▪ I. † waive, n. Law. Obs.
[a. AF. waive, weyve; prob. to be read as weyvé (= weyvee), pa. pple. of weyver waive v.1]
See quots.
| 1544 tr. Littleton's Tenures xi. 43 A woman that is outlawed is called a wayue. [Fr. Sicome home que est vtlage est dit vtlage et feme que est vtlage est dit wayue.] 1579 Expos. Terms Law 187 Waiue is a woman that is outlawed, and she is called waiue as left out or forsaken of the law, and not an vtlawe as a man is. |
▪ II. waive, v.1
(weɪv)
Forms: 3–4 weive, 4–6 weyve, (5 weyfe, 6 pa. pple. waifed, weft), 4–7 wayve, (4 wayvye), 5–9 wave, 5– waive.
[ME. weyve-n, a. AF. weyve-r (whence Law-Latin waiviare, waviare), dial. var. of OF. gaiver, guesver (early mod.F. in Cotgr. gayver, guesver, guever) to allow to become a ‘waif’, to abandon, f. AF. weyf (fem. weyve), OF. gaif (fem. gaive, gueive, etc.) adj. and n.: see waif n.1
Johnson 1755 spells this verb as wave, and places it as a sense of wave v.1, though (following Skinner) he assigns to it a separate derivation from ‘Fr. guesver.’]
1. trans. Law. To deprive (a person) of the benefit and protection of the law as a punishment; to outlaw. Chiefly in pass.
In AF. weyver had the sense ‘to abandon, disclaim ownership of (a serf)’: see Britton i. xxxii. §8.
† a. gen. = outlaw v. Obs.
| 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 10823 He let al so uor is loue deliueri of prison Sir hubert de boru & oþere þat in prison were ido & hom þat iweiued were is pes he ȝef al so. |
b. In restricted application: To outlaw (a woman). ? Obs.
[The expression ‘to be outlawed’ (AF. estre utlagé) was held to be in strictness not applicable to a woman, for the reason given in the following quot.:
| c 1290 Britton i. xiii. §3 Femme neqedent ne peut estre utlagé proprement, pur ceo qe ele ne est mie ordeyné a dizeyne, ne a la ley, mes weyvé, qe vaut utlagerie.] |
| 1457 Cov. Leet Bk. 303 Þat no shirrif of þis Cite frohensfurth take of eny person..beyng outlawed or weyued, for fyne to be eased for a hole ȝer but xl d. 1543 tr. Act 7 Hen. IV, c. 13 Where as many of the kinges liege people be outlawed, and many wayued by erronyous processe. 1625 Sir H. Finch Law (1636) 242 When a woman is outlawed, shee is said to be waued and not outlawed, because shee is neuer sworne to the Law. 1741 T. Robinson Gavelkind i. vi. 116 The Process continued till the Uncles were outlawed, and the Niece waived. 1818 Cruise Digest (ed. 2) V. 185 Persons outlawed, or waived in personal actions, may alien by fine. |
2. Law. To abandon (stolen goods). Obs. exc. Hist.
| 1531 tr. St. German's Dial. Doctor & Stud. ii. iii. 8 b, Goodes stolen, and seased for the kynge or wayued be forfeite onelesse appele or enditement be sued. 1579 Expos. Terms Law 186 b, The queenes officer or the Reeue or Bailife to the Lord of the manour..may seyse the goodes so wayued to their lordes vse. Ibid. 187 If a man bee pursued..as a felon, and hee flyeth, and leaueth his owne goodes &c. these shalbe taken as goods wayued, & forfait as if they had bin stolne. 1589 Cooper Admon. 51 Vpon notice giuen to the said B. that such like cloth was wayued within his Manor of Fulham, and left in a ditch there, and no owner knowen, hee..appoynted the same to be watched. 1639 Nuisance to Private Houses 16 If any goods be wayued in any manner, and if any man take them, that then it shall bee lawfull for mee to destraine. 1765 Blackstone Comm. I. viii. 286 Waifs, bona waviata, are goods stolen, and waived or thrown away by the thief in his flight, for fear of being apprehended. |
† 3. a. gen. To abandon, leave, desert, forsake (a person, place, thing). Obs.
| c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. Wace 10185 Al þe contre gan þey weyue & fledde a-wey vn to Murreyue. 1390 Gower Conf. I. 315 The lond was thanne sone weyved. a 1400–50 Wars Alex. 297 Þen will he wed anoþire wife, & wayfe me for euer. Ibid. 2469 Bot bowis first fra ȝour bargis & blythly þaim wayfe [MS. Dublin woydez]. c 1450 St. Cuthbert (Surtees) 5793 Þe hors wayuand sone, he left, And lokyd how he myght fle eft. |
† b. To cast aside, relinquish, forsake (the truth, one's faith or god, a state or condition, etc.).
