▪ I. † ˈwary, n. Obs.
In 3 wari, weri.
[OE. wearᵹ, wearh = OS. warag, OHG. warc, warch criminal, felon (whence Frankish Law Latin vargus outlaw), MHG. warc monster, ON. varg-r outlaw, hence wolf (Sw., Norw. varg, wolf, mod.Icel. vargur fox), Goth. *warg-s (attested by the compound launawargs unthankful person, and the derivatives ga-wargjan to condemn, wargiþa condemnation):—OTeut. *warᵹo-z.
Probable cognates outside Teut. are Lith. vârgas misery, vargti to be wretched, OPrussian wargs suffering (n.), evil, bad (adj.), Lettish wahrgs ill, OSl. vragŭ (Russian vrag) enemy.]
A felon, outlaw, villain.
| a 1000 Dream of the Rood 31 Strange feondas..heton me heora werᵹas hebban. a 1000 Gloss. in Wr.-Wülcker 245/40 Furcifer, wearh. a 1200 St. Marher. 4 Þe wari of þeos wordes warð utnumen wrað. c 1205 Lay. 28215 Mi seolf ich wulle hine an-hon haxst alre warien. a 1225 Ancr. R. 352 My Louerd, þuruh hwam þe world is me unwurð, & ich am unwurð to him, as weri [v.r. wari] þet is anhonged. |
▪ II. wary, a.
(ˈwɛərɪ)
Also 6 waree, warye, 6–7 warie, 7–8 warry, 7 wairie, warrie.
[First recorded in the 16th c.; f. ware a. + -y1.]
1. Given to caution, habitually on one's guard against danger, deception, or mistake; circumspect.
| 1552 Huloet, Wary or wily, oculeus, solers, uigilans. Warye or wyse, uigilans. 1563 Mirr. Mag., Rivers x, Warne thou the wary, least they hap to stumble. 1575 Gascoigne Posies, Ep. Yong Gentl. (1907) 13 If you take example by the harmes of others who have eaten it [Hemlocke] before you, then may you chaunce to become so warie, that you will looke advisedly on all the Perceley that you gather, least amongst the same one braunch of Hemlock might anoy you. 1594 Hooker Eccl. Pol. Pref. viii. §13 Vpon which question..the warier sort of you taking the one part, and the forwarder in zeale the other. 1614 Sylvester Micro-cosm., Parlt. Vertues Roy. 270 The wisest errs:..The holiest sins: the wariest slips: God is fault-lesse: neuer, Man. 1677 Dryden Apol. Heroic Poetry b 2, This kind of Genius writes indeed correctly. A wary man he is in Grammar; very nice as to Solæcism or Barbarism. 1718 Echard Hist. Eng. III. 588 He being a Person of great Vertue and Piety..; besides this, of a very rich, and of a wary, or rather timorous Nature. 1805 Wellington in Gurw. Desp. (1835) III. 590 If he had recollected the cautious and wary character of that chief. 1820 Byron Mar. Fal. ii. i. 113 The wariest of republics Has lavish'd all its chief employs upon him. 1849 Macaulay Hist. Eng. vi. II. 153, ‘I say nothing about consequences,’ answered the wary diplomatist. 1868 Freeman Norm. Conq. (1876) II. vii. 32 Godwine was essentially a wary statesman. 1884 Law Rep., 25 Chanc. Div. 319 Mr. Bramley was far too wary to admit of even the suspicion of such a thing. |
| Comb. 1832 H. Martineau Hill & Valley (1843) 123 A cool, wary-looking man stood by. |
b. said of animals.
| 1614 Earl Stirling Domesday iii. lvi, The warie Hare, whose feare oft sport hath made. 1634 Sir T. Herbert Trav. 213 The Goats are wary and haue their centinels. 1670 Dryden Conq. Granada i. i, Whose wary Gennet shunning still the Harm, Seem'd to attend the Shock, and then leap'd wide. 1858 Kingsley Misc. (1859) I. 135 How many have you delivered from..wary old alligators? 1865 Livingstone Zambesi xxiii. 465 The animals are wary, from the dread they have of the poisoned arrows. 1884 Pall Mall Budget 22 Aug. 27/1 Of all birds the wariest is the curlew. 1912 J. L. Myres Dawn of Hist. ix. 193 The horse, which is as wary as a watch-dog, is defended against strangers by his heels. |
c. with agent-noun or its equivalent.
