(a) A pledge, guarantee, surety; winter wage, a foretaste of winter, the promise of winter’s approach; holden in wage, to hold (sth.) hostage;
(b) a promise or pledge to meet in battle.
…
(a) Large-scale military conflict between countries, peoples, rulers, etc. or between factions or forces within a single country, war, warfare;—also pl.; wer faringe, q.v.; open (pleine) wer, open……