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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 2002 (DOST Vol. XII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

War(e, Wery, adj. Also: var, warr(e, uarre, wair, wer(e, weir, war(r)ie, -y. Compar. warrar(e, -er, varrar. [ME and e.m.E. war(r, warre (all Orm), ware (Manning), wer (c1325), warye (1552), wary (1563), warie (1575), OE wær, ON var-r.]See also Beware.

1. Aware of, cognisant of (a situation) or that something is the case. Also, once, without of.(1) 1375 Barb. iii 12.
Thai war a thowsand weill or ma And come for to suppris the king That weill wes war of thar cummyng a1400 Leg. S. xxx 122.
Quhen scho thare-of wes ware That he lewit to play & syng c1450-2 Howlat 512 (A).
So was he war than Of ane wy him allane, worthy and wicht. Circulit with Saraȝenis a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 237.
Syne war thai war of ane wane, wrocht with ane wal, Reirdit on ane riche roche, beside ane riveir c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 63/93.
In fals vane glory thai so drunkin ar, Thair wit is went, of wo thai ar nocht war c1520-c1535 Nisbet Prol. Rom. 317/31.
Thou … seis anne mote in another manis eye, bot art not ware of the beame that is in thi awin eye 15.. Lichtoun Dreme 40 (B).
We ware weill ware of Enoch and Elye Sittand on ȝule evin … Rostand straberries at ane fyre of snaw 1572 Buch. Detect. (1727) 141.
Gif it wer utherwyse, greiter inconvenience micht come to us baith then we ar war of 1609 Garden Garden 66.
Wharby from profiting, so much, we ar, That of our selfe we should waxe war and war(b) 1596 Highland P. I 154.
John Campbell … was … sittand before the fyre … dreidand na … harme … and … or ever the said John … was weir of himself the said Gillipatrick … schot him(c) 1617 Inverurie 204.
He most cruellie set upon me, or I was wair of him, with ane drawn sword(2) 1460 Hay Alex. 722.
I wat na caus of fede … That suld betuix ws be as hidder-tillis Bot as men sayis mak till ws war thi willis

2. Abreast of a situation; well-informed, prepared; alert, vigilant. Also proverb. a1500 Henr. Fab. 480.
The foxe wes war, and hint him be the throte c1475 Wall. i 92.
Corspatryk … Set wp ȝettis syne, couth his baner schaw; The ost was war, and towart hym thai draw a1500 K. Hart 359.
Danger to the dure tuik gude keip … that Pietie suld nocht pas … to sleip scho went anone Pietie was war … And privelie out at the dure is gone a1500 K. Hart 673.
Wit said ‘Schir king, be war or ȝe be way' a1508 Kennedy Flyt. 258.
How thy forbearis come, I haif a feill, … the writ makis me war 1513 Doug. ii iii 72.
Or ȝe beyn war, apon ȝou wilt thai be 15.. Clar. iii 1077.
The Caine … On hors he lape and forward com in haist … Clariodus was war, and weill he knew That the grit Caine com him to persew 1562-3 Winȝet II 60/21.
The kirk of Christe, a diligent and a war keipar of that doctrine to it deliuerit, in it neuir changeis ony thing, na thing diminusis [etc.] c1590 Fowler I 69/65.
Was never suche a scrimeur than so able, war, and quik, For to awaird or to eshew the blow, the stogg, and prik 1596 Dalr. I 275/20.
The Peychtis … Scotland invades, or thay war warr and suddanlie a1605 Montg. Misc. P. xxiv 6.
Or sho wes war, evin with the word, anone Sho wes transformit in a marble stone 1609 Crim. Trials III 26.
Some of thame … maid ane onsett on the rebellis … bot wer preventit by some of the Laird of Largy his servandis who persauit … his forces going towardis Ergyle, quhair the rebellis wer, and set on grite beikynis to mak thame warrproverb. a1598 Ferg. Prov. No. 324.
He is wise that is ware in time

