Forms: 2 uuerre, werre, wyrre, 3 weorre, worre, 3–5 werre, (4 pl. werren), 4–6 werr, 5 guerre, gwerre, 4, 5–6 Sc. wer, 4–5, 6–7 Sc. were, 4 Sc. vere, 4, 7 Sc. weer, 4–6 Sc. veyr, 5 Sc. veir, 5–6 Sc. weire, weyr(e, 4–9 Sc. weir, 6 Sc. wair, wiar, weare, veare, 7 Sc. ware, 8 Sc. wear, 5 waar, 5–7 warr(e, 6– war. [Late OE. (c. 1050) wyrre, werre, a. North-eastern OF. werre = Central OF. and mod.F. guerre, Pr. guerra, gerra, Sp., Pg., It. guerra (med.L. werra, guerra) a. OHG. werra (MHG. werre) confusion, discord, strife, related to the OHG., OS. werran str. vb., to bring into confusion or discord (whence mod.G. wirren wk. vb. to confuse, perplex; the earlier vb. survives in verworren ppl. a., confused), f. Teut. root *werz-, *wers-, whence also WORSE a.
It is a curious fact that no Germanic nation in early historic times had in living use any word properly meaning ‘war,’ though several words with that meaning survived in poetry, in proverbial phrases, and in compound personal names. The Romanic-speaking peoples, who were obliged to avoid the L. bellum on account of its formal coincidence with bello- beautiful, found no nearer equivalent in Teut. than werra. In OE. the usual translation of bellum was ʓewin, struggle, strife. The continental Teut. langs. later developed separate words for ‘war’: G. krieg (whence Sw., Da. krig), Du. oorlog: Icelandic uses ófriôr ‘un-peace.’]
1. Hostile contention by means of armed forces, carried on between nations, states, or rulers, or between parties in the same nation or state; the employment of armed forces against a foreign power, or against an opposing party in the state.
For civil, intestine, etc., war, see the adjs. War to the knife (after Sp. guerra al cuchillo), see KNIFE sb. 1 b; war to the death, see DEATH sb. 12 c.
1154. O. E. Chron. (Laud MS.), an. 1140. Þer efter wæx suythe micel uuerre betuyx þe king & Randolf eorl of Cæstre.
a. 1225. Leg. Kath., 20. Ah se wide him weox weorre on euch halue [L. bellis undique consurgentibus].
c. 1290. Holy Rood, 336, in S. Eng. Leg., 11. Sethþe þare cam an Aumperour þat hiet costantin; In weorre and bataylle he was so muche þat þare-of nas no fin.
1297. R. Glouc. (Rolls), 131. Þe … king nis to preisi noȝt Þat in time of worre as a lomb is boþe mek & milde, & in time of pes as leon boþe cruel & wilde.
c. 1375. Sc. Leg. Saints, vii. (James Minor), 462. Iosaphus, prince wes & als ledare of þat towne, bath in pese & vere.
1377. Langl., P. Pl., B. XVIII. 226. Wote no wighte what werre is þere þat pees regneth.
1421. Lydg., Horse, Goose, Sheep, 425, in Pol. Rel. & L. Poems (1903), trs. 33. Thou Causist werre and seist thu louest pees.
c. 1449. Pecock, Repr., V. x. 537. Whanne therupon hangith ceesing of greet werre and making of greet pees.
1462. in Eng. Hist. Rev. (1914), Oct., 720. The said Erle shal haue the lijrds of all wynnyngs of werre won or gotten by the said Cristofre.
c. 1480. Henryson, Test. Cres., 196. Ane horn he blew … Quhilk all this warld with weir hes maid to wag.
1513. More, Rich. III., Wks. 36/2. Richarde Duke of Yorke … beganne not by warre, but by lawe, to challenge the crown.
1573. Reg. Privy Council Scot., II. 218. Except sic change and fortoun of weare as salbe commoun and alike to bayth.
1593. Shaks., 3 Hen. VI., IV. vii. 36. These Gates must not be shut, But in the Night, or in the time of Warre.
1613. J. Saris, Voy. Japan (Hakl. Soc.), 54. The prince of Tidore, whoe had beene out in warr, and was retorned with 100 Ternatans heades.
1648. Milton, Sonn. to Fairfax, 10. For what can Warr, but endless warr still breed, Till Truth, and Right from Violence be freed.
1690. Locke, Govt., II. iii. § 16. The State of War is a State of Enmity and Destruction.
1697. Dryden, Virg. Georg., IV. 810. Mighty Cæsar, thund’ring from afar, Seeks on Euphrates’ Banks the Spoils of War.
1728. Ramsay, Lochaber, i. The dangers attending on wear.
1759. B. Porteus, Death, 179. War its thousands slays, Peace its ten thousands.
1765. Blackstone, Comm., I. vii. 250. In order to make war completely effectual, it is necessary with us in England that it be publicly declared and duly proclaimed by the king’s authority.
1846. Congressional Globe, 14 May, 808/1. It puts it in the power of any military squad … to put this nation in a state of war. The killing of people is not war. In order to constitute war between nations, that killing must be sanctioned by the war-making power.
1857. Buckle, Civiliz., I. viii. 551. Formerly religion had been the cause of war, and had also been the pretext under which it was conducted.
1871. Mozley, Univ. Serm., v. (1876), 101. War is one of these rights, because under the division of mankind into distinct nations it becomes a necessity.
1902. W. James, Varieties Relig. Exper., 367. What we now need to discover in the social realm is the moral equivalent of war: something heroic that will speak to men as universally as war does, and yet will be as compatible with their spiritual selves as war has proved itself to be incompatible.