| 1303 R. Brunne Handl. Synne 6597 Forsake Iew at alle þy myȝt, But ȝyf þou hope þat he wul weyue Hys lawe, and crystendom receyue. c 1386 Chaucer Pars. Prol. 33 For Paul that writeth vn-to Thymothee Repreueth hem that weyueth soothfastnesse. 1390 Gower Conf. I. 180 So that baptesme thei receiven And alle here false goddes weyven. c 1394 P. Pl. Crede 685 Falshed of freres haþ..maid hem to..wayuen þe trewþe. a 1657 R. Loveday Lett. (1663) 235 They wav'd the Kings party, and adher'd to this. |
† c. To abandon, lay aside, forsake (a habit, custom, sin, etc.). Obs.
| 1340 Ayenb. 88 And of hire herte alle zenne to waynye [read wayuye]. c 1374 Chaucer Boeth. i. met. vii. (1868) 29 Weyue þou ioie, drif fro þe drede. c 1394 P. Pl. Crede 530 Wycliff..grayþliche hem warned To wayuen her wikednesse. c 1412 Hoccleve De Reg. Princ. 1442 Hem hoghte to be mirours of sadnesse, And wayue iolitee and wantonnesse. Ibid. 3385 For to hem longith it, for goddes sake, To wayue cruelte and tyrannye. 1658 Sir T. Browne Hydriot, i. 8 The ægyptians were afraid of fire..And from such ægyptian scruples imbibed by Pythagoras, it may be conjectured that Numa and the Pythagoricall Sect first waved the fiery solution. |
† d. To abandon, give up (a task); to resign (an office). Also with inf. as obj. Obs.
| c 1386 Chaucer Melib. ¶2256, I seye that though..ye weyue to perfourne thilke same emprise by Iuste cause men sholde nat seyn therfore that ye were a lier ne forsworn. Ibid. ¶2406 Lest that the charge oppresse thee so soore that thee bihoueth to weyue thyng that thou hast bigonne. 1390 Gower Conf. I. 258 This innocent, which was deceived, His Papacie anon hath weyved, Renounced and resigned eke. Ibid. I. 363 Fro ferst that holi cherche hath weyved To preche, and hath the swerd received. a 1661 Fuller Worthies, Bucks (1662) 135 Walter Haddon was..chosen Vice-Chancellour of Cambridge 1550. Soon after he was made President of Magdalen-Colledge in Oxford, which place he waved in the reign of Queen Mary. |
† e. To abandon or withdraw formally (legal proceedings, a motion); also, to defeat (a proposal) on a vote. Obs.
| 1647 Clarendon Hist. Reb. iii. §104 Though there might be some reason for their [the bishops'] absence when the trial was, according to law, before and by his peers only, yet when that judgment was waived, and a bill of attainder brought up against him, their votes in that bill were as..essential as of any other of the lords. 1658–9 Burton's Diary (1828) IV. 14, I was before for bounding, but that was not relished. It is not for our honour to recede to what we have waved. a 1662 Heylyn Laud ii. (1671) 295 Others conceived, that they had very well performed their duty..by waving all Proceedings against them. 1692–3 Wood Life 24 Jan. (O.H.S.) III. 414 It was then discussed or proposed that Dr. William Lloyd's book..be burnt also: but waved only by eleven votes. 1706 Hearne Collect. 24 Mar. (O.H.S.) I. 208 The Prolocutor of y⊇ Lower House of Convocation.. had a great mind to have propos'd..y{supt} publick thanks should be return'd to Mr. Wall..but this seeming a little unpresidented, 'twas wav'd. 1736 Gentl. Mag. VI. 441/2 For this Reason, he hoped, the Hon. Gentleman would..wave the Motion he had made. |
f. To abandon, relinquish, give up (an intention). Now rare or Obs.
| c 1450 Pol. Poems (Rolls) II. 228 Be no more blynde, but weynyth [read weyuyth] youre wille. 1700 in Pepys' Diary (1875) VI. 231 He designed to have mounted on horseback at some distance from the town,..but seeing the crowd and dust he had to encounter with, very prudently waved it. 1787 Mirror 10 He once entertained a desire of taking a tour to Scythia; but waved it. 1817 Jas. Mill Brit. India I. i. i. 7 He waved his intention of landing on that island, and steered for Ternate. |
† 4. intr. to waive from = 3 b. Obs.