| 1570 Dee Math. Pref. b iiij, The third man..erreth to the discredit of the Wary, and modest Astrologien. 1603 Knolles Hist. Turks (1621) 110 A warie observer of his delights..and faithfull partaker of his secrets. 1609 Holland Amm. Marcell. xiv. x. 22 A warie advertiser and adviser of profitable wayes. 1639 Fuller Holy War iv. viii. (1640) 181 All know his Holinesse to be too wary an archer to shoot away his arrows at nothing. 1701 G. Stanhope Pious Breath., St. Bernard viii. ii. (1704) 363 Even the most wary liver cannot be clear of guilt. 1855 Kingsley Heroes, Theseus ii. 214 Theseus was a wary wrestler. |
2. On one's guard, cautious, careful.
| 1592 Shakes. Rom. & Jul. iii. v. 40 The day is broke, be wary, looke about. 1602 ― Ham. i. iii. 43 Be wary then, best safety lies in feare. 1659 Burton's Diary (1828) IV. 272, I hope the gentlemen will be clear, and that they will be warier hereafter. a 1676 Hale Prim. Orig. Man. (1677) 315 Men must be wary and considerate before they conclude against the Frame and Order of things as they appear in Nature. 1797 Mrs. Radcliffe Italian vii, If you can, descend with me in silence, I warn you to be wary. 1822 Byron Wern. i. i, I must be wary; An error would spoil all. 1883 D. C. Murray Hearts x. (1885) 77 Mark was disposed to be wary after what had happened. |
b. const. of.
| 1580 Lyly Euphues (Arb.) 226 If Trauailers in this our age were as warye of their conditions, as they be venterous of their bodyes. 1584–7 Greene Carde of Fancie Wks. (Grosart) IV. 102 She which in her virginitie is charie of her chastitie, in her marriage will be as warie of her honestie. c 1600 Shakes. Sonn. xxii. 9 O therefore loue be of thy selfe so wary, As I not for my selfe, but for thee will. 1686 in Verney Mem. (1907) II. 424 You Hadd Best Bee very wary of all yr words and Actions. 1745 De Foe's Eng. Tradesman vi. (1841) I. 37 A tradesman ought to be very wary of taking too much credit. 1822 Scott Peveril xvii, You have already seen enough of the evils of civil war, to be wary of again awakening its terrors in a peaceful and happy country. 1840 Barham Ingol. Leg., Bagman's Dog, If ever you travel, like Anthony Blogg, Be wary of strangers!—don't take too much grog. |
c. const. in. In early examples the sense of wary in is that now expressed by wary of: ‘to be wary in (doing something)’ = ‘to be wary of’, ‘to beware of’.
| 1617 Moryson Itin. ii. 55 Aduising his Lordship to be wary in crediting intelligences, which were commonly false. 1640 in Verney Mem. (1907) I. 108, I am most wary in giving my father the least distast. 1653 Ramesey Astrol. Restored 290 Ever remember you be wary in pronouncing judgement touching weather and the alteration of the ayr. 1672 Sir T. Browne Let. Friend §8 A remarkable coincidence, which tho Astrology hath taken witty pains to salve yet hath it been very wary in making predictions of it. a 1674 Clarendon Surv. Leviath. (1676) 149 Nor was he more wary in any thing, then..that the people might imagine, that he pretended any other title to the Government, then by the Confessor. c 1680 Beveridge Serm. (1729) I. 53 It cannot but highly concern us all to be very cautious and wary in the choice of our words. 1754 Earl of Corke in J. Duncombe Lett. (1773) III. 26, I want instructive companions, and in them I shall be very wary. |
d. With indirect question. Now rare or Obs.
| 1575 Gascoigne Glasse Govt. Wks. 1910 II. 39 For surely as it [time] is the greatest treasure which God hath given unto man, so ought he to be verie curious and warie how he bestoweth the same. 1602 W. S. Thomas Ld. Cromwell iv. v. 94 Therefore, take heed, be warie what you doe. 1622 Gataker Spirit. Watch (ed. 2) 83 [They] are wont to bee more wary and chary how they carry themselues in their affaires. 1634 Sir T. Herbert Trav. 5 They should be wary, where, and when they wash themselues. a 1661 Fuller Worthies, Lond. (1662) 208 Thus men cannot be too wary what they inscribe on Tombs. 1740 Richardson Pamela (1824) I. i. 18 You ought to be wary what tales you send out of a family. 1812 Cary Dante, Parad. xx. 125 O mortal men! be wary how ye judge. |
e. With clause or inf. of purpose. ? Obs.
