▪ I. † wade, n.1 Obs.
[= MLG. wade, MHG., mod.G. wate fem., seine; cf. ON. vað-r masc., fishing-line, Sw. vad masc., Norw. vad neut., Da. vod seine.]
Some kind of fishing net. Also wade-net.
| 1388–9 Acc. Obedientiars Abingdon (Camden) 57, j rete vocatum wade et j flowe, cum alio rete vocato chanenet. 1630 in Binnell's Descr. Thames (1758) 75 Nor shall fish..except with a Wade Net for Bait only. |
▪ II. wade, n.2 rare.
(weɪd)
[f. wade v.]
An act of wading.
| 1665 R. Brathwait Comment Two Tales 166 It is a dear wade, when your Life lies upon the last Stake. 1904 Daily Chron. 7 May 5/2 The Japanese..have already begun to erect piers so as to avoid the necessity of that long wade. |
▪ III. wade, v.
(weɪd)
Pa. tense and pple. waded. Forms: 1 wadan, 4–6 Sc. waid, vaid, vayd, 8 Sc. wide, 6 waade, 3– wade. pa. tense 1 wód, 3 wode, (4 woude), 4–6 wod, 6 Sc. woed, woide, woyd; 6– waded. pa. pple. 4 waad, wad, 8 Sc. wid, 7 wade, 6– waded.
[A Com. Teut. (orig. strong) verb (not recorded in Gothic): OE. wadan (also ᵹewadan), pa. tense wód, pl. *wódon, pa. pple. *ᵹewaden, corresp. to OFris. wada strong vb. (WFris. wâdzje weak, NFris. waar strong, to wade), MDu. waeden strong, later weak (Du. waden weak) to wade, MLG. waden strong and weak (LG. waden, waen weak) to wade, OHG. watan strong, to go, press forward, wade (MHG., mod.G. waten weak, to wade), ON. vaða strong, to go through, wade (Norw. vada, vadda, vaa strong, Sw. vada, Da. vade weak, to wade), f. OTeut. *wađ-: *wōđ-:—pre-Teut. *wā̆dh- = L. vādĕre to go, proceed, walk. The root, which occurs only in Teut. and L., is represented also by the n. OE. wæd, ON. vað, L. vadum neut., ford, shallow water.
The mod.Eng. specific sense, ‘to walk in water’, though prominent in the other Teut. langs., is not recorded in OE. (unless perhaps in the compound oferwadan overwade v.). In OE. the vb. is almost confined to poetical use.
The strong inflexion became obsolete in the 16th c.]
1. intr. To go (physically). † a. Of persons and animals: To go, advance, move onward; chiefly, to go over or through something. Obs.
| Beowulf 2661 [He] wod þa ðurh ðone wælrec. a 1000 Andreas 1271 (Gr.) Ða com hæleða þreat wadan. c 1375 Sc. Leg. Saints xxviii. (Margaret) 250 Þi mawmentis..gerris in hel þare makaris wad. Ibid. xxix. (Placidas) 750 As he towart me cuth wad, a gredy wolf hynt me. a 1400 Alexius (MS. Laud 622) 548 Alexius fer and ner gan wade, For nouȝth wolde he spare. 1581 Styward Mart. Discipl. i. 85 You maie send certaine rankes of Pikes vnto the Front towards the enimie, which shall wade through to strengthen the battaile. c 1648–50 R. Brathwait Barnabees Jrnl. iv. (1818) 153 Farewell,..Steepy wayes by which I waded, And those trugs with which I traded. |
† b. Of inanimate things, esp. of a weapon: To go through, to penetrate into something. Obs.
| 993 Battle of Maldon 157 Ord in ᵹewod. c 1290 S. Eng. Leg. 69/51 Þe harde scourgene in is tendre flechs deope gonne wade. c 1300 Havelok 2645 He..bi þe shu[l]dre blade þe sharpe swerd let wade þorw the brest unto þe herte. 13.. Northern Passion II. 138/1210a Þe þornes wode in his flesse. c 1386 Chaucer Monk's T. 504 Whan myght is ioyned vn-to crueltee Allas to depe wol the venym wade. c 1400 Rowland & O. 478 Thurgh the horse schuldirs the swerde gan wade. |
† 2. a. fig. To go (in action, thought, or discourse); to proceed. Obs.