| 1303 R. Brunne Handl. Synne 235 Þouȝe he to-day fro hys god weyue, To-morwe hys god wyl hym receyue. c 1386 Chaucer Merch. T. 239 But þat ye been so ful of sapience That yow ne liketh for youre heighe prudence To weyuen fro the word of Salomon. c 1386 ― Sqr.'s T. Prol. 6 From a sooth euere wol they [sc. women] weyue. |
5. trans. a. Law. To relinquish (a right, claim, or contention) either by express declaration or by doing some intentional act which by law is equivalent to this; to decline to avail oneself of (an advantage); to refuse to accept (some provision made in one's favour).
AF. weyver with this sense is very frequent in law-books from Britton (c 1290) onwards.
to waive the tort, said in common-law pleading of a plaintiff who, having the choice of framing his action in contract or tort, elected to sue in contract.
| c 1469 Stonor Papers (Camden) I. 103 Þe title of Jobury is by his owne Counsell wayued and taken for nought. c 1570 Pride & Lowl. (1841) 70 But that ech partie would have his reason, to prove their issue,..And weyven would no point for them might fal. 1666 H. Jackson in Extr. St. P. rel. Friends iii. (1912) 248 They..altogeither waved that for which at first they pretended to commit mee. 1685 Keble Rep. I. 225 Nota, per Curiam after special Issue joyned, the parties cannot waive it, and plead general Issue without motion in Court. 1776 G. Wilson Coke's Rep. iii. II. 26 If lands be given to husband and wife in tail, or in fee, and the husband dies, there the wife cannot devest the freehold out of her by any verbal waver... As if before any entry made by her, she saith that she utterly waves and disagrees to the said estate,..yet the freehold remains in her. 1818 Cruise Digest (ed. 2) I. 177 In cases of this kind the wife cannot waive the provision thereby made for her, and claim dower at common law. 1826 Bell Comm. Laws Scot. (ed. 5) I. 422 The parties may, by anticipation, waive the rules of negociation [of bills]. Ibid. II. 96 Lien may be waived by agreement before the possession begins. 1839 J. L. Adolphus The Circuiteers in Law Quart. Rev. (1885) I. 232 Thoughts much too deep for tears subdue the Court When I assumpsit bring, and god-like waive a tort. 1875 K. E. Digby Real Prop. x. §1. (1876) 381 If however the lessor, after knowledge of the happening of the event, continues in any way to treat the lessee as his tenant,..he is said to waive the forfeiture, and can no longer take advantage of it. |
b. To refrain from insisting upon, give up (a privilege, right, claim, etc.); to forbear to claim or demand.
| 1625 Donne 80 Serm. (1640) iii. 22 He takes the name of the Son of a woman, and waives the glorious name of the Son of God. 1633 T. Gerard Descr. Somerset (1900) 185 A thing even usuall in those times for a man to wave his own armes and take his mothers. 1660 Coke Power & Subj. 243 If the Parliament..did endue the Queen with such plentifull power, as to make her supreme Governor (the title of Head was waved) in all causes. 1708 J. Chamberlayne St. Gt. Brit. i. ii. xv. 143 The Jurisdiction of this Lord Chief Justice is very great..the Lords sometimes waving their own Power, have directed him to send his Warrant to seize Persons suspected of Capital Crimes. 1750 Johnson Rambler No. 24 ¶13 Congreve waved his title to dramatic reputation and desired to be considered only as a gentleman. 1787 Cowper Bill Mortality 12 This annual tribute Death requires, And never waves his claim. 1805 Nelson in Nicolas Disp. (1846) VII. 108 Perhaps Lieutenant Hewson would waive his rank to be in a Flag Ship. 1820 W. Irving Sketch Bk. I. 128 He lays aside his distance and reserve, and is glad to wave the distinctions of rank. 1836 Marryat Midsh. Easy xviii, But you just now asserted that you would waive your rank. 1855 Macaulay Hist. Eng. xvi. III. 679 Marlborough consented to waive part of his rights, and to allow precedence to the Duke on the alternate days. 1886 G. Allen Darwin vi. 81 The younger [naturalist]..waived his own claim..in favour of the elder. 1912 Throne 7 Aug. 240/1 The long outstanding appeal to the Union Government to waive a portion of the 60 per cent. tax was likely to be successful. |
c. To forbear persistence in (an action or course of action); to refrain from pressing (an objection, a scruple, an argument).
