adv., sb., and a. Now arch. [Late OE. unwæres, unwares, f. unwær UNWARE a.]
A. adv. 1. Without warning; unexpectedly, suddenly.
a. 1122. O. E. Chron. (Laud MS.), an. 1004, Forþam þe hi unwares comon, & he fyrst næfde þæt he his fyrde ʓegadrian mihte. Ibid., an. 1093. Hine þa Rodbeard … unwæres besyrede & ofsloh.
c. 1400. Found. St. Bartholomew’s, 44. Here gladnes was turnyd yn-to waylyng;… vnwarys brake vp an violent tempest.
1512. Helyas, in Thoms, Prose Rom. (1828), III. 72. Makaire came wening to smite him al unwars.
1556. Robinson, trans. More’s Utopia, To Rdr. (Arb.), 20. Yet haue I in this by chaunce, that on my side vnwares hath fallen, so … behaued myself, that [etc.].
1615. Chapman, Odyss., IV. 112. One, murderously, Unwares, unseen, bereft my brother’s life.
1642. H. More, Song of Soul, III. II. xxvi. Unwares they find a sly still silver light.
c. 1745. A. Skirving, Tranent Muir, v. Menteith the great, where Hersell sate, Un’wares did ding her ower, man.
1805–6. Cary, Dante, Inf., I. 52. When all unwares is gone, he inwardly Mourns with heart-griping anguish.
1887. Morris, Odyssey, XII. 288. If all unwares upon us a blast of the wind should come.
† b. His unwares, without his knowledge; unforeseen by him. Obs.
1468. Paston Lett., II. 328. He hathe promysyd that there schall come non; and if ther do his unwarys, yowr answer may be thys.
† c. Const. of, or to (a person). Obs.
c. 1510. in Mem. Hen. VII. (Rolls), 286. So came he to the King’s secret chamber door unwares of the King.
1532. Tindale, Expos. Matt. v. 20. Least anie vncleane thyng hadde touched theim unwaeres to all menne.
1625. Bacon, Ps. xc. ii. As a watch by night, that course doth keepe, And goes and comes vnwares to them that sleepe.
2. Unknowingly; without knowledge or intention; unintentionally.
13[?]. Cursor M., 2018 (Gött.). Bitid a day he was for-swonken, And vnwaris of win was dronken.
1526. Tindale, Heb. xiii. 2. Thereby have dyvers receaved angels into their houses vnwares.
1553. T. Wilson, Rhet., 54. He did it not willyngly, but vnwares, and by chaunce.
1593. Shaks., 3 Hen. VI., I. v. 62. It is my Fathers face, Whom in this Conflict, I (vnwares) haue kill’d.
1610. Holland, Camden’s Brit., I. 260. Tirrell him seeing not Unwares him slew with dint of arrow shot.
1642. H. More, Song of Soul, II. I. ii. 35. But to return, Lest what we aim’d at we unwares omit.
B. sb. † 1. In unwares, = A. 2. Obs.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 2018. Bitid a day he was for suonken, And in vnwars o wyn was drunken.
† 2. At unwares, = A. 1. Obs.
In common use c. 1575–1610.
a. 1547. Surrey, Æneis, IV. 90. Like to the … Hinde … which chasing with his dartes Aloofe, the shepheard smiteth at unwares, And leaves unwist in her the thirling head.
1576. Lambarde, Peramb. Kent, 208. The Danes … came freshly vpon the English Mariners at vnwares.
1581. Styward, Mart. Discipl., I. 28. Hauing aduauntage of such as lie in scowte, who waite their time to assaile them at vnwares.
1606. G. W[oodcocke], Hist. Ivstine, VI. 32. The Thebanes … began a new plot of cunning purposing … to set vpon them at vnwares.
1632. Holland, Cyrupædia, 31. They that are skilfull to circumvent their enimies, can … put them first in a good conceit of themselves, and then surprize them at unwares.
C. adj. † 1. Unwary, incautious. Obs.
1548. Udall, etc., Erasm. Par. Matt. vii. 33 b. To the intent he maye poyson with hys heresye, them that be vnwares and negligent.
1565. Stapleton, trans. Bede’s Hist. Ch. Eng., 27. Thinking to steale vppon them and so easely obtaine the victory ouer them, as vnwares and vnarmed.
† 2. Unexpected, unlooked-for. Obs.
1548. Udall, etc., Erasm. Par. Matt. xxvi. 26 b. As a thing vnwares & not loked for.
a. 1586. Sidney, Arcadia, III. x. The most … comfortable ayre, which an unwares sigh might bestow upon them.