| 1668 Evelyn tr. Freart's Idea Perf. Paint. 56 A Painter is here to be wary, that he introduce no other Figures of Men, or any Buildings in the Landskip. a 1674 Clarendon Surv. Leviath. (1676) 27 Without being in any degree wary to avoid palpable contradictions. |
3. Of action, behaviour, observation, etc.: Proceeding from or characterized by caution.
| 1557 Ld. Shrewsbury in Lodge Illustr. Brit. Hist. (1791) I. 283 The L. Wardeyn who..is..instructyd by good cyrcumspeccion, & waree doing to shewe [blank] to th' enymye, in anoying hym, & defendyng of the countrey. 1579 Hake Newes out of Powles (1872) F viij b, Common Innes they [sc. bawds] watch with warie eye If that..they may..espye The country maides that come from far. 1586 A. Day Engl. Secretorie i. (1625) 63 If it bee deemed once fit for you to marry again and that upon the warie and circumspect choice thereof dependeth a manner of necessity. 1587 ― Daphnis & Chloe (1890) 6 With so tender & warie touch as y{supt} with her hoofs going in she might no wayes hurte the babe. 1595 Daniel Civ. Wars iii. xxxvi, Sober, milde Blunt..warnes a warier cariage in the thing. 1599 Marston Antonio's Rev. iv. i, When will the Duke..Keepe warie observation in large pay, To dogge a fooles act? 1612 Brinsley Lud. Lit. xxv. (1627) 270 Yet a wary care must be had, that he be used with respect by the Master. 1646 Sir T. Browne Pseud. Ep. i. viii. 30 If any man..shall carry a wary eye on Paulus Venetus..and many other, I think his circumspection is laudable. 1653 Gataker Vind. Annot. Jer. 55 No Delphik Oracle..could ever have given a wiser and warier answer. 1660 Boyle New Exp. Phys.-Mech. xxii. 161 The wary letting in the Air upon them. 1690 Locke Hum. Und. iii. v. §9 When they appear, upon a more wary survey, to be nothing else but an Artifice of the Understanding. 1711 Steele Spect. No. 91 ¶2 Crastin professes a wary Observation of the Turns of his Mistress's Mind. a 1732 Atterbury 2nd Serm. on 2 Pet. iii. 16 (1734) I. 277 To read that Sacred Volume, with a Wise Jealousy, and a Wary Distrust of our own selves. 1794 Mrs. Radcliffe Myst. Udolpho xlv, I shall keep a wary eye upon all that passes in the chateau. 1821 Lamb Elia, Old Benchers, L. who had a wary foresight of his probable hallucinations. 1837 W. Irving Capt. Bonneville III. 111 It was necessary, also, to keep a wary eye upon the land, for they were..continually in reach of any ambush that might be lurking on shore. |
† 4. Careful in expenditure, thrifty, provident.
| 1605 Lond. Prodigal i. ii. 159, I knewe your father, he was a wary husband. a 1657 Sir W. Mure Hist. 244 Wnless he had been both stout, warrie, and provident in the turbulent times quherin he lived, he could hardlie have maintained quhat his father had recovered. 1708 S. Centlivre Busy Body i. i, I knew thy father, he was a hearty wary man, and I cannot consent that his son should squander away what he saved to no purpose. 1709 Steele Tatler No. 91 ¶1, I have, by leading a very wary Life, laid up a little Money. 1812 H. & J. Smith Rej. Addr., Theatre 68 Jews from St. Mary Axe, for jobs so wary, That for old cloaths they'd even axe St. Mary. |
▪ III. † ˈwary, v. Obs.
Forms: 1 wierᵹan, wirᵹan, werᵹan, wyr(i)ᵹan, wiriᵹan, wirian, north. wœrᵹa, Mercian wærᵹan, 2 wereᵹian, 3–4 werie, 4–5 wery, 4 werye, werry, Sc. very, 6 weray; 3–7 warie, 4–5 wari, warrie, 4 Sc. vary, 4–6 warye, (5 warow), 4–5, 8 warry, 5–6 warre, 6 warrye, 4–7 wary.
[OE. wierᵹan, wærᵹan:—OTeut. *warᵹjan, f. *warᵹo-z, OE. wearᵹ felon, wary n. Cf. Goth. gawarᵹjan to condemn (= OE. ᵹewierᵹan to curse), OS. giwaragean, OHG. far-wergen to curse (cf. for-wary v.)]