| 1681 Pennsylv. Arch. I. 38 And of yo{supr} regard to yo{supr} owne and future good of yo{supr} posterity makes mee to wave all objections of y⊇ nature. 1706 Col. Rec. Pennsylv. II. 284 He was willing to wave all resentm{supt}{sups}. 1756 Burke Vind. Nat. Soc. 76, I submit to the Condition, and though I have a notorious Advantage before me, I wave the Pursuit. 1774 J. Walker Gen. Idea Pronounc. Dict. 2 If, therefore, every argument for the improvement of language were waved, but what arises from the superior harmony and beauty of an uniform and well-polished tongue, we might with reason conclude, that [etc.]. 1818 Scott Br. Lamm. xxix, A contract must be supposed to be given up, when the party waves insisting upon it. 1842 J. Bischoff Woollen Manuf. II. 29 We trust that the example of so many of those engaged in the same trade, will induce the manufacturers of Leeds and Norwich to wave their opposition to this measure. 1868 J. H. Blunt Ref. Ch. Eng. I. 54 Yet the king is willing to waive his objection. 1881 Besant & Rice Chapl. Fleet i. vi, As he had eaten nothing for two days, he was induced to waive this scruple, and presently made a hearty meal. |
d. To dispense with (formality, ceremony, etiquette).
| 1781 Cowper Let. 7 July, Lady Austen, waving all forms, has paid us the first visit. 1810 S. Green Reformist I. 20 You, it is true, are my servant; but wave all ceremony, all diffidence. 1821 Lamb Elia i. Grace bef. Meat, The supplementary or tea-grace was waived altogether. 1833 Lytton Godolphin I. xxii. 266 ‘A few persons come to me to-morrow evening’, said she; ‘do waive ceremony, and join us’. 1851 Dixon W. Penn xxviii. (1872) 259 Penn was with the Quakers, who agreed to waive the ceremony of the hat. |
† e. To forgo, deny to oneself (some advantage). Obs.
| 1669 Boyle Cont. New Exp. i. xxxviii. (1682) 129 To make the Trial more accurate, I wav'd the use of other Bellows. a 1680 Butler Rem. (1759) I. 110 Therefore you wisely scorn your Stile to humble, Or for the Sense's Sake to wave the Rumble. 1772 Mackenzie Man World ii. vi. (1823) 473 He had prevailed on himself to waive that pleasure. 1785 Epitaph to Cath. Clive in Pall Mall Gaz. 12 Oct. (1887) 11/2 Content with Fame, ev'n affluence she wav'd. |
f. refl. To put aside one's own interests. rare—1.
| 1894 Blackmore Perlycross xiii, She could not claim the pleasure of having waived herself to please him. |
6. † a. To shun, avoid; to elude, escape; to dodge (a blow). Obs.
| 1303 R. Brunne Handl. Synne 2591 Okerers men oght to weyue, Ȝeue hem noght, ne of hem receyue. 1390 Gower Conf. I. 58 So that he hath the wordes weyved And thurgh his Ere is noght deceived. 1446 Lydg. Two Nightingale Poems i. 306 The fende..Goth fast a-boute..Leying hys lynes and..Wsynge his hokes, on theym you to receyue, The which thus lyghtly ye may eschewe & weyfe. 1590 Spenser F.Q. iii. iv. 36 Ne of thy late life memory is left, Ne can thy irreuocable destiny be weft. a 1656 Ussher Ann. (1658) 458 In the fight Jonathan reached forth his arme to strick Bacchides, but he warily waved the blow. |
b. To decline (combat). ? Obs.
| 1664 Butler Hud. ii. ii. 578 Both thought it was their wisest course To wave the Fight, and mount to Horse. 1697 Dryden æneis xii. 95 Refuse me not this one, this only Pray'r, To wave the Combat, and pursue the War. 1718 Pope Iliad xxiii. 689 Not but (my Friend) 'tis still the wiser way To wave Contention with superior Sway. |
c. To evade (doing something). † Also with inf. as obj.
