þer-to ful mete In apokalypez wryten ful ȝare.
a. 1425. Cursor M., 4866 (Trin.). Gode men, he seide, ȝe shal fare, But of oure kyng I warn ȝou ȝare.
c. 1475. Rauf Coilȝear, 641. Se that thow leis thame not, bot ȝeme thame full ȝair.
1513. Douglas, Æneis, V. iv. 97. Now quha was blyth bot Menestheus, full ȝore?