1. trans. To invoke a curse upon; to declare accursed; to pour maledictions upon.
| c 725 Corpus Gloss. D 25 Deuotaturus, werᵹendi. c 897 ælfred Gregory's Past. C. xlix. 376 Se þe his hwæte hyt, hiene wierᵹð ðæt folc. c 1000 Ags. Gosp. Matt. v. 11 Eadiᵹe synd ᵹe þonne hiᵹ wyriað eow and ehtað eow. c 1000 ælfric Gloss. in Wr.-Wülcker 131/3 Deuoto, ic wyrᵹe. c 1200 Trin. Coll. Hom. 183 Iuele wurmes mote þe chewe.., rotie mote þu to time. þus wareð þe sowle þe licame, for þat hit haueð þar after ierned. 1338 R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 319 Þe Inglis men were wone, to wery long trayne. 1340 Hampole Pr. Consc. 7422 Þai salle wery þe tyme þat þai war wroght. c 1374 Chaucer Troylus ii. 1619 And Poliphete þey gonnen þus to waryen An-honged be swych on were he my broþer. Ibid. v. 1378 My Ioye in wo I kan seye yow naught ellis Bot torned is, for which my lif I warie. c 1400 Pilgr. Sowle (Caxton 1483) iv. xxxviii. (1859) 65 Thus is the kynge of his people waryed, and cursid. c 1440 Rel. Pieces fr. Thornton MS. xiv. 195 Than thay wepede and weryede þaire werke and þaire wyll. c 1440 Pallad. on Husb. i. 530 It is an adversarie To every seed, now everie birdde hem warie! c 1440 Promp. Parv. 516/2 Waryyn', or cursyn', imprecor, maledico, execror. c 1450 Holland Houlate 954 He waryit the tyde That he was wrocht in this warld wofull in weir. c 1460 Play Sacram. 479 in Non-Cycle Myst. Plays 72 Now alle þe deuyllys of hell hym wari. c 1470 Harding Chron. cciii. iv, The commens all than of all Englande grounde, Warred his gate [v.r. cursed his viage] to Wales euery yere. a 1500 Ratis Raving 1994 For-thi I bles it [this age] nocht as best, Na yit I wary it nocht as verst. 1509 Barclay Ship of Fools (1874) I. 70 Consyder this prouerbe of antyquyte And your vnkyndnes weray ban and curse. 1513 Douglas æneis iii. vi. 188 Thus oft the pepill but ansueir gayis thair wayis, And wariis the sait of Sibyll all thair dayis. 1572 Satir. Poems Reform. xxxi. 193 Than sall thay warie, curse, & ban The murtherars yat yir weiris began. a 1605 Montgomerie Misc. P. xxi. 25 O! waryit be the vhyle That euer we wer acquent! ― Sonn. xxxiii. 1 Vhom suld I warie bot my wicked weard. a 1667 Skinner Etymol. (1671), To Wary, vox agro Lanc. familiaris quæ significat Maledicere. c 1746 J. Collier (Tim Bobbin) View Lanc. Dial. (1770) 19 Theyr'n warrying, banning, on cawing one onother leawsy Eawls, os thick os leet. |
b. To pronounce a formal curse against. (Said of God, the Church, etc.)
| a 1352 Minot Poems App. ii. 214 Weried with Goddes mowth mai ȝe warand. c 1375 Sc. Leg. Saints xv. (Barnabas) 157, & þare tempyl waryt he [Barnabas] quhare-in sik men had entre. c 1400 Apol. Loll. 14 Þe kirke..mai not iustli wari him, ne pray iuil to him. a 1425 Cursor M. 22103 (Trin.) Oure lorde warieþ þese two townes. And thus seiþ..Corozaym euer be þe wo And þe bethsaida eke also. 1562 Aberd. Kirk Sess. Rec. (Spalding Club) 7 God commandis fader and moder to be honored..cursing and wareyng all brekaris of this commandment. |
| absol. c 1400 Apol. Loll. 13 Þo ministris of þe kirke..owe boþe to curse and wari, but neuer for iuil wille ne veniaunce, but for luf of ritwisnes. |
2. To speak impiously or profanely against; to blaspheme.
| c 1000 ælfric Lev. xxiv. 16 Se man, þe wiriᵹð drihtnes naman, swelte he deaðe. a 1340 Hampole Psalter lxxxviii. 31 Si iusticias meas prophanauerint..If thai wery my rightwisnesis. c 1375 Sc. Leg. Saints iv. (James) 226 Bot þu wary þe name of criste Ihesu,..þu sal be vnheidyt. a 1500 Ratis Raving 3411 Wary nocht god for thi mischans. |
3. To afflict with evils or calamities: = curse v. 5. Chiefly as pa. pple., also in phr. waried worth (it, them, etc.) = may it, they, be afflicted.