| c 1440 Pallad. on Husb. iv. 866 Folis with hond to touche a corser weyueth. 1646 E. Winslow Hypocr. Unmasked 101 Furthermore in the Government of Plimouth, to our great griefe, not onely the Pastor of a Congregation waveth the administration of baptisme to Infants, but divers of his Congregation are fallen with him. 1657 J. Sergeant Schism Dispatch't 548 They..confess themselves to seek in those points, as wee have seen lately, and as M{supr} Fuller tacitly grants by waving to patronize it. 1665 Boyle Occas. Refl. Introd. Pref. a b, That I may have the greater Opportunity to hear other mens Opinions..and the less Temptation to wave the complying with those that shall seem Reasonable. 1768 Boswell Corsica ii. (ed. 2) 82 The judge could wave the pursuit of justice by saying, ‘Non procedatur’. 1793 F. Burney Lett. 22 Feb., I have waived and waived acceptance almost from the moment of Madame de Staël's arrival. 1823 Scott Peveril ix, He calmly waved receiving the paper which Sir Jasper offered to him. 1858 Hawthorne Fr. & It. Note-bks. (1871) I. 334 There appears to be no concealment on the part of the officers in thus waiving the exercise of their duty. |
d. To put aside, avoid (a subject, a discussion).
| 1746 Hervey Medit. (1818) 71 [My mind] has studiously waved the fearful subject, and seems unwilling to pursue it even now. 1748 Richardson Clarissa (1811) II. xxx. 186 To my surprise, he waved everything that would have led to the subject. 1778 F. Burney Evelina I. xxvi. 144, I would fain have waved the subject. 1816 Scott Old Mort. xxxi, Which..they considered as the most effectual mode of solving all difficulties and waiving all discussions. 1847 Disraeli Tancred ii. ii, Tancred..waived the subject. |
† 7. a. To refuse, reject (something offered). Also with clause as obj. Obs.
| c 1386 Chaucer Melib. ¶2398 Thou shalt chese the beste and weyue all othere thynges. 1390 Gower Conf. I. 276 [Constantine proclaimed] Up peine of deth that noman weyve That he baptesme ne receive. 14.. Hoccleve Minor Poems xxi. 105 Many a man this day, but they gold wey, of men not wole it take ne receyve, and yf it lake his peis, they woll it weive. c 1440 J. Capgrave St. Kath. 510 If it [sc. a proposed statue] myght kepe my flesh in swiche degree It shulde not rote, I wolde it neuere weyue. |
b. To put aside, avoid acceptance of (an offer, something offered); to decline (an honour), deprecate (praise). ? Obs.
| 1642 Fuller Holy & Prof. St. ii. xviii. 118 The neighbour gentry court him for his acquaintance, which he either modestly waveth, or thankfully accepteth. c 1645 Howell Lett. (1655) I. ii. iv. 73 They offer'd the Crown to the Duke of Saxony, and he waving it, they sent Ambassadors to the Palsgrave. 1734 tr. Rollin's Anc. Hist. III. vii. 449 He for some time desired leave to wave the honour they offered him. 1753 Richardson Grandison III. xii. (1781) 90 The Doctor very modestly received the compliment, and, to wave our praises, gave us [etc.]. |
8. † a. To treat with neglect, ignore, disregard, overlook; to let pass (an opportunity). Obs.
| c 1400 Laud Troy Bk. 17320 The kyng answered..For ȝe wot wele..That I haue done ȝoure consayl here, In al my lyff I wayved hit neuere. 1586 in Motley Netherl. (1860) II. i. 43 [Lord Burgh] in a most vehement passion, waived the countermand [and his insubordination was very generally imitated]. 1646 M. Hopkins Let. in Gaule Cases Consc. To Rdr., I would certainely know afore whether your Town..[is] willing to give..us good welcome.., else I shall wave your Shire. 1652 Nedham tr. Selden's Mare Cl. 169 It is no hard matter in like manner to wave the Autoritie of those of later time, that oppose a Dominion. 1657 Wood Life (O.H.S.) I. 228 This perswasion of that unfortunate lord occasion'd his majesty to wave the advice of Lilly and others, &c. 1662 Marvell Corr. Wks. (Grosart) II. 82 But there are strange reasons and junctures at Court in all businesses, which must be catched or waived. 1671 E. Chamberlayne Pres. St. Eng. ii. 77 The Courts of the Archbishop of Canterbury, where any Ecclesiastical Sutes between any persons may (waving all inferior Courts) be decided. 1675 tr. Machiavelli's Prince xix. (1883) 129 The Soldan..being wholly in the power of the soldiers, it is convenient that he also waive the people and insinuate with the army. a 1677 Barrow Serm. Wks. 1686 III. xxiii. 264 God,..respecteth not onely the good of this or that person,..but often (in some degree waving that, or taking care for it in a less remarkable way) hath a provident regard to the more extensive good of a whole people. 1713 C'tess of Winchilsea Misc. Poems 263 Receive it then, t'expel these mortal Cares, Nor wave a Med'cine, which thy God prepares. |
b. To put aside, refuse to defer to (another's scruples). rare.