Personified. 1563. Sackville, Induct. Mirr. Mag., lvi. Lastly stoode Warre in glitteryng armes yclad, With visage grym.
c. 1614. Sir W. Mure, Dido & Æneas, I. 37. Bloody warre, the mistres of debait.
1803. Wordsw., Addr. Kilchurn Castle, 1. Child of loud-throated War!
b. transf. and fig. Applied poet. or rhetorically to any kind of active hostility or contention between living beings, or of conflict between opposing forces or principles.
a. 1200. Moral Ode, 246, in O. E. Hom., I. 175. Þa þe ledden here lif in werre and in winne.
c. 1275. Of Serving Christ, 37, in O. E. Misc., 91. Bi-leueþ oure weorre, warlawes wode.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 9666. Þes mai nourquar abide Þar hate wons, or werr, or pride.
1303. R. Brunne, Handl. Synne, 10570. Þarfore þat tyme was mykyl þro, And ofte was boþe werre and wo.
c. 1374. Chaucer, Troylus, V. 234. Who kan conforten now youre hertes werre? Ibid. (c. 1386), Frankl. T., 29. Ne wolde neuere God bitwixe vs tweyne, As in my gilt, were outher werre or stryf.
1456. Sir G. Haye, Law Arms (S.T.S.), 5. Amang the quhilkis is grete discorde discensioun and were.
1624. Quarles, Job Milit., xviii. 30. Know’st thou the cause of Snow, or Haile, which are My fierce Artill’ry, in my time of warre?
1725. Pope, Odyss., II. 96. O insolence of youth! whose tongue affords Such railing eloquence and war of words.
1774. Goldsm., Nat. Hist., V. 306. Whatever be the motives that thus arrest a flock of birds in their flight, whether they be of gallantry or of war, it is certain that [etc.].
1817. Byron, Manfred, II. ii. 135. I have affronted death—but in the war Of elements the waters shrunk from me.
1912. L. Tracy, Mirabel’s Isl., ii. (1915), 32. His keen hearing was of no avail in that war of wind and wave.
c. The plural (esp. with def. art.) was formerly often used in the same sense as the sing.
To have been in the wars (colloq.), to show marks of injury or traces of rough usage.
c. 1374. Chaucer, Anel. & Arc., 22. Whan Theseus with werres longe and grete The aspre folke of Cithe had ouercome.
a. 1400. R. Glouc. (Rolls), App. Z. 19. Wel fale ȝer þer after þo worres aslakede.
1448–9. Metham, Amoryus & Cleopes, 218. And for yowre labour in werris that with vs ye haue be, We þanke yow.
1470–85. Malory, Arthur, VI. x. 193. For knyghtes that ben … lecherous shal not be … fortunate vnto the werrys.
1538. Starkey, England (1878), 47. So dothe the multytude of pepul … sone, by warrys and iniury of ennemys, wythout strenghth, lose hys welth.
1549. Cheke, Hurt Sedit. (1569), H iij. After warres it is commonly seene, that a great number of those that went out honest, returne home againe like roisters.
1581. Hamilton, in Cath. Tractates (S.T.S.), 74. The miserable estait of your maiesties cuntrie oppressit be famine and intestine vearis.
1599. Shaks., Much Ado, I. i. 31. Is Signior Mountanto return’d from the warres, or no? Ibid. (1601), All’s Well, II. iii. 303. Warres is no strife To the darke house, and the detected wife.
1606. G. W[oodcocke], Justine, IV. 23. Hereupon, the warres by Sea was againe renued.
1644. Digby, Nat. Bodies, xxvii. § 7. 247. When he was a little boy, there being warres in the country.
1721. Ramsay, Richy & Sandy, 37. His fame shall last: last shall his sang of weirs.
1850. Scoresby, Cheever’s Whalem. Adv., x. (1858), 133. Sundry other marks upon his body, that showed him to have been in the wars.
d. Open war: avowed active hostility.
c. 1380. Wyclif, Wks. (1880), 16. Ȝif þei … conseilen men more to taken vengeaunce bi open werre of here breþren þan to suffren paciently wrongys.
1450. Paston Lett., I. 100. To leve, reise, and make open werr ayenst you.
1487. Cely Papers (Camden), 165. Hytt ys open warre betwyxte Gaunte & the Kynge of Romayns.
1609. Dekker, Work for Armourers, C ij. That open warre should presently be proclaimed against that arrogant, haughty, ambitious Tyrant Money.
1623. Cockeram, II. Open Warre, Hostilitie.
1667. Milton, P. L., II. 41. By what best way, Whether of open Warr or covert guile, We now debate.
† e. Abstinence, prorogation of war: suspension of hostilities. Obs.
1517. in Acts Parlt. Scot. (1875), XII. 38/1. The foresaid prorogacioun of were past concludit and approbate as said is. Ibid. (1521), 39/2. Þat … We may have abstinence of Weire for ane tyme quhill an Ambaxat may be maid Reddy.
1548. Hall, Chron., Edw. IV., 245 b. That an especial abstinence of warre should be kept … betwixte the Realmes of England and Scothand.
2. In various phrases. (For declare, levy, wage war, see the vbs.)
a. (To be) at war, † at wars, † in war, † in wars: engaged in war. lit. and fig. So at open war, † wars.
1377. Langl., P. Pl., B. XIV. 222. Buxomenesse and boste aren euer-more at werre, And ayther hateth other in alle manere werkes.
c. 1400. Maundev. (Roxb.), xiii. 58. When twa rewmes er at were and owþer party ensegez citee, toune or castell.
c. 1407. Lydg., Reson & Sens., 1936. For to sette hem al at werre.
c. 1450. Mirk’s Festial, 22. Kyndomes and prouynces wern at werre.