Often difficult to distinguish from 3 c, in which it ultimately merged.
| c 1374 Chaucer Troylus ii. 150 They..gonnen wade In meny an uncouthe glad and depe matere, As freendes don, whan they ben met yfere. 1412–20 Lydg. Chron. Troy ii. 5762, I holde hym eke vnable To ben acceptid..Whan þat her tonge wadeth on þe lye. c 1440 J. Capgrave St. Kath. 1624 What wil ȝe ferthere in this mater wade? c 1535 Fisher Wks. (E.E.T.S.) 441 To reherse his reasons, and so waade in this matter with them, it were inough for an holle daye. 1538 Bale Thre Lawes 1029 Lucifer I made So hyghly to wade To God he wolde be equall. 1549 Latimer 1st Serm. bef. Edw. VI (Arb.) 22, I might seme..to take this parte of scripture because I woulde wade easilye awaye there wyth, and dryue my matter at my pleasure. 1568 Grafton Chron. II. 877 Which secret Serpent caused their furie to wade farther then reason could retract or restrayne. 1587 Golding De Mornay xxv. (1617) 424 Well may mans skill wade into weekes & moneths: but considering the vncertainty of worldly matters, it can neuer wade into yeeres. 1589 R. Robinson Golden Mirr. (Chetham Soc.) 60 Thy grace extend to guide my feete Least I should wade awry. 1605 Verstegan Dec. Intell. vi. (1628) 156 Martin Luther wadeth further, and will haue England also to be a part of Germany. 1616 Jas. I Sp. Star-Chamb. 20 June D 2, That which concernes the mysterie of the Kings power, is not lawfull to be disputed, for that is to wade into the weakenesse of Princes. 1642–7 H. More Song of Soul ii. iii. iv. xxxiv, If this Out-world continually hath wade Through a long long-spun-time. 1653 R. Sanders Physiogn. 279, I have sufficiently waded in this various Doctrine. 1691 Ray Creation i. (1704) 64, I will not wade further into this Controversie. 1709 J. Logan in Pennsylv. Hist. Soc. Mem. X. 381 Thus far I have waded thro' some parts of his conduct in relation to the Proprietor. |
† b. To ‘go’, be (in a certain condition), ‘go about’ (in certain attire). Obs.
| 1593 Norden Spec. Brit., Essex (Camden) Introd. p. xii, Husbandmen..who wade in the weedes of gentlemen. 1576 Fleming Panopl. Epist. 335 In the want of which two thinges you doe not wade, as wise men hould opinion. 1596 Spenser F.Q. iv. x. 53 My hart gan throb And wade in doubt what best were to be donne. |
† c. to wade out of: to escape from. Obs.
| c 1386 Chaucer Merch. T. 440 But lat us waden out of this matere. 1525 Ld. Berners Froiss. II. cxxviii [cxxiv]. 363 Therby shall you wade out of all sclaundre. 1560 J. Daus tr. Sleidane's Comm. 91 Not with standing it waded out of all these daungers at the length [L. et tamen ex his omnibus malis emersisse tandem]. |
† d. To continue discussion with a person. Obs.
| 1527 Wolsey in St. Papers Hen. VIII, I. 203 And thus, wading further with the said Ambassadour, he shewed unto me, that [etc.]. 1539 Cromwell in Merriman Life & Lett. (1902) II. 176 Further wading with hym, he hath shewed unto me that [etc.]. 1540 Hen. VIII in St. Papers VIII. 362 That you shall likewise wade with the sayde Ambassadour of Portugall, to fynde out the very auctours of his saynges. 1546 Masone in St. Papers Hen. VIII, XI. 109 This I tell you..to thintent that before yow shall to farre wade wyth him in your instructions, you may [etc.]. 1568 Sir F. Knollys in Ellis Orig. Lett. Ser. i. II. 245 Thus farr I waded with hyr Grace to make hyr cawse disputable, but whan I sawe hyr tears, I forbayre to prosequte myn objection. |
3. a. To walk through water or any liquid or soft substance which impedes motion. Formerly often, to pass over a river, etc., on foot (now rare). Phrase, to wade (up) to (the knees, armpits, etc.).
