[a. AF. awarde-r, ONF. ewarder, eswarder, central F. esguarder, to observe, look at, consider, examine, decide, ordain, fix = OSp. esguardar, It. sguardare:—Romanic *erwardāre, -guardāre, f. ex out, thoroughly + wardāre, guardāre, ad. OLG. *ward-ên (OS. wardôn, OE. wardian, cogn. w. OHG. wartên, mod.G. warten) to watch. Cf. WARD, GUARD.]
I. To award a thing.
† 1. To examine a matter and adjudicate upon its merits; to decide, determine, after consideration or deliberation. Obs. a. trans.
1393. Gower, Conf., III. 354. So as my court it hath awarded, Thou shalt be duely rewarded.
1480. Caxton, Chron. Eng., cxxvii. 106. I wylle that ye award and doo ryght.
1547. Heywood, Wit & Folly, Introd. (1846), 30. I judge and awarde Both these pleasures of yours as one in regarde.
1686. Dryden, Hind & P., II. 381. Shall then the Testament award the right?
1725. Pope, Odyss., VIII. 222. Ev’n he who sightless wants his visual ray, May by his touch alone award the day.
† b. with inf. phr. or subord. cl.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Doctor’s T., 202. This clerk schal have his thral; thus I awarde.
1480. Caxton, Chron. Eng., cxxvii. 106. I award … that hymself and his sone wend byfore the kyng.
1725. Pope, Odyss., VIII. 557. The unwise award to lodge it in the towers.
2. To determine upon and appoint by judicial sentence.
1533. More, Debell. Salem, Wks. 983/2. The iudges a warde write to enquire of what fame and behauiour the man is.
1704. Lond. Gaz., No. 4049/4. A Commission of Bankrupt being awarded against William Mackdugale.
a. 1709. Sir R. Atkyns, Parl. & Pol. Tracts (1734), 93. An Officer … executing Process which is erroneously awarded.
1876. Green, Short Hist., viii. § 5 (1882), 502. Fines of four and five thousand pounds were awarded for brawls.
1884. Law Times Rep., 12 April, 207/1. An umpire … awarded that the local board should pay … 200l.
3. To grant or assign (to a person) by judicial or deliberate decision; to adjudge.
1523. Act 14 & 15 Hen. VIII., ii. To award to the party complainant such amendes.
1596. Shaks., Merch. V., IV. i. 300. A pound of that same marchants flesh is thine, The Court awards it, and the law doth give it.
1722. De Foe, Moll Fl. (1840), 269. It was not in his power to award me any reparation.
1851. Hussey, Papal Power, ii. 66. He awarded to the Bishop of Vienne … four neighbouring cities.
1877. Mrs. Oliphant, Makers Flor., iii. 65. It was his … to award everlasting praise to his friends.
† b. loosely. To furnish, give. Obs. rare.
1583. Stanyhurst, Æneis, I. (Arb.), 22. Furye weapon awardeth [furor arma ministrat]. Ibid., VIII. (1836), 142. Theyre labor hot they folow; toe the flame fits gyreful awarding.
† II. To award a person. Obs.
† 4. To sentence, appoint (to do something). Obs.
1538. Starkey, England, 190. The party condemnyd … schold ever be awardyd to pay costys.
1650. Fuller, Pisgah, 384. A tierce of Levites were awarded to waite.
† 5. To sentence, consign (to custody, etc.).
1548. Udall, etc., Erasm. Par. Heb. vi. 2 (R.). That last judgment, which shall awarde some to eternall felicitie, and other some to euerlastyng paynes.
1602. Fulbecke, 1st Pt. Parall., 83. Yet euerie of them shall be awarded to prison.
1648. Prynne, Plea for Lords, 56. The … Lords … awarded him to the custody of the Marshall.
