Middle English Dictionary Entry
wẹ̄r(e n.(5)
Entry Info
| Forms | wẹ̄r(e n.(5) Also werre, weir(e, wehere, wiere, wir(e, wher(e & wēr(e, (17th cent.) weare. |
| Etymology | Origin uncertain, but perh. OF wer(r)e, ONF weire, wiere, vars. of OF guerre war, which has as minor senses ‘confusion, disorder’ & ‘unrest, anxiety’; also cp. AF awer(e, aweer, awher doubt & wer, weer, weir doubt (?from ME). Ult. Gmc.: cp. OHG werra confusion, disorder & MDu., MLG werre confusion, disorder & unrest, anxiety. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. awer(e n.
1.
(a) A feeling or personal condition of doubt or uncertainty; also, hesitancy, indecision; double ~, a state of doubt or indecision between two alternatives; in (a) ~, in a state of doubt or hesitancy;
(b) a state of error or confusion; stonden upon a ~, ?to be subject to error;
(c) a state of anxiety, apprehension, or fear.
Associated quotations
a
- ?c1335 Þe grace of godde (Hrl 913)239 : Alle þat beþ icommin here Fort to hire þis sarmun, Loke þat ȝe nab no were: For seue ȝer ȝe habbiþ to pardoun.
- (1357) Gaytr.LFCatech.(Yk-Borth R.I.11)64/294 : If the prest be in were of him that sal take it, Whethir he be baptized or he be noght, Than sall he sai the wordes opon this wise.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)3513 : William was in a wer þat it were himselve.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)10891 : Þat þou be noght o þis in weir, Ald elizabeth be þi samplere.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.306 : Was neuer withouten gile Walsh man no Breton, For þei were euer in wehere…Whilk was best bauere [read: banere], with þat side forto hold.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)16.3 : Ȝet I am in a were what charite is to mene.
- c1400 St.Anne(1) (Min-U Z.822.N.81)1017 : Ȝebell entyrd, þe thother thoght layth, Bot stude out all inwere.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.2361 : Achille…brent in a double fyre Of loue and Ire…And þus he stood in a double wer.
- a1425(c1400) 5 Wits (Hrl 2398)9/29 : Þe nedeþ nouȝt to be in doute yf þer ryse nywe lawe…ne ȝe nedeþ to be in weyr which is best.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)1.4954 : Thus in a weer longe she dede endure…Whethir that she shal be tendre or cruel.
- 1448 *Glo.Chron.C (Arms 58:Kooper)f.148v : That was in a where to eche man what best were to done [L (Wm of Malmesbury (Stubbs, 212)): haesitabatur .. quod fieret]: If they were rebell to the Danes ther nas none to mayntayne hem, And if they yelde hemself they shulde be vnder tyrauntes and robbours.
- a1450(?1420) Lydg.TG (Tan 346)651 : As man dispeired in a double werre [vr. where], Born vp wiþ hope, & þan anon daunger Me drawiþ abak and seith it shal not be.
- c1450(c1380) Chaucer HF (Benson-Robinson)979 : Thoo gan y wexen in a were, And seyde, ‘Y wot wel y am here; But wher in body or in gost I not, ywys; but God, thou wost!’
- c1450(c1405) Mum & S.(2) (Add 41666)296 : For þe double doute as dul as an asse…I wente in a wyre a grete while after.
- c1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Tbr A.7)22228 : I stood in a maner wher, What tokenes it myght be, The thynges that I dyde se.
- ?a1475(a1396) *Hilton SP (Hrl 6579)2.11.73a : Þei fallen often in swilk weeres & doutes of hemself.
- a1500 O ye lovers (Corp-O 61)54 : Yur writyng afore spilt al þe roste, refusyng to siewe, and list not apeire to þe highe presence, bot stode in a were.
- 1591(?a1425) Chester Pl.(Hnt HM 2)265/351 : My witt is in a weare to ordayne remedye.
b
- c1390 Hose wolde be-þenke (Vrn)54 : Þou maiȝt not seo hit…To deme treuly what hit is; Þerfore þi doom falleþ in a weere; So demeþ a mon ofte syþes a-mis.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)prol.143 : The hevene wot what is to done, Bot we that duelle under the mone Stonde in this world upon a weer.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)9521 : Þey are alle yn were, And yn þe feyþ þey are nat clere.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)2425 : Qui did þou vs þus in were, þat said þi wijf þi sister were?
- ?a1475 LDirige(2) (Dc 322)297 : Hym wanteth goddys lore…And thus he wandreth in a were As a man blynde.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)13160 : A myst & a merknes mynget with rayn, Þat wilt vs in were & our way lost.
c
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)1.1924 : Ha, fader, be noght in a wer: I trowe ther be noman…That halt him lasse worth thanne I To be beloved.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.228 : Þe Soudan was in wehere þe Cristen had suilk oste; Sir Edwardes powere ouer alle he dred moste.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.1146 : Be no þing in wer Of our abidyng, but be riȝt wel certeyn Þat…We schal depart.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.3420 : He was boþe ferful & in were, In gret dispeire and inly ful of drede.
- a1450(?1420) Lydg.TG (Tan 346)906 : Be goode of trust & be noþing in were [rime: chere], Siþ I myself shal helpen in þis nede.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)21663 : Lyst she sholde ha taken me, I swam ful faste…ffor dred off hyre, I was in were.
- c1475 O lord omnipotent (Trin-C R.3.21)79 : Thow art oure lyght illumynyng conscience clere…Lat hope and ioy defend vs from all wyere.