| [c 893: see overwade v.] c 1220 Bestiary 357 Oc on swimmeð bi-forn, and alle ðe oðre foleȝen, weðer so he swimmeð er he wadeð. c 1305 Land Cokaygne 179 Seuen yearis in swineis dritte He mot wade..up to þe chynne. c 1307 Song on Exec. Sir S. Fraser 100 in Wright Pol. Songs (Camden) 217 He wod into the water his feren him bysyde to adrenche. 1362 Langl. P. Pl. A. vi. 58 Wadeþ in þat water, wasscheþ ow wel þere. 1375 Barbour Bruce ix. 356 Till at the last he fand a place, That men mycht to thair schulderis vaid. Ibid. 388 He weill our woude, Bot till his throt the vattir stude. c 1386 Chaucer Sompn. T. 376 He [sc. Cirus] made that the ryuer was so smal That wommen myghte wade it ouer al. 1390 Gower Conf. I. 234 This Geant..tok this ladi up alofte..And in the flode began to wade. c 1400 Laud Troy Bk. 7262 Men myght with-Inne a wyle wade A-mong the hors vp to the hamme. 1470–85 Malory Arthur iv. xxvi. 156 He drofe hym in to a water but the gyant was soo hyghe that he myghte not wade after hym. 1513 Douglas æneis x. xiii. 23 The hydduus Oryon Quhen he on fute woyd throu the mekle see. 1530 Palsgr. 770/1 The ryver is nat so depe as you take it, for a man may wade it over. a 1533 Ld. Berners Huon cliv. 587 Huon and the duches waded to the londe. 1624 Capt. J. Smith Virginia vi. 230 They were forced to wade a great way vp to the knees in water. 1662 R. Venables Exper. Angler x. 99 In small Brooks you may angle upwards, or else in great Rivers you must wade. 1684 W. Hedges Diary (Hakl. Soc.) I. 159 The Waters were risen so high that men waded to their middle in most of the Streets. 1727 [Dorrington] Philip Quarll (1816) 7 Finding it..but breast high, we..waded to the other side. a 1728 Ramsay To W. Starrat 30 Aft have I wid thro' glens with chorking feet, When neither plaid nor kelt could fend the weet. 1821 Scott Kenilw. ix, Through a deep and muddy lane, he at length waded on to the place. 1843 Borrow Bible in Spain xxxi, A rill of water, through which we were compelled to wade as high as the knee. 1860 Tyndall Glac. i. xxvi. 215 The men wading through the snow appeared as if climbing up a wall. 1884 Macm. Mag. Feb. 307 Pilgrims, wading knee deep in the river mud, walk round the holy city in sun-wise circuit. 1894 J. Payn Gleams of Memory 99 The gentlemen waded and carried the ladies on their shoulders. |
| indirect passive 1388 Wyclif Ezek. xlvii. 5 The depe watris of the stronde hadden wexe greet, that mai not be waad ouer [1382 be ouer wad]. 1544 Betham Precepts War i. cxciii. I v, What is to be done when waters can not be waded ouer. 1672 J. Lacey tr. Tacquett's Milit. Archit. 21 It cannot be less than six feet, otherwise a wet Ditch might be waded over. |
¶ transf. (in nonce-uses).
| 13.. Gaw. & Gr. Knt. 787 Þe walle 'wod in þe water wonderly depe. 1744 M. Bishop Life & Adv. 255 The Edgar..was blown up..after wading through those hazardous Seas that we had just arrived from. |
b. in figurative context, esp. to wade through blood, slaughter, etc.
| c 1400 Rom. Rose 5022 To wynne the Ioy that is eterne, Fro which go bakward youthe hir made, In vanite to droune and wade. 1463 Ashby Poems ii. 46 For I cannat swym, I stand on the brynk Wadyng no forther, but as crist Iesus Sendith me konnyng. 1591 Harington Orl. Fur. Apol. Poetrie ¶vj b, As one writes very pretily, that children do wade in Virgill, and yet strong men do swim in it. 1597 Hooker Eccl. Pol. v. lxvii. §4 They had..a sea of comfort and ioy to wade in. 1605 Shakes. Macb. iii. iv. 137, I am in blood Stept in so farre, that should I wade no more, Returning were as tedious as go ore. 1641 J. Jackson True Evang. T. i. 21, I will carry you along to wade through that Acheldama,..when the Dogge-star..of Persecution so raged. 1748 Richardson Clarissa (1811) I. 3 To encourage a man who is to wade into her favour (this was his expression) through the blood of her brother. 1750 Gray Elegy 67 To wade through slaughter to a throne. 1886 C. E. Pascoe Lond. To-day xvi. (ed. 3) 150 When France..went back for a time to the old form of legitimate monarchy which she had waded through seas of blood to destroy. |
c. fig. (Now chiefly, to go through a tedious task, a long or uninteresting book.)
| 1398 Trevisa Barth. De P.R. i. (1495) 8 It is peryllouse..to wade depe in thyse materes of dyuynyte. c 1530 Frith Disput. Purgat. Wks. (1573) 59/1 Me thinketh also that he wadeth to deepe to descende to purgatorye by thys text. 1601 Holland Pliny xxv. xi. II. 232 Since we are waded so far into the deepe secrets of Physicke. c 1624 Rowley etc. Witch Edmonton i. ii. (1658) 12 On every side I am distracted: Am waded deeper into mischief, then vertue can avoid. But on I must. 1756 C. Lucas Ess. Waters I. Pref., The griping critic..wades through massive volumes in search of faults. 1806–7 J. Beresford Miseries Hum. Life xvii. ¶1 Six-pence a day for the pleasure of wading through 16 columns of dull lies. 1809 Brougham Contrib. Edin. Rev. (1856) II. 300 From the large mass of matter through which we have been obliged to wade,..we have selected the publications mentioned in the title. 1893 Stevenson Catriona ii, I warn you that you're wading deep. I wouldn't put myself in your place. 1907 Verney Mem. I. 375 Wading through the endless tangle of their accounts. |
† d. To persevere under difficulties. ? nonce-use.