| c 1200 Trin. Coll. Hom. 181 For þat þu ete þat ich þe forboden hadde, waried wurðe þe eorðe on þine werke. a 1300 Cursor M. 920 Þe werld es werid wit þi sin. c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. Wace (Rolls) 203 Whan God took wreche of Kaymes synne, Þe erthe was waryed in his werk. a 1340 Hampole Psalter ix. 24 The wickid that noyes til his neghtbure es blissid,..thof he ware better worthi to be werid. a 1400 Morte Arth. 959 Weryd worthe the wyghte ay, that the thy wytt refede. c 1400 Laud Troy Book 6373 Waried worth hem vs hedir broght! c 1400 Destr. Troy 12212 Thurgh the craft of þat cursed, knighthode may shame And wary all oure workes to the worldes end. c 1420 Wyntoun Cron. i. iv. 15 Adam worthit to wyn his fud Off þe erd þat warite was. 1597 Guistard & Sismond B ij, Cursed might he be and waried eternally. |
4. absol. or intr. To utter a curse or curses.
| a 1225 Ancr. R. 70 Ȝe ne schulen uor none þinge ne warien, ne swerien. Ibid. 186 Ne wrekie ȝe nout ou suluen,..ne ne warien hwon me agulteð to ou. a 1300 E.E. Psalter lxi. 5 With þaire mouth þan blissed þai, And with þair hert þai weried ai. 1303 R. Brunne Handl. Synne 1288 And, ȝe wyuys,..werryþ nat for lytyl trespas. c 1380 Wyclif Wks. (1880) 234 Þei grucchen aȝen, & cursen & warien nyȝt & day. 1382 ― Matt. xxvi. 74 Thanne he began to warye and swere, that he knewe nat the man. c 1440 Jacob's Well 92 Whanne þou warowyst, chydest, betyst, & faryst as a wood man. 1501 Douglas Pal. Hon. iii. 816 Thus I remanit..Cursand the feildis with all the fair colouris, That I awolk oft wariand the quhile. c 1518 Skelton Magnyf. 2238 What beggar art thou, that thus doth banne and wary. 1535 Goodly Primer, Passion iv, Then began he to bann, to wary, & to forswear himself stiffly. a 1578 Lindesay (Pitscottie) Chron. Scot. (S.T.S.) I. 30 The peopill began to warie and curs that evir it chanceit theme to leiwe in sick wicked and dangerous tymes. c 1746 J. Collier (Tim Bobbin) View Lanc. Dial. (1770) 20 He glooart awvishly ot Mezzil fease; on Mezzil fease glendurt os wrythenly ot him ogen; bot noather warrit, nor thrapt. |
Hence † ˈwarying vbl. n.
| c 1200 Trin. Coll. Hom. 177 Þe oreguil and þe wraððe of kinges..þe..bringen on þe folkes heorte grete stormes..of hatienge, and on here muðe curses, and werȝinges. Ibid. 179 Ne wrec þu þe mid wussinge, ne mid warienge, ac heald me þe wrache. a 1225 Ancr. R. 200 Þe Unicorne of Wreððe..haueð six hweolpes... Þe veorðe is Wariunge. a 1340 Hampole Psalter ix. 29 Cuius malediccione os plenum est,..Whas mouth is ful of weriynge & bitternes & treson. c 1440 Promp. Parv. 516/2 Waryynge, malediccio, imprecacio. c 1450 Mirour Saluacioun (Roxb.) 20 This Balaam thoght to hynder gods folk be werying. 1552 Abp. Hamilton Catech. (1884) 32 It war to lange to reherse here all the malesonis waryingis or cursingis. |
| attrib. a 1660 Contemp. Hist. Irel. (Ir. Archæol. Soc.) I. 286 It is verie strange how those abortiue statists,..makes noe scruple of the fearfull sworde of waringe excommunication, too often unsheathed against them. |
▪ IV. wary
obs. Sc. f. vary; var. warray v. Obs.