1456. Sir G. Haye, Law Arms (S.T.S.), 3. Men kennyis almaist na realme in cristyndom bot it is in were.
1565. Stapleton, trans. Bede’s Hist. Ch. Eng., 29. The Britannes being free from all foraine warres, fell at warres with in them selues and to all other myscheifes.
1567. Gude & Godlie B. (S.T.S.), 26. All Christin men tak tent and leir, How saull and body ar at weir.
1573. L. Lloyd, Pilgr. Princes, 12. When Turnus and Aeneas were in wars for the mariage of Lauinia.
1600. W. Watson, Decacordon (1602), 235. The Iesuits doe mightily disagree, and are often at open warres.
1614. R. Wilkinson, Paire of Serm., etc., 30. So wee are, indeed, at warres with God, and at warres with one another.
1630. R. Johnson’s Kingd. & Commw., 215. King Gustavus Adolphus … hath taken Elbing … from the Polander, with whom he is still in warres.
1637. J. Battiere, in Ussher’s Lett. (1686), 489. This Kingdom being now in Wars on all sides, doth not afford any great Design for the advancement of Learning.
1677. Govt. Venice, 91. Nine times have they been at Wars together.
1698. Fryer, Acc. E. India & P., 352. When England was at Wars with Portugal.
1780. Mirror, No. 82. We have been two years at war with France.
1792. Burke, Corr. (1844), III. 387. Sentiments of liberty which were not at war with order, virtue, religion, and good government.
1816. Byron, Stanzas to Augusta, II. ii. And when winds are at war with the ocean.
1860. Pusey, Min. Proph., 171. Man, in his powerlessness, at war with Omnipotence!
1862. Mrs. H. Wood, Mrs. Hallib., II. xiv. In that moment … Cyril felt at war with everybody and everything.
1884. Graphic, 23 Aug., 186/3. Teetotallers and moderate drinkers will probably be at war on this point … as long as the world lasts.
b. To go to war or † wars: to enter on hostilities. To go to the war(s (arch.): to go abroad as a soldier.
c. 1450. Capgrave, St. Aug., xxxix. 50. Þat he schuld neuer councell man to go to werre.
1597. Shaks., 2 Hen. IV, III. ii. 196. Come, thou shalt go to the Warres in a Gowne. Ibid. (1606), Ant. & Cl., II. ii. 66. Would we had all such wiues, that the men might go to Warres with the women.
1807. Moore, Minstrel Boy, 1. The Minstrel Boy to the war is gone.
1871. Mozley, Univ. Serm., v. (1876), 117. The aim of the nation in going to war is exactly the same as that of the individual in entering a court; it wants its rights, or what it alleges to be its rights.
† c. To have war: to be at war (with, to). To hold, keep war or wars: to be continuously at war.
a. 1122. O. E. Chron. (Laud MS.), an. 1116. Se cyng Henri fylste his nefan … þe þa wyrre hæfde toʓeanes his hlaforde þam cynge of France.
c. 1275. Lay., 4347. To holde werre [c. 1205 To halden comp] and eke fiht.
13[?]. Northern Passion, 154/218*. Agaynes kynge pharoo he helde werre.
c. 1400. Maundev. (1839), vi. 64. Thei han often tyme werre with the Soudan.
1456. Sir G. Haye, Law Arms (S.T.S.), 167. Thai … nouthir had were to him, na he to thame.
c. 1540. trans. Pol. Verg. Eng. Hist. (Camden No. 29), 32. [They] beganne to keepe warre against their neighbours.
1553. Eden, Treat. New Ind. (Arb.), 37. They kepe warre against their borderers.
1560. J. Daus, trans. Sleidane’s Chron., 310 b. Englande hath oftentymes kepte warre with Scotlande.
1588. Parke, trans. Mendoza’s Hist. China, 342. These Ilandes were wont to haue warre the one with the other.
d. To make war: to carry on hostilities. lit. and fig. Const. on, upon, with; also against, and † to, unto, or dative.
c. 1205. Lay., 170. Weorre makede Turnus.
1297. R. Glouc. (Rolls), 6095. His folc made euere uaste worre ȝut after is deþe.
1439. Rolls of Parlt., V. 17/2. The seide Phelip … hath contynuelly … made werre unto the seide John.
1515. in Archæologia, XLVII. 302. In caace the duke or any other lordes wol make garriable werr ayeinst the castell.
c. 1532. Ld. Berners, Huon, lvii. 193. When yuoryn herd this he made me warre & was here before my cete with all his pusance.
a. 1548. Hall, Chron., Hen. IV., 7. Item he assembled certain Lancashire and Cheshire men to the entent to make warre on the foresaid Lordes.
c. 1560. A. Scott, Poems, i. 126. As werrie waspis aganis Goddis word makis weir.
1577–87. Holinshed, Chron., John (1807), II. 320. That if the king would not confirme the same, they would not cease to make him warre, till he should satisfie their requests in that behalfe.
a. 1586. Sidney, Ps. XXXVII. xiii. Bad folkes shall fall,… Who to make warre with God presumed.