- ?a1525(?a1475) Play Sacr.(Dub 652)482 : Of thys wyrk I am in were; Yt bledyth as yt were woode!
- 1591(?a1425) Chester Pl.(Hnt HM 2)184/258 : Yett my witt in a were, lest Herode make us some trayne.
2.
(a) An objective state of doubt, unverifiability or unpredictability; ben (dependen, stonden) in a ~, lien in ~, to be unreliable or uncertain; holden in ~, consider (sth.) to be uncertain;
(b) bouten (oute of) ~, withouten (ani) ~, without doubt, certainly;—used as rime tag, often with diminished force; this (is) no ~, this is no matter for doubt.
Associated quotations
a
- c1390 I wolde witen (Vrn)116 : Þenk hou we comen hider al bare; Vr wey wendyng is in a were.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)462 : Seþyn þer beyn dremys so many manere, þan ys doute & grete were To wyte where-of dremys come.
- a1400 Cursor (Göt Theol 107)23824 : Þat ilke day we se and here, we au it noght to hald in were.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.1082 : Or she be mutable, Þis gery goddes with hir double cher, Lat vs ȝeve vp swiche þing as liþe in wer.
- a1425 Wel were hym (CmbAdd 5943)3 : Wel were hym þat wyst To wam he myȝt tryste, bote þat ys in a wyre.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)1.3123 : Al ertheli blisse dependith in a weer, In a ballaunce oneuenli hangyng.
- c1450(1410) Walton Boeth.(Lin-C 103)p.122 : Out of doute he haþ þi herte broght Of þinges whiche þat stonden in a were.
- ?a1475 LDirige(2) (Dc 322)129 : That day a man ys fresshe…But to-morow he wexeth syke…Thus mannes tyme ys in a were.
b
- ?c1335(a1300) Cokaygne (Hrl 913)21 : I sigge for soþ, boute were, Þer nis lond on erþe is pere.
- c1350 Of alle þe witti (Add 45896)89 : Wyt an on and an I, wytouten eny wyr, I may noust wyne and þriue al in a ȝere.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)2872 : Hast þou gode chere þy faire tour to gete aȝan wyþ-oute any where.
- a1400 Cursor (Trin-C R.3.8)3799 : Out of were, I wist not his wonyng here.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.967 : Þei ȝaf a liȝt, with-outen any were, As Phebus doþ in his mydday spere.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)3.2281 : Þis toun…With Grekis fire schal distroied be In schort tyme, sothly þis [read: þis is] no were.
- c1450(1369) Chaucer BD (Benson-Robinson)1295 : Ylyche they were bothe glad and wrothe; Al was us oon, withoute were [rime: yere].
- c1450(?a1422) Lydg.LOL (Dur-U Cosin V.2.16)2.733 : The god of kynde…set it newe a fyre With the holy goste, that with outyn werre…She brent in love.
- c1450 Mandev.(4) (CovCRO Acc.325/1)1943 : In some houre, without where, Who that drinketh of that water clere, Hit encrecith his life many yeeris.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)9485 : God made neuere wyth hys hondys…Off mankynde mo than tweyne; Vn-to wyche (wyth-oute wheer) He commyttede hys power.
- a1475 *Sidrak & B.(Lnsd 793)4472 : He cam pore in-to þis world here And pore shal wende wiþ-outen were.
3.
(a) Jeopardy, danger; in ~ forto walten, in danger of falling;
(b) misfortune, tribulation; also, woe, sorrow.
Associated quotations
a
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.319 : His life was alle in wehere; He bed grete catelle, his lif forto saue.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.75 : Þei and her cyte Shal mor & mor in were of deth depende.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.1026 : Oure lyf and oure good y-fere And oure honour arn y-put in were And dredfully hangen in ballaunce.
- c1460(?c1400) Beryn (Nthld 55)2850 : They had levir saille forth þen put hem in were, Both lyve & goodis.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)206/59 : Of oure warkys we must be wyse, or els is all oure welthe in were.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)8266 : All in wer for to walt, wayueronde he sote, But he held hym on horse.
b
- a1400(?c1300) LFMass Bk.(Roy 17.B.17)589 : I pray…þat þou vs kepe fro alkyns were [vr. kare] þat may byfalle…wheþer we ryde or be goande.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)8096 : Yn þe worlde ys none so gode skryueyne…Ne myȝt telle þe sorow and were [glossed: dysese], Ne þe peyne, þat þe preste shal drye, Þat haunteþ þat synne of lecchery.
- c1400 St.Anne(1) (Min-U Z.822.N.81)96 : Ioachym þan with wepyng teres Away went in were.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.4235 : Þou haste vs brouȝt in meschef & in were.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)828 : He regned foure & þrytty ȝer In pes wyþouten wo & wer.
- c1450(a1425) MOTest.(SeldSup 52)4435 : So wakynd weyre and mekyll wo all throw a wekyd woman wyle!
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)368/25 : Alas! now wakyns all oure were; oure wykyd Warkys can we not hide, Bot on oure bakys we must theym bere, that will vs soroo on ilka syde.
4.
A matter of doubt, a doubtful thing; ?also, a matter to cause anxiety or involving danger or misfortune [2nd quot.].
Associated quotations
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)20794 : Disput…es na mister Bituix te wis in swilk a wer.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)228/213 : An.: Say, wotte þou any were? Ju.: Of werke, sir, þat hath wretthid ȝou, I wotte what I meene.