| 1833 H. Martineau Fr. Wines & Pol. iv. 53 Being under promise, however, to purchase such and such quantities of wine, he must waive their polite scruples. |
9. a. To refrain from applying or enforcing (a rule, law), to make an exception to.
| a 1665 J. Goodwin Filled w. the Spirit ii. (1670) 32 And (doubtless) it was the very intention, of the Law-makers themselves, that their Law, calculated for the regulating ordinary cases only, in such cases as these (I mean extraordinaries) should be waved. 1669 Sturmy Mariner's Mag. vi. iii. 127 So with reason wave the Rule, as occasion requireth. 1849 Miss Mulock Ogilvies xix, But in the present case we will waive the aforesaid excellent rule. |
b. N. Amer. Of a sports club: to waive its right to buy (a player from another club in the same league). Also intr. Cf. waiver 1 d.
| 1908 Evening Star (Washington, D.C.) 26 Feb. 13/2 The Giants have given Mike Lynch his unconditional release, as all clubs have waived. 1970 Globe & Mail (Toronto) 26 Sept. 36/2 John Schneider..finally was cut and..waived through the Canadian Football League. 1979 Tucson (Arizona) Citizen 20 Sept. 2d/4 Atlanta Hawks—Waived Tim Claxton, guard, and Rickey Brown, forward. |
10. a. To abstain from entering upon (an action, inquiry, a discussion, subject of consideration). Often with some notion of reserving for a future opportunity: To allow to stand over, put aside for the present, defer.
In the 17th c. very often with vbl. n. as obj.
| 1650 Bulwer Anthropomet. xxiii. (1653) 452 Upon which a Quære might be raised... But this, as being not properly appertaining to our Designe, we shall wave it for the present. 1694 F. Bragge Disc. Parables iii. 100, I shall wave the enquiry how far religion is conducive to these things. 1696 Whiston Theory Earth ii. 154 Now verbal Descriptions..being of small advantage..I shall wave more words about it. 1712 Addison Spect. No. 267 ¶1 For this Reason I shall wave the Discussion of that Point. a 1716 Bp. O. Blackall Wks. (1723) I. 110 A Reason why he wav'd concerning himself to decide this Difference, might be, because the Man came to him..as to a Person invested with secular Power. 1759 Dilworth Pope 76 For our part we shall wave entering into a disquisition about the English translation of the Iliad. 1774 Mitford Ess. Harmony Lang. 207, I shall wave all farther remarks. 1797 Ht. Lee Canterb. T., Poet's T. (1799) I. 74 Let us wave further conversation. 1870 Ruskin Lect. Art i. 22, I waive discussion of this to-day. 1873 Browning Red Cotton Night-Cap Country 1529 Well now, waive nonsense, you and I are boys No longer. |
† b. To refrain from dealing with in statement or narrative; to omit, leave out. Obs.
| 1651 Davenant Gondibert i. xxiii, In pity thus, her beauty's just renown I wave for publique Peace. 1665 Bunyan Holy Citie (1669) 130 John tells us this Wall is an hundred forty four Cubits, (and waves the manner of the measure of Ezekiel). 1684 J. Morrison tr. Struys' Voy. Pref. 1 A Person, whose sufferings (waving other discouraging circumstances) might have very well excused from observing. 1703 Pope Thebais 19 But wave whate'er to Cadmus may belong, And fix, O Muse! the barrier of thy song At Oedipus. 1709 Strype Ann. Ref. I. xxxv. 354 Then followeth his Answer... Which being very long I was in some suspense about inserting it, inclining to abreviate or wave it wholly. 1742 Fielding J. Andrews i. ii, To wave there⁓fore a circumstance, which..is not greatly material. |
¶ 11. [Confused with wave v.] To put (a person or thing) aside, away, off with or as with a wave of the hand.
| 1832 H. Martineau Ella of Garv. vi. 80 You should have seen him waive us off with his cane. 1871 Farrar Witn. Hist. ii. 50 Both of whom [St. Peter and St. Paul], having given their clear testimony to facts..are now..contemptuously waived aside as idle dreamers. 1877 ― Marlb. Serm. xxii. 210 And pure Faith..will here take you by the hand and waive off each baser temptation. 1897 Bp. M. Creighton in Life & Lett. (1904) II. vii. 258, I cannot waive away all the teaching of history. |
▪ III. † waive, v.2 Obs.
Forms: 4–5 wayfe, weyve, wave, (4 weive), 4–6 wayve, 4 north., 5–6 Sc. waif, 5 waive, (wafe); pa. tense 4–5 wayved, weyved, (4 Sc. wavit), 4 wafte, 5 waivet.