1590. Shaks., Com. Err., III. i. 86. Dro. In her forhead, arm’d and reuerted, making warre against her heire.
1600. J. Pory, trans. Leo’s Africa, IV. 216. He leuied a puissant armie, and made warre against Barbarossa.
1606. G. W[oodcocke], Hist. Justine, XXVI. 94. He made warre to the Athenians.
1615. G. Sandys, Trav., 73. His valour rests yet untried, having made no warre but by disputation.
1626. Cockeram, II. s.v. War, To make warre, Belligerate.
1774. Goldsm., Nat. Hist., III. 331. As the fox makes war upon all animals so all others seem to make war upon him.
1794. Paley, Evid. (1825), II. 255. Aristotle maintained the general right of making war upon barbarians.
1885. Scribner’s Monthly, XXX. 396/1. The … colonists were accustomed … to make war on the creatures of the forest.
1918. Nation (N.Y.), 7 Feb., 129/2. To get more beef the Government is making war on the cattle tick.
† e. (To win, etc.) of, on, with war: by warfare.
c. 1374. Chaucer, Troylus, I. 134. The thinges fellen as they don of were Bytwixen hem of Troye and Grekes ofte.
a. 1400[?]. Morte Arth., 22. How they whanne wyth were wyrchippis many. Ibid., 33. And Wales of were he wane at hys wille. Ibid., 516, 621.
c. 1420. Avow. Arth., xxii. Thus hase he wonun Kay on werre.
c. 1425. Wyntoun, Cron., II. 1562. Þar wiþe hir ost scho coyme of weyre. Ibid., V. 4458 (Royal MS.). A tyrawnd, Odonater, Held all that land tyll hym off were [v.rr. of weyre, of weire, awere] Agayne the mycht of the empyre.
3. In particularized sense: A contest between armed forces carried on in a campaign or series of campaigns.
Often with identifying word or phrase, as in the Trojan war, the Punic Wars, the Wars of the Roses, the Thirty Years’ War. Holy war: a war waged in a religious cause: applied, e.g., to the Crusades, and to the JIHAD among Mohammedans. Sacred War [= Gr. ιερὸς πόλεμος]: in Gr. Hist., the designation of two wars (B.C. 595 and 357–46) waged by the Amphictyonic Council against Phocis in punishment of alleged sacrilege. For Servile, Social war, see the adjs.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 2491. Þare had a were ben in þat land, þat had lasted sumdel lang.
c. 1320. Sir Tristr., 29. Þe wer lasted so long Til morgan asked pes Þurch pine.
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron. Wace (Rolls), 437. Þat werre … lasted two & twenty ȝer.
c. 1350. Will. Palerne, 2613. A gret warre, Þat was wonderli hard in þe next londe.
1375. Barbour, Bruce, I. 522. Wes nocht all troy with tresoune tane, Quhen x ȝeris of the wer wes gane?
1377. Death Edw. III., in Pol. Poems (Rolls), I. 217. This gode comunes … That with heore catel and with heore goode Mayntened the werre both furst and last.
1485. Cal. Patent Rolls (1914), 46. [The war called] le Barons’ werre.
c. 1550. Lyndesay, Trag., 113. Duryng this weir war takin presoneris,… Mony one Lorde, Barrone, and Bachileris.
1595. Shaks., John, II. i. 36. The peace of heauen is theirs yt lift their swords In such a iust and charitable warre.
a. 1631. Donne, Songs & Son., Canonization, 16. Soldiers find warres, and Lawyers find out still Litigeous men.
1659. B. Harris, Parival’s Iron Age, 245. This fatall War is like the Hydra; the more heads are cut off, the more grow up.
1754. Shebbeare, Matrimony (1766), I. 103. The French Cannon which took some of the Towns defended by the Dutch, last War in Flanders.
1840. Penny Cycl., XVIII. 99/2. The celebrated Phocian or Sacred War, in which all the great states of Greece were more or less concerned.
1841. Elphinstone, Hist. India, I. 583. His conduct of the war evinced more activity than skill.
1882. Freeman, Impress. U.S. (1883), 21. Still the War of Independence must be, on the American side, a formidable historic barrier in the way of perfect brotherhood.
b. transf. and fig. A contest, struggle (between living beings or opposing forces). Cf. 1 b.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 3458. O suilk a wer was neuer herd, Ne suilk a strijf o childir tuin.
c. 1400. Anturs of Arth., iii. Thayre werre on the wild squyne wurchis hom wo.
1602. 2nd Pt. Return fr. Parnass., I. ii. 160. I thinke there be neuer an Ale-house in England … but sets forth some poets petternels or demilances to the paper warres in Paules Church-yard.
1607. Shaks., Cor., II. i. 232. Our veyl’d Dames Commit the Warre of White and Damaske in their nicely gawded Cheekes, to th’ wanton spoyle Of Phoebus burning Kisses.
1620. J. Taylor (Water P.), Jack a Lent, A 4. Blacke Iacks … Whose liquor oftentimes breedes houshold wars.
1697. Dryden, Virg. Georg., III. 415. I pass the Wars the spotted Linx’s make With their fierce Rivals, for the Female’s sake.
1711. Steele, Spect., No. 78, ¶ 5. What a learned War will there be among future Criticks about the Original of that Club.
1718. Prior, Solomon, I. 706. My Prophets, and my Sophists finish’d here Their Civil Efforts of the Verbal War.
1744. J. Love, Cricket (1770), 16. Scarce any Youth wou’d dare At single Wicket, try the doubtful War.
1821. Byron, Cain, III. i. For what should I be gentle? for a war With all the elements ere they will yield The bread we eat?
1855. Brewster, Newton, II. xxii. 295. That deadly war, which, to the disgrace of mathematical science, has raged for three years between the geometers of Britain and Germany.
1864. Lowell, Fireside Trav., 108. The war between the white man and the forest was still fierce.
1885. Manch. Exam., 16 May, 5/1. There is already a talk of … a war of tariffs being declared.
† 4. Actual fighting, battle; a battle, engagement. Obs. (chiefly poet.)
c. 1320. Sir Tristr., 752. Rohand told anon … How þe batayle bi gan, Þe werres hadden y ben.
