Obs. Forms: 4–6 awayte, aweyte, 4–7 awaite, awayt, 5 avayte, 7 (awate), 4–8 await. [a. ONF. await, aweit, (OF. aguait, mod. aguets), f. await-, aguaitier: see prec.]
1. A lying in wait or waylaying with hostile intent; ambush, ambuscade; a snare, plot.
1387. Trevisa, Higden, Rolls Ser. IV. 165. Delyvered out of þe awaytes [ab insidiis] of his owne moder.
1460. Capgrave, Chron., 317. Where was leyd gret avayte on the Kyng to his destruccion.
1491. Caxton, How to Die, 12. The temptacyons of the deuyll and his ryghte subtyl awaytes and fallaces.
1526. Tindale, Acts ix. 24. There awayte [Wyclif, the aspies of hem] wer knowen of Saul. Ibid. (1611). Their laying awaite [1881 Revised, their plot] was knowen of Saul.
c. 1670. Hobbes, Dial. Com. Laws. (1681), 184. He pardoneth the killing by awayt, or of malice prepensed.
1691. Blount, Law Dict., Await seems to signify what we now call waylaying, or lying in wait, to execute some mischief.
1867. in Smyth, Sailor’s Word-bk., 63.
b. In await: in ambush; with be, sit, stand, lay, lie. So upon await.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Nonne Pr. T., 405. Homicides … That in awayte lyn to morther men.
1393. Gower, Conf., III. 311. For hate is ever upon await.
c. 1440. Gesta Rom., 8. Deth … stondith euermore redy in awaite, for to shete his dart.
1580. Sidney, Arcadia (1622), 185. There in await had he laid these murtherers.
1600. Fairfax, Tasso, V. xviii. 78. The hidden deuill, that lies in close awate To win the fort of vnbeleeuing man.
1610. Holland, Camden’s Brit., I. 400. Many frames wherin shooters … and slingers were set in await.
2. Watching, watch, watchfulness; heed, caution. To have or take good await: to take good heed. To set good await: to watch carefully.
c. 1374. Chaucer, Troylus, III. 408. In aweyte alwey, and in fere.
1430. Lydg., Chron. Troy, I. viii. They sette good awayte On euery syde leste there were deceyte.
1461. Paston Lett., 399. II. 22. Take good awayte to your person.
1523. Ld. Berners, Froiss., I. xliv. 60. The fronters towarde Fraunce were euer in good awayt.
1531. Elyot, Gov. (1580), 97. They should haue good awayt that they spake not in such familiar facion … as … before.
b. To have or keep (a person) in await, to make or lay await on: to keep a look-out upon, to watch suspiciously.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Monkes T., 735. No man trust upon hir favour longe, But have hir in awayt for evermo. Ibid., Mauncip. T., 45. A good wyf … Schuld not be kept in noon awayt.
1469. Paston Lett., 609, II. 351. He myght not speeke with you, ther was made so gret awayte upon hym and upon you boothe.
1523. Ld. Berners, Froiss., I. cccvi. 459. His men hadde him in suspect, and layed great awayt on him.
3. Waiting, expectation. rare.
1557. Primer, Dirige Ps. xxix. With long awaite I loked after our Lorde: and he intended unto me.