b. Cautious with regard to a situation, one's own or another's actions, etc., guarded as regards an outcome, careful, wary. Chiefly const. be (chiefly as imperative). Also compar.(1) 1375 Barb. xix 445.
The lord Douglas that ay was war And set owt wachis her and thar Gat wyt off thar enbuschement c1409-1436 Kingis Q. § 164.
On the quhele … they were ware that long sat in place, So tolter quhilum did sche it to-wrye c1475 Wall. x 8.
The hycht thai tuk, and lukit thaim about, So war thai war off Wallace and his rout 1600-1610 Melville 165.
The œconomus of the collage … being a slight and war man … he thought it wald nather be profitable nor sure for him to [etc.] 1600-1610 Melvill 22.
I fell, and thairwithe strak my selff … wherby … I was the mair war of knyffes all my dayes 1643 Baillie II 54.
The moderator spake … about … being warr of novation(b) 1531 Bell. Boece II 377.
King Robert [wes] wery quhat wes to be done in this mater ?1613 W. Alexander Doomes-day 454.
The warie hare (whose feare oft sport) hath made 1611-57 Mure Hist. Rowallane 244.
Archibald … wnless he had been both stout, warrie, & provident … could hardlie have mantained quhat his father had recovered(2) a1400 Leg. S. iii 326.
Criste … taucht men, that al ydolis ar Bot fendis, and with tham to be ware a1400 Leg. S. xxx 27.
Ȝet suld gud wemen ware be To rowne with thaim in priuete Or ȝet corow for to hald With sic wifis c1420 Wynt. iv 420.
Scho bad hym be ware that Cyrus At hym suld noucht sa grewyd be, That he suld hang hym on a tre 1460 Hay Alex. 308.
The goddis … bad me with myne awin bairnis be war, For myne awin son suld be myne vndoar a1500 Henr. Fab. 1925.
The halie preichour … Exhortand folk to walk, and ay be wair Fra nettis of our wickit enemie c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 175/1.
O wreche, be war: this warld will wend thé fro Quhilk hes begylit mony greit estait 1536 Lynd. Answ. Flyting 67.
Be war with lawbouring of ȝour lance 1560 Rolland Seven S. 9089.
I salbe war, baith be nicht and be day a1570-86 J. Maitland in Maitl. F. 435/31.
Be war thairfoir with weddir waw & wind With wncaith coursis and wnknawin cost 1570 Bann. Trans. 30.
Be circumspect and ware that the interpryse be not disclosed a1605 Montg. Misc. P. x 9.
A wyse man will be war, And will not ventur but advyse(b) a1400 Leg. S. xl 1343.
Be were be me that thai Nocht bot lowyng of thé say. For be me knawine has thu made That thu cane helpe & hurt but bade(c) 1581-1623 James VI Poems I 78/11.
Gif ȝe speik of loue, be warre ȝe descryue ȝour loues makdome, or her fairnes 1581-1623 James VI Poems I 89/27.
Fra tyme be past, to call it bakwart syne Is bot in vaine: therefore men sould be warr, To sleuth the tyme that flees fra them so farr 1598 James VI Basil. Doron 107/6.
Be uerrie uarre then in making choice of youre seruauntis & cumpanie(d) ?c1675 J. Gordon Hist. III 138.
It be the pairt of good subjectes to be wary how they come neere the suspitione of treasone and rebellione 1676 Dunblane Synod 114.
The wholl memberes of the synod were requyred to be warie of any such practise in tyme comeing 1698 Penninghame Par. Rec. I 18.
His expressions are found rash and imprudent. He is admonished to be more warry againcompar. 1375 Barb. v 548.
How that euer it fell per de I trow he sall the warrer [C. varrar] be a1500 Henr. Fab. 1814 (Bann.).
His pray full seindill tymes will he mis Bot giff we birdis all the warrare be 1560 Rolland Seven S. 3620.
I pray ȝow tell [supra this taill], for it is my desire, That be the same I may the warrar be, And to eschew falset and subteltie

3. In collocation with wys, witty, etc.: Skilled, competent, cunning. 1375 Barb. x 338.
Off thar awine nacioun Thai maid ane constable thaim to lede Bath wys & war [C. Richt war and vis] & wycht off deid a1400 Leg. S. xl 36.
Niniane … leyrit to red & syng, & of vthire vndirstanding; For the maister he had thane, Wes wer & wise & vertuise mane a1400 Leg. S. xliv 97.
Var c1420 Ratis R. 218.
It is a wertew maist of price In spekin to be ware and wis 1460 Hay Alex. 1228.
The king him gaif his baner for to beir, For he haid euir bene wise and war in wair c1460 Thewis Wysmen 476.
Be war and wys, and kep ȝow now c1475 Wall. v 597.
Scho … rycht lawly hyr bar; Amyabill, so benyng, war, and wys; Curtas and swete, fulfillyt of gentrys a1500 Seven S. 1707.
Or thai past the towne within … As thai war wylye war and witte … At ilk port a hole thai maide And tharin a gold barell slaide a1497, 15.. Gray MS vi 55.
Quhar is … Virgil that wes war & wis And wist all wardly werk but wer? 1513 Doug. xi vi 56.
He … Thus answer maid with wordis war and wys a1538 Abell 1a.
He is happy that the fate of wthir men makis wis or were a1568 Scott iii 38.
Be wyis and war, and watt thame ay with wylis a1585 Polwart Flyt. 215 (T).
Woif, witles vanter, war nor wys