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron. Wace (Rolls), 5464. Ȝyf we were bold, now be we baldere, & y schal vndertake þys were.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., XVIII. xlii. (1495), 804. Elephauntys drede not the sharpnesse of werre and dredyth and fleeth the voys of the leest sowe or swyne.
a. 1400. Octovian, 1621. Tho began greet werre awake, Scheldes cleuede and speres brake.
a. 1400[?]. Morte Arth., 257. Now wakkenyse the were! wyrchipide be Cryste!
1422. Yonge, trans. Secreta Secret., 185. The cronycles makyth no mencion of no chyualry ne werre done by the kynge al the tyme that he in Irland was.
1697. Dryden, Æneis, V. 569. Their Heads from aiming Blows they bear a far, With dashing Gauntlets then provoke the War. Ibid., VII. 742. First, Almon falls,… Pierc’d with an Arrow from the distant War.
1750. Gray, Long Story, 76. Where, safe and laughing in his sleeve, He heard the distant din of war.
1805. Scott, Last Minstrel, IV. xiii. The boy is ripe to look on war.
1827. Pollok, Course T., VI. 479. War brayed to war.
† b. A hostile attack, invasion, assault. Obs.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Knt.’s T., 429. Thou mayst … make a werre so sharpe on this Citee.
1387. Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), VI. 285. Þe werre of þe Danes þat assaillede first Norþhumberlond and þanne Lyndeseie.
c. 1400. Beryn, 1599. Wee have no nede to dout werr, ne molestacioun.
1603. Knolles, Hist. Turks (1621), 589. Now the Turkes began to make faire warres, their terrible batteries began to grow calme.
5. The kind of operations by which the contention of armed forces is carried on; fighting as a department of activity, as a profession, or as an art. Cf. MAN-OF-WAR, SHIP-OF-WAR.
c. 1350. Will. Palerne, 2349. But god for his grete grace gof i hadde now here horse & alle harneys þat be-houes to werre.
1375. Barbour, Bruce, XVI. 492. This poynt of weir … Wes vndirtane so apertly, And eschevit richt hardely.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 1038. Nestor, A noble man naitest in werre. Ibid., 10037. The Mirmydons were … Wise men in werr.
1513. More, Rich. III., Wks. 37/2. None euill captaine was hee in the warre, as to whiche his dispocion was more metely then for peace.
1579. Tomson, Calvin’s Serm. Tim., 908/2. Saint Paules meaning is, to shew to Timothie, that it is more then time, he were throughly trained, and made to warre, (as we say).
1759. Robertson, Hist. Scot., I. II. 111. War was the sole profession of the nobles.
1781. Logan, Hymn, ‘Behold the Mountain,’ 24. They hang the trumpet in the hall, and study war no more.
1841. J. F. Cooper, Deerslayer, vii. I’m young in war, but not so young as to stand on an open beach to be shot down like an owl by daylight.
† b. In titles of office, captain of the war, treasurer of the king’s wars, treasurer at wars. Obs.
c. 1450. Brut, 450. Þe Lord Wylloghby was made Capten of hys werris.
1474. Caxton, Chesse, II. v. (1883), 66. Ioab the sone of Saryre that was captayn of the warre of the kynge Dauid [Cf. Vulg. 2 Sam. viii. 16 Joab … erat super exercitum].
1495. Naval Acc. Hen. VII. (1896), 139. Sir Reignold Bray Knyght late Tresorer of Our Soueraigne Lorde the Kynges werres.
1617. Moryson, Itin., II. 53. The Treasurer at Warres per diem thirtie five shillings.
c. in phrasal combinations designating things pertaining to warfare, as munitions, † weeds of war. † Castle, house, place, town of war (obs.), a fortified building or place. † Line of war Naut., the flotation-line of a ship when fully armed, ammunitioned, and victualled for three months.
For articles, contraband, council, hono(u)rs of war, see those words.
1375. Barbour, Bruce, XIII. 405. Bothwell … That than at Ynglis mennys fay Wes, and haldin as place of wer. Ibid., XVII. 243. Till mak aparale For till defend and till assale Castell of wer or than cite.
c. 1375. Sc. Leg. Saints, vii. (James Minor), 465. With alkyne Instrument of were, as gyne, slonge, darte & spere.
1441. in Plumpton Corr. (Camden), p, liv. The Archbishop’ officers by his commaundement kept the said towne of Ripon like a towne of warr.
c. 1470. Golagros & Gaw., 549. That wy walit, I vis, all wedis of veir That nedit hym to note.
1474. Acc. Ld. High Treas. Scot., I. 50. Passande to Sanctandros with lettres vndir the signete for cartis of were.
1581. Reg. Privy Council Scot., III. 382. To fortefie and detene the samin [sc. house] as ane hous of weir.
1605. Camden, Rem., 1. Prouided with all complete provisions of Warre.
1691. T. H[ale], Acc. New Invent., 125. The line of War … is to be discovered by computing the weight … of the Ordnance … and … the weight of Men with three months Victuals.
† d. Manner of fighting. Obs.
14[?]. Sir Beues, 169/3323 (Pynson). For no catel Wolde I let sle Arundel, For he is gode in euery were.
1456. Sir G. Haye, Law Arms (S.T.S.), 84. Usage makis him … expert, be oft hanting of the were that he is wont till.
6. concr. Used poet. for: a. Instruments of war, munitions. ? Obs.
1667. Milton, P. L., VI. 712. Go then thou Mightiest … Ascend my Chariot,… bring forth all my Warr, My Bow and Thunder, my Almightie Arms Gird on.
1697. Dryden, Æneis, VIII. 572. Inferior Ministers, for Mars repair His broken Axeltrees, and blunted War. Ibid., XI. 901. Shields, Arms, and Spears, flash horrible from far; And the Fields glitter with a waving War.
1713. Addison, Cato, I. iv. Th’ embattled elephant, Loaden with war.
b. Soldiers in fighting array. ? Obs.