[a. ON. veifa (Norw. veiva) to wave, swing (trans. with obj. in dat.; also rarely refl.), corresponding to MDu. weiven to wave, swing, also (= mod.Du. wuiven) to beckon, signal (? whence weave v.2 Naut.), and OHG. -weiben (in ziweiben to destroy, disperse, ungeweibet unbroken):—OTeut. *waiƀjan. A parallel formation, OTeut. *waiƀōjan, is represented by OHG. weibôn, MHG. weiben, to move hither and thither, wander, waver; these senses (cf. branch II below) may, though not recorded, have belonged to the ON. word. The root, OTeut. *wī̆ƀ-:—Indo-Eur. *weip-, is a variant of OTeut. *wī̆p-:—Indo-Eur. *weib- as in L. vibrāre (see vibrate v.). Both these roots are represented, with the general sense to wave or swing, to shake, both in Teut. and other langs., and each of them has a variant with prefixed s: see sweep v., swift a. (The Indo-Eur. *weip-, *weib-, to wind, represented, e.g. by OE. wǽfan, Goth. biwaibjan to wrap, clothe, are probably unconnected.)
Cf. ME. wēve-n, weve v., which is of cognate if not identical origin, and has most of the senses below. In some contexts it is difficult to distinguish between waive v.1 and v.2, and probably some shades of meaning may have originated from confusion between the two. See also wave v., the relations of which to this verb are to some extent uncertain.]
I. trans.
1. To move to and fro or from side to side (the beard, hand, or something held in the hand); to wave, wag.
| 1338 R. Brunne Chron. (1725) 242 Þer pencels þei weyued. 13.. Gaw. & Gr. Knt. 306 [He] Wayued his berde for to wayte quo-so wolde ryse. c 1450 St. Cuthbert (Surtees) 2367 Cuthbert wayued his hand on þaim. 1570 Levins Manip. 204/15 To Wayue, wag, agitare. |
2. to waive up: to throw open (a window, a wicket, etc.). Cf. to weve up, weve v.
| 13.. E.E. Allit. P. B. 453 Þenne wafte he [Noah] vpon [? read vp] his wyndowe, & wysed þer-oute. c 1375 Sc. Leg. Saints xxv. (Julian) 315 With þat þe curtyng vpe he wauit. 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. v. 611 Biddeth amende-ȝow meke him til his maistre ones, To wayne [? read wayue] vp þe wiket þat þe womman shette. a 1400–50 Wars Alex. 945 (Dubl. MS.) Than passyd forth þe prouude whene into a prevay chamer, Wayfez vp a wyndow & waytes þar-owt. c 1400 Destr. Troy 676 Medea..Waynet [? read wayuet] up a window, the welkyn beheld. c 1420 Anturs of Arth. 408 (Douce MS.) He wayned [? read wayued] vp his viser fro his ventalle. |
3. To remove, put away, banish. (Cf. waive v.1 1 a, of which some of the quots. here may be fig. examples.)
| 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. xx. 167 And elde hent good hope and hastilich he shifte hym, And wayued awey wanhope and with lyf he fyȝteth. c 1386 Chaucer Man of Law's T. 210 Thou knyttest thee, ther thou art nat receyued; Ther thou were weel, fro thennes artow weyued. c 1400 Destr. Troy 9783 Hit is wit soche wildnes wayne [? read wayue] out of mynd. 14.. Hoccleve Minor Poems i. 192 [The Virgin says] O Iohn,..an heuy sone Haue I of thee; deeth hath myn othir weyued! Ibid. vii. 79 Thy might, I woot wel, is my gilt to weyue. 1426 Lydg. De Guil. Pilgr. 5321 Thy .iiij. wyttys thow hast lost. Ther myght, ther force, ar fro the weyved. c 1440 Towneley Myst. xvi. 247 A-way let ye wafe all sich langage. ? a 1500 Chester Pl., Christ's Entry Jerus. 52 Though I be wretched and vnworthy, wayve me not from thy wonne! Ibid., Magi's Obl. 111 By Myrre, that waues Corruption. |
4. a. To cast off (a garment): cf. weve v. b. To cast away (money).