| 1714 in Jrnl. Friends' Hist. Soc. (1918) 29 We found the Exercise of the day heavy enough to wade under. |
e. to wade in: to make a vigorous or concerted attack on one's opponent; to intervene, esp. vocally; to wade into (colloq., orig. U.S.): to assail or confront energetically.
| 1863 B. Harte in U.S. Sanitary Commission Bull. (1864) I. vii. 201/1 Phrases such as camps may teach... Such as ‘Bully!’ ‘Them's the peach!’ ‘Wade in, Sanitary! 1893 H. A. Shands Some Pecularities of Speech in Mississippi 66 Wade into. One man is said to wade into another when he attacks him very vigorously with either fist or tongue. This phrase is used by all classes. 1904 J. London Let. 17 Nov. (1966) 165 The lawyers..waded into me good and hard for the cash. 1905 N.Y. Even. Post 2 Sept., When a herd of sheep wades in on a patch of bluebells, they stand still and eat all day. 1928 Daily Express 30 July 13/6 Though severely punished by Pattenden's lefts to the face he repeatedly waded in. 1935 D. L. Sayers Gaudy Night ii. 33, I don't stop to think... I just wade right in and ask for what I want. 1952 E. F. Davies Illyrian Venture vi. 104 Luckily the Germans had not known how easily they could have waded into us. 1967 N. Marsh Death at Dolphin v. 125 Don't let it give you a moment's pause... Just you wade in to Conducis. 1976 Sun 11 Mar. 11/4 Miss Georgina Burton..waded in with her shopping bag and chased the gang away. 1984 J. Barnes Flaubert's Parrot x. 132 The writer must wade into life as into the sea, but only up to the navel. |
4. transf. Of the sun or moon: To move (apparently) through clouds or mist; to be clouded. Chiefly Sc. and north.
| a 1400–50 Wars Alex. 4141 Þe son wadis..& þe wedire gloumes. 1646 Trapp Comm. John xviii. 23, 121 We must, when aspersed, labour as the eclipsed Moon, by keeping our motion, to wade out of the shadow. 1677 W. Hubbard Narrative 18 After the Moon had waded through the dark shadow of the Earth..the two Companies marched on. 1725 Ramsay Gentle Sheph. i. i, The sun was wading thro' the mist. 1816 Scott Bl. Dwarf iii, The moon..was, in the phrase of that country, wading or struggling with clouds. 1844 H. Stephens Bk. Farm I. 293 When the sun is more or less obscured,..and when he is said to be wading in the cloud, rain may come. 1846 A. Marsh Father Darcy II. xiv. 247 The pale light of a crescent moon wading among the black and lowering clouds. |
5. trans. To walk through (water, etc.). † Also fig.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 8964 Sco lift hir skirt..And barfote wode sco þat burn. 1375 Barbour Bruce xix. 760 The mekill mos..That wes so hydwis for till waid. c 1480 Henryson Paddock & Mouse 38 Thocht the brym be perrillous to waid. 1513 Douglas æneis iii. x. 31 Nor the deip see Ionium, for all his hycht, Ne mycht he waid equallie ws to arest. a 1548 Hall Chron., Hen. VII, 18 b, The Englishmen in the forefront waded the dyche. 1563 Foxe A. & M. 849 b, Whiche was he sayde, a matter that he hadde diligently waded auncient authors bothe greeke and latine for. 1579 Fenton Guicciard. x. (1599) 437 Three thousand footmen..afterwardes waded the foord of Myncia. 1822 Byron Juan vii. xiii, The Danube could not well be waded. 1869 H. F. Tozer Highl. Turkey I. 291 Our guide..made a detour into the mountains to avoid wading the stream. 1888 Goode Amer. Fishes 20 For wading the bars he uses a much longer rod. |
| transf. a 1891 Morris Poems by the Way 122 When we wade the tangled wood. |
6. To cause (a horse) to walk through water.
| 1838 A. E. Bray Tradit. Devon. I. 262 Hence we again waded our horses. |
▪ IV. wade
rare spelling of vade v.
| c 1532 G. Du Wes Introd. Fr. in Palsgr. 946 To wade, flaistrir. |
▪ V. wade
obs. var. wad n.1, wed, woad.