1667. Milton, P. L., XII. 214. On thir imbattelld ranks the Waves return, And overwhelm thir Warr.
1677. Oldham, David’s Lament. Saul & Jon., V. Seneh … Where he, himself an Host, o’ercame a War alone.
1700. Dryden, Pal. & Arc., III. 101. In this Array the War of either side Through Athens pass’d with Military Pride.
1726. Pope, Odyss., XXIV. 578. The opening gates at once their war display.
1814. Scott, Lord of Isles, VI. xxx. To arms they flew,… And mimic ensigns high theyrear, And … Bear down on England’s wearied war.
1816. L. Hunt, Rimini, I. 141. It seems as if the harnessed war were near.
1822. W. Tennant, Thane of Fife, I. i. On the plain Of Fife debark’d his proud invasive war.
† 7. Course, jousts, tournament of war: a tournament, joust. Similarly, To joust of war. Obs.
1375. Barbour, Bruce, XIX. 787. And thai, that worthy war and wicht, At that metyng iustit of wer.
c. 1400. Rowland & Otuel, 812. Kyng askuardyn in his gere Rydes owte a course of were.
c. 1420. Avow. Arth., xxiv. Take thi schild and thi spere And ride to him a course on werre.
a. 1440. Sir Degrev., 379. To the castelle he rad … And axed yef ther eny were, That wold hyme delyvere him ther Off thre corses of wer, Hym and xij. knythus. Ibid., 393. He axit justes of were, And prays the of answere.
c. 1450. Brut, 366. Þe Erle of Marre … come ynto Engelond for to chalange Ser Edmunde, þe Erle of Kent, of certeyn cours of warre on hors-bak.
1796. H. MacNeill, Links o’ Forth, xxxii. Or break the lance, and couch the spear At tilts and tournaments o’ weir.
II. attrib. and Comb.
8. In simple attributive use, with the senses ‘of or belonging to war,’ ‘used or occurring in war,’ ‘suited or adapted for war,’ etc. a. gen. as war-code, War Department, † war-feat, footing, -law, † point, -service, zone, etc.
1582. Stanyhurst, Æneis, IV. (Arb.), 97. Thee coompanye youthful Surcease from warfeats.
a. 1586. Sidney, Ps. XVIII. ix. He me warre points did show.
1599. Shaks., Much Ado, I. i. 303. But now I am return’d, and that warre-thoughts Haue left their places vacant: in their roomes Come thronging soft and delicate desires.
1601. Holland, Pliny, VIII. xlii. I. 222. The Scythians chuse rather to use their mares in warre-service than their stone-horses.
1614. R. Tailor, Hog hath lost Pearl, II. D 3. With what pleasing passions he did suffer Loues gentle war-siege.
1656. Earl Monm., trans. Boccalini’s Advts. fr. Parnass., II. xxxviii. (1674), 190. They had very exactly considered his War-Enterprises.
1766. Mansfield’s Sp. agst. Suspending & Dispensing Prerog., in Parl. Hist. (1813), XVI. 261. As that would have been using the war power of embargoes indirectly for another end than a war purpose, such an evasion of the law was not judged wise or fit.
1775. Adair, Amer. Ind., 380. Each gets a small bag of parched corn-flour, for his war-stores.
1797. Rep. Committees Ho. of Comm., XII. 301. The Office of Secretary of State for the War Department was first established on the 11th July 1794.
1819. D. B. Warden, Acc. U.S., III. 395. Chapter xliv. Of the War Department. Ibid., 405. The original proceedings of all courts-martial, ordered by the war department, are transmitted to that department by the judge advocate of the court.
1853. Grote, Greece, II. lxxxvi. XI. 286. To inquire whether Thebes had exceeded the measure of rigour warranted by the war-code of the time.
1855. Milman, Lat. Chr. (1864), II. IV. i. 197. Towards them [sc. Christian priests] the [Mohammedan] war-law speaks in a sterner tone.
1894. Times (weekly ed.), Feb., 118/3. The army has been placed on a war footing.
1918. Nation (N. Y.), 7 Feb., p. xii/1. The Government … compel all ships plying to ports in the war zone to insure their men.
b. With words that denote arms, accoutrement, implements, etc.; as war-axe, -belt, -club, saddle, † weeds; war-balloon, -cart, -tower; war-boat, -canoe, -steamer.
c. 1470. Golagros & Gaw., 198. Were wedis.
1513. Douglas, Æneis, VIII. vii. 144. Ane vther sort full byssely to Mart The rynnand quhelis forgeis, and weir cart.
1688. R. Holme, Armoury, III. 345/2. The Great Saddle or War Saddle, which is accounted the chief of Saddles.
1695. J. E. Edwards, Perfect. Script., 214. Great commanders … fought in open chariots or war-coaches.
1778. J. Carver, Trav. N. Amer., 269. He gives a violent blow with his war-club against a post that is fixed in the ground.
1798. Landor, Gebir, VII. 28. Whirling headlong in his war-belts fold.
1807. P. Gass, Jrnl., 215. The war-mallet is a club with a large head of wood or stone.
1819. Scott, Leg. Montrose, ii. His rider occupied his demipique, or war-saddle, with an air that shewed it was his familiar seat. Ibid. (1825), Talisman, ii. Take my war-axe, and dash the stone into twenty shivers.