| c 1400 Laud Troy Bk. 15388 Fro his necke his mantel he wayued. c 1440 York Myst. xxxii. 318 Þis money..Þat Judas in a wreth has wauyd away. |
5. To send or dispatch.
| a 1400–50 Wars Alex. 1175 Him moneste as a maister him..all þe trouage þare to him tittly to wayne [read wayue; MS. Dubl. wayfe]. Ibid. 1716 (Dubl. MS.) Suche presandez owt of perse he to þe prince wayfez. Ibid. 1728 For it is wayved to vs to wete þat wickidly þou haues,.. Puruayd þe pletours oure partis to ride. Ibid. 2316 And slike a word he þaim wayues be writ fra him-self. Ibid. 2695 Sire, we haue wayued to ȝow writtis. |
6. To cause to pass; to divert. to waive (one's) wit: to change one's mind.
| 1390 Gower Conf. I. 225 Be whom he was deceived Of love, and from his pourpos weyved. a 1400–50 Bk. Curtasye 322 in Babees Bk., Be stabulle of chere and sumwhat lyȝt, Ne ouer alle wayue þou not thy syȝt. c 1400 Destr. Troy 9950 Oft ho waivet hir wit & hir wille chaunget. And meuyt hir mynd, as maydons done yet. 1419 in 26 Pol. Poems xvi. 100 Þat freek may wel be holden a fool, Þat wayueþ wit, and worcheþ by wille. |
II. intr.
7. To wave, move to and fro in the wind; to be tossed about; to totter.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 13121 Wend yee þar þe rede to find þat heildes waifand wit þe wind? 1338 R. Brunne Chron. (1725) 159 R. was perceyued, þei were renged redie, & how þer pencels weyued. 13.. E.E. Allit. P. B. 422 Wheder-warde so þe water wafte, hit [the ark] rebounde. c 1400 Gamelyn 880 The Iustice and the scherreve bothe honged hye, To weyven with the ropes, and with the winde drye. c 1400 Laud Troy Bk. 14682 Til thei se Gregeis oute comande With brode baneres a-boute wayvande. c 1400 Destr. Troy 9513 For the smorther, & the smoke of þe smert loghys, Þat waivet in the welkyn..All the Citie might se the sercle aboute. c 1430 Syr Tryam. 246 And the knyght be there assente Schulde wayue wyth the wynde. c 1440 J. Capgrave Life St. Kath. iv. 1377 Looke on your goddis how þei toumble and waue Right whan men swepe hem—so litil is her myght! c 1450 St. Cuthbert (Surtees) 4702 Þe schip weyued hidir and þidir. c 1450 Gol. & Gaw. 440 Wourthy to be Hingit heigh on ane tre,..To waif with the wynd. 1513 Douglas æneis vi. v. 124 The south wind Nothus thre dayis me draif Throwout the see, with violent wallis waif. Ibid. x. ii. 102 Lyke as first, or wyndis blast be persave, The swouch is hard wythin the woddis waif. Ibid. xi. xv. 66 Bot for the tother part, suyth to say, He leit do waif with the swift wynd away. 1535 Lyndesay Sat. 3973 To hunt cattell ȝe war ay speidie, Thairfoir ye sall weaue [Bann. MS. waif] in a widdy. |
8. To wander, stray.
| c 1350 Will. Palerne 2386 Many a bold burn after þat best prike,..þat noiþer burde ne barn bi-laft at þe quarrer, but went after þe werwolf & wayned [? read wayued] from þe beres. 1390 Gower Conf. I. 338 Here lieges wolde hem noght receive, So that thei mote algates weyve To seche lond in other place. ? a 1400 Morte Arth. 960 Weryd worthe the wyghte ay, that the thy wytt refede, That mase the to wayfe here in thise wylde lakes! c 1440 J. Capgrave St. Kath. iii. 593 Ye wolde be with hym euere and neuere fro hym waue. c 1460 Towneley Myst. ii. 430 The kyng will that thay be safe... At thare awne will let tham wafe. Ibid. xxi. 103 If he abowte waue Any langere, his warkys may we ban. |
b. fig. To stray, wander in purpose.
| c 1425 Cast. Persev. 380 in Macro Plays 88 Whom to folwe, wetyn I ne may:..as wynde in watyr I wave. c 1440 J. Capgrave St. Kath. iii. 199, I wyl the telle pleynly, I wil not waue, I wil not varye. Ibid. v. 390 Fro this decree shal I neuere-more waue. |
9. To go by, pass.
| 1390 Gower Conf. III. 318 And whan the presse of poeple is weived, He takth his hoste unto him tho, And seith, [etc.]. c 1400 Rule St. Benet 444 And sone when þat scho mai persaiue Þair syn, lat noght þe tym ouer wayue, Bot chaistese þam & tery noght. |
▪ IV. waive
obs. form of waif n.1