Middle English Dictionary Entry
war-lou n.
Entry Info
| Forms | war-lou n. Also warlo(we, warlocke, werlou, werlawe, (chiefly N or NWM) warlouʒ, warloghe, warlau, warlawe, warlagh(e, werlau(ghe, (N) warlach, (16th cent.) warlag & (in names) warloc, warlok, warlage, warthel-, werlok, wirlok; pl. warlous, etc. & (N & NWM) warlaʒes, (WM) worlais & (early) warlais, (SWM) werlahen. |
| Etymology | OE wǣr-loga, wēr-loga; for forms in -lach, -loc, -locke, -lok cp. Scot. (16th cent.) warloch(e, warlok & OI varð-lokkur magic songs, charms. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) One who is disloyal to king or country, a traitor; a criminal, felon; also with diminished force as a term of abuse;
(b) a wicked person, sinner; an impious person, infidel; a deceiver; also used as a general term of reproach; also in comb. or used adjectivally: ~ wolf, a wicked or malignant predator;
(c) one who is possessed of occult knowledge or clairvoyance, a soothsayer; one who practices occult arts, a sorcerer, warlock.
Associated quotations
a
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)3771 : Sir Gawayne…waytes hym wele To wreke hym on this werlaughe…sir Modrede.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)261/186 : We haue gone for þis warlowe…The Jewes kyng, Jesus.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)276/141 : Sir, what warlowe yow wakens…Þat boy for his brawlyng Were bettir be vn-borne.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)367/278 : Ʒone warlous nowe waxis full wane, And nedis muste þei beried be.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)71/232 : Pharao: On me? fy on the lad, out of my land!…Say, whence is yond warlow with his wand that thus wold wyle oure folk away?
b
- c1225(?c1200) St.Marg.(1) (Bod 34)12/17 : Þa awariede werlahen [Roy: wiðer-lahen] leiden se luðerliche on hire leofliche lich þet hit…liðerede o blode.
- a1300 Hwi ne serue (Jes-O 29)37 : Bileueþ oure weorre, warlawes wode!
- a1425 Nicod.(1) (Add 32578)1424 : Þe fendes…Sayde, ‘we are venkesht…With ʒond warlowʒ [vr. warloghe; Glb: caytef].’
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)471/176 : Þe Jewes…schapes þem vs to schende…to ʒone warlowes will we wende.
- ?c1450 St.Cuth.(Eg 3309)4544 : All þe hoste with Elfride…turne…whare þa warlowes ware.
- ?c1450 St.Cuth.(Eg 3309)4850 : Þe bischope and his brethir…besoght god þaim shylde Fra þis warlawe wa.
- a1500 Wars Alex.(Dub 213)1706 : Þai in perchemyn depayntyd hys person…A wirlyng, a warlow, a waugle-eghed shrewe.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)6425 : Merion…To Ector…said: ‘Nay, warloghe wolfe, in þi wode hongur…with þi foule vse, The tydis not to taste of þis triet meite.’
- c1600(?c1395) PPl.Creed (Trin-C R.3.15)783 : Wenest þou þer wold so fele swiche warlawes worþen, Ne were wordlyche wele & her welfare?
c
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)1560 : Baltazar…[b]ede…seche segges…Þat wer wyse of wychecrafte and warlaʒes oþer, Þat con dele with demerlayk and devine lettres.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)613 : Thane yschewes þe emperour…Sexty geauntes before engenderide with fendez, With weches and warlaws to wacchen his tentys.
- c1450(a1425) MOTest.(SeldSup 52)11130 : Kyng Acab bad hym wend…whore þat warlow wonnand es þat proued þem by his prophecy þat þei suld dwell in swylke drynes.
2.
(a) A damned soul; also, a demon, an evil spirit; an idol or a false god regarded as demonic; with ~ taken, demon-possessed;
(b) the devil, Satan; also in combs. or with uninfl. gen.: ~ brid, ~ ouen child; warloues werkes, the devil’s works, sins.
Associated quotations
a
- a1300 Hayl mari hic (Dgb 2)19 : At min endin-day þe warlais [vr. worlais] þai wil be her fort[o] take þair pray.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)7620 : Þe warlau [Frf: warlagh; Trin-C: fend] trauail saul ful hard.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)8915 : Sco es wode and with warlagh tan.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)23250 : Þe aghtand pine it es…to se þaa warlaus [Frf: deuils; Trin-C: fendis] in þat wise.
- a1425(?c1375) NHom.(3) Leg.(Hrl 4196)4/18 : A man þat lifed in maumetry…bad þai suld mak sacrafise Vnto his goddes…And…Þe folk…to þo warlaus wirschip wroght.