1825. J. Neal, Bro. Jonathan, II. 16. A command for Eagle to put on his war-dress.
1826. J. Howell (title), An Essay on the War-galleys of the Ancients.
1836. Marryat, Olla Podr., xxv. The Burmah war-boats are very splendid craft, pulling from eighty to one hundred oars.
1838. Civil Engin. & Arch. Jrnl., I. 328/1. Improvements in War Rockets.
1839. Carlyle, Chartism, viii. 158. Or was the smith idle, hammering only wartools?
1852. Longf., Warden of Cinque Ports, iii. To see the French war-steamers speeding over.
1882. De Windt, Equator, 77. We now came in sight of a fleet of some 100 huge war-canoes.
1884. St. James’s Gaz., 8 Feb., 5/1. An ordinary war-balloon … may either contain an officer in charge or be dispatched unattended.
1909. G. M. Trevelyan, Garibaldi & the Thousand, xii. 213. A high hill, on the spur of which Talamone and its old war-tower projected into the sea.
c. With words that denote a commander, officer, army, etc., as war-captain, -chief, -leader; war-array, -company, force.
1610. Holland, Camden’s Brit. (1637), 77. The Generall of all the warre-forces throughout Britaine.
1757. [Burke], Europ. Settlem. Amer., I. II. iv. 182. When … the fury of the nation is raised to the greatest height,… the war captain prepares the feast, which consists of dogs flesh.
1800. Coleridge, Piccolomini, I. iii. 18. We had not seen the War-Chief, the Commander.
1814. Scott, Lord of Isles, VI. xii. The rest of Scotland’s war-array With Edward Bruce to westward lay.
1906. C. Squire, Mythol. Anc. Brit., v. 48. The traditions which make him [Arthur] a supreme war-leader of the Britons.
1913. J. A. Cramb, Germany & England, i. (1914), 35. I seem to hear again the thunder of the footsteps of a great host…. It is the war-bands of Alaric!
d. With words denoting cries, songs, musical instruments, etc., as war-chant, -horn, -march, -music, -pipe, -shout, -tramp, -trumpet, -whistle, -yell.
1775. Adair, Amer. Ind., 388. Taking from him his drum, war-whistle, and martial titles.
1793. Blake, America, 76. Sound! sound! my loud war-trumpets.
1808. Scott, Marmion, V. v. And varying notes the war-pipes bray’d, To every varying clan.
1809. Campbell, Gert. Wyom., III. xxvi. And for the business of destruction done Its requiem the war-horn seemed to blow.
1810. Scott, Lady of Lake, II. ix. What marvel, then, At times, unbidden notes should rise, Confusedly bound in memory’s ties, Entangling, as they rush along, The war-march with the funeral song?
1831. Trelawny, Adv. Younger Son, II. 43. Thus I stopped his triumphant war-yells.
1843. Lytton, Last Bar., II. ii. The first blast of the war-trump will scatter their greenness to the winds.
1847. Tennyson, Princess, V. 256. When first I heard War-music.
1866. Lytton, Lost Tales Miletus, Secret Way, 41. The huge walls Shook with the war-shout of ten thousand voices.
1892. Rider Haggard, Nada, xxvii. 228. As they went they sang the Ingomo, the war-chant of the Zulu.
e. With words that refer to finance, as war-budget, -fund, -insurance, -loan, -tax.
1815. in Orders of Council Naval Service (1866), I. 16. To direct that the salaries established as war salaries, by the said Order in Council,… should be the permanent salaries, both in war and peace of the several persons.
1817. Coleridge, Lay Serm. ‘Blessed are ye,’ 32. The Revenue was diminished by the abandonment of the war-taxes.
1853. Grote, Greece, II. lxxxviii. XI. 495. It is true that the Athenians might have laid up that surplus annually in the acropolis, to form an accumulating war-fund.
1854. Tait’s Mag., I. 599/1. Gentlemen farmers formed another exception during the era of war-prices and yeomanry cavalry.
1875. Jowett, Plato (ed. 2), III. 107. War-taxes depress the poor and keep them at work.
1887. J. C. Morison, Serv. Man, p. xv. The removal of all fear of war would be even a greater gain than the suppression of war-budgets.
1901. Corvo, Ho. Borgia, 34. The papal jewels were pawned, and their price added to the war-chest.
1901. Daily Tel., 9 March, 10/4. He had to ask for a war vote amounting to close upon eighty-eight millions sterling.
9. Objective, etc., as war-breeder, -chronicler, -jobber, -maker, -writer; † war-keeping, -making, † -thirst; war-breathing, -denouncing, -loving, † -parting, -stirring ppl. adjs.
1456. Sir G. Haye, Law Arms (S.T.S.), 123. Defence of the kingis persoun … is fer mare privilegit na is ony … were making till his awin legis.
1542. Udall, Erasm. Apoph., 160. Capitaines … apte and meete … for warrekepyng.
1598. Sylvester, Du Bartas, II. i. III. Furies, 806. But if (brave Lands-men) your war-thirst be such.
1598. Barret, Theor. Warres, 5. This is my opinion of the diuersitie of warre-writers.
1610. Healey, St. Aug. Citie of God, VII. xv. Vives 274. Mars is violent, a war-breeder.
1611. Speed, Theat. Gt. Brit., xxi. (1614), 41/1. The Cattieuchlani, a stout and warre-stirring people.
1747. Collins, Passions, 43. The war-denouncing trumpet.
1791. Burke, Fr. Revol., 253. Then the King will disband This war-breathing army.
1848. Thackeray, Van. Fair, xxxi. The war-chroniclers who write brilliant stories of fight and triumph.
1860. Gen. P. Thompson, Audi Alt. Part., III. 53. The war-jobbers have plainly won.
1908. Westm. Gaz., 2 March, 2/2. Raids by war-loving hill tribes on our Indian frontiers.
10. Instrumental and locative, as war-broken, famed, -made, -marked, -shaken, -tossed, -triumphant, -wasted, -wearied, -weary adjs. Also with sense ‘for war,’ as war-apparelled, -dight adjs.