- c1440 Knight & F.(Thrn)105 : Þe foulle warlawes of helle Vndir þe wallys skrykked schille.
- a1450 ?Audelay An a byrchyn bonke (Dc 302)220/83 : Hit bene warlaws þre þat walkyn on þis woldis!
- a1450 ?Audelay The pater noster (Dc 302)216/63 : Warlawys waltyrne in here wo fore here mekil wrong.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)4425 : To þe way of wickidnes be warlaʒes gidid.
- c1450(a1425) MOTest.(SeldSup 52)12036 : Sen þou takes rede of belsabub…þou sall be ded and with þat warlow wend.
- a1500(a1450) St.Robt.Knares.(Eg 3143)709 : Apparuit ei demon…In lyknes of a yonge child…Bott Roberd…euer prayand lay…Than þat warlow wex full way.
b
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)725 : Bi-tuix þe warlau [Göt: sathan] and his wijf, Adam es stad in strang strijf.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)2303 : Þaa wigurs croup þe warlau [Frf: warlaghe] in And leed þat suikful folk wit sin.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)9054 : I haf bi-left my lauerd lau, And sua me tan to þe werlau.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)21814 : Þe warlau [Phys-E: warlach] said wit sli voice, ‘A ha! iudas quat has þou don?’
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)22275 : Þan sal…þe anticrist come…þe warlau [Phys-E: warlawis; Trin-C: fendes] aun child.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)22381 : Quen þat…warlau [Frf: warlagh; Göt: warlou; Trin-C: fendes] bridd [Antichrist] His caitiute has tua yeir kidd…þan sal vr lauerd apon him send þis dome.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)23747 : To traiuail ordeint is þis liue Again…Vr flexs, þis werld, and þe warlau [Trin-C: wer lawe].
- a1450 ?Audelay The pater noster (Dc 302)215/30 : Þou schalt…let þi warlouys werkys out of þi soule wane.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)181/115 : Late be, warlow, thy wordis kene.
- a1500(?c1400) Gowther (Adv 19.3.1)674 : Now art þou goddus chyld, Þe þar not dowt þo warlocke wyld.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)137/640 : He…shall take fro the feynd that adam had lorne; That warloo to sheynd this nyght is he borne.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)4439 : Loke of lyuyaton in the lyffe of saynt Brandon, There þis warloghe…a water eddur is cald.
3.
A monstrous or hideous creature;—used as a term for a giant, a centaur, Cerberus, Goliath, Leviathan, etc.; ~ hethen thing, ?a monster, heathen creature; ?used adjectivally: a monstrous heathen creature.
Associated quotations
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)7478 : Quar sal we find a man þat dar þe fight…Again yon warlau [Goliath] vndertake?
- a1400 Cursor (Frf 14)7489 : Goly…Agayne ʒone warlagh [Vsp: wreche] hethen þing…I [David] drede me noʒt, sir king.
- c1400(?c1380) Patience (Nero A.10)258 : Nade þe hyʒe heuen-kyng…Warded þis wrech man in warlowes guttez, What lede moʒt lyue…Þat any lyf myʒt be lent so longe hym with-inne?
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)948 : By þe welle-strandez he wandyrde hym one, To wette of þe warlawe, whare þat he lengez.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)3795 : Þai went be waldis & be wastis…And armed bud þam all bee for angwischis o bestis, As colwers &…coltris & crabbid snakis, And oþire warlaʒes wild þat in þe wod duelled.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)200/24 : Yon is a werlow woll destroy us bothe.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)303 : So dang he þat dog [Cerberus] with dynt of his wappon, Þat þe warlag was wete of his wan atter.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)7765 : The warlagh [Centaur] with a wicked arowe woundit hym behynd.
4.
In surnames and place name [see Smith PNElem. 2.255].
Associated quotations
- (1208) in Ekwall Dict.EPN474 : Warlageby.
- (1227) EPNSoc.5 (North Riding Yks.)276 : Warthelbi.
- (1255) Close R.Hen.III197 : Robertus Warlawe.
- (1279) Hundred R.Tower 2409 : Nicholaus Warloc.
- (1290-91) in Reaney Dict.Br.Surnames371 : Simon le Warlok.
- (1303-4) Feudal Aids 2260 : Elias Wyrlok.
- (1327) in Reaney Dict.Br.Surnames371 : John Werlok.
- (1344-96) EPNSoc.5 (North Riding Yks.)276 : Warlowby, Warloweby.