1591. Shaks., 1 Hen. VI., IV. iv. 18. Whiles the honourable Captaine there Drops bloody swet from his warre-wearied limbes. Ibid. (1606), Ant. & Cl., III. vii. 45. Your Armie, which doth most consist Of Warre-markt-footmen.
1624. Davenport, City Night-cap, III. (1661), 26. The hoofs Of war-apparell’d horses.
1649. G. Daniel, Trinarch., Hen. IV., ccxlii. Warr-famed Douglas. Ibid., Hen. V., xcix. Our Warre-tost Realme.
1652. J. Taylor (Water P.), Short Rel. Journ. Wales (1859), 12. An old ruined winde and war-shaken castle.
1660. Speech to Gen. Monk, 1/1. Her War-made breaches now are cur’d again.
1725. Pope, Odyss., III. 486. Pallas herself, the War-triumphant Maid.
1777. Potter, Æschylus, Sev. agst. Thebes, 150. Nor the war-wasted town betray.
1804. Campbell, Soldier’s Dream, 22. Fain was their war-broken soldier to stay.
1821. Joanna Baillie, Metr. Leg., Wallace, xcv. From war-dight youth, to barefoot child.
1827. G. Darley, Sylvia, 149. The wild, war-blasted marches.
1902. J. H. Rose, Napoleon I, II. xxv. 94. Napoleon’ favourite aide-de-camp, Duroc, a short, stern, war-hardened man.
1902. Edin. Rev., July, 39. Campbell’s ‘Soldier’s Dream’ is the most beautiful rendering in English verse of the war-weary mood.
1915. A. Reade, Poems Love & War, 52.
| Joan, the Mystic Maiden, rides | |
| Through the war-swept countrysides. |
11. Special comb.: war-arrow (= ON. her-ǫr), an arrow split into segments which are sent out by a chief as a call to arms; war-bird U.S. = war-eagle; war-boy, in Africa, a colored fighting man or soldier; war-cloud, a cloud of dust and smoke rising from a battle-field (cf. πολέμοιο νέφος Iliad, xvii. 243); fig. something that threatens war; war-correspondent, a journalist engaged by a newspaper to send home first-hand descriptions of the fighting; war-eagle, the golden eagle, so called because the N. American Indians decorate themselves with its feathers; war-fain a. pseudo-arch., eager to fight; war-game = KRIEGSPIEL; also attrib. and fig.; war-hable a., [hable = ABLE a.; cf. HABILE a.], fit for war, of military age; war-hatchet, a hatchet used by the N. American Indians to symbolize the declaration or cessation of hostilities (see quots. and cf. HATCHET sb. 2); war-hawk U.S., one who is eager for the fray, a ‘brave’; war-head (of a torpedo: see quot.); † war-headling, a military chieftain or commander; war-hound fig. (cf. WAR-DOG); war-minister, the person who directs the war-affairs of a state; the Secretary of State for War; war-post, a post into which N. American Indians strike the war-hatchet; war-talk, a formal discussion among N. American Indian chiefs about war; also fig.; war-trail = WAR-PATH; war-woman (see quot.). Also WAR-CRY, WAR-DANCE, WAR-DOG, WAR-DRUM, WAR-GOD, WAR-HORSE, WAR-KETTLE, WARLOCK v.2, WAR-LORD, WAR-MAN, WAR-NOTE, WAR OFFICE, etc.
1866. Kingsley, Herew., xx. Split up the *war-arrow, and send it round.
1836. [Mrs. C. P. Traill], Backw. Canada, 289. [An Indian squaw] adorned with the wings of the American *War-bird.
1855. Longf., Hiaw., IX. 184. Then began the greatest battle That the war-birds ever witnessed.
1889. Daily News, 23 Jan., 6/6. An encounter took place recently just outside the Sulymah district, between a small British force and a party of *war-boys.
1901. Alldridge, Sherbro, xxvii. 314. They began to be chased by war-boys in canoes.
1827. Mrs. Hemans, Last Constantine, lxxxv. *War-clouds have wrapt the city.
1908. C. W. Wallace, Children Chapel Blackfriars, 172. Absence of reference in these two plays is negative proof that the personal war-cloud had passed, by 1602.
1891. Kipling, Light that Failed, ii. 25. Dick was made free of the New and Honourable Fraternity of *war-correspondents.
1855. Longf., Hiaw., IV. 188. From his eyrie screamed … The Keneu, the great *war-eagle.
1876. Morris, Sigurd, III. (1877), 217. Guttorm the young and the *war-fain.
1828. A. B. Granville, St. Petersburgh, II. 75. Explqin to us the use of the *‘war-game’ table, on which the present Emperor, when Grand-duke, used to play.
1891. Tablet, 17 Oct., 613. A struggle more serious than that of any mere clerical war-game.
1590. Spenser, F. Q., II. x. 62. The weary Britons, whose *war-hable youth Was by Maximian lately led away.
1841. J. F. Cooper, Deerslayer, xxx. Our great fathers across the Salt Lake have sent each other the *war-hatchet.
1881. Tylor, Anthropol., ix. 224. The bundle of arrows wrapped in a rattlesnake’s skin, or the blood-red war-hatchet struck into the war-post.
1798. T. Jefferson, Lett. to J. Madison, 26 April., Writ. 1854, IV. 238. At present, the *war hawks talk of septembrizing, [etc.].
1815. in M. Cutler, Life, Jrnls. & Corr. (1888), II. 332. Our war-hawks … affect to speak of it as a glorious war and an honorable peace.
1865. Parkman, Champlain, ix. (1875), 308. The Indian tribes, war-hawks of the wilderness.
1898. F. T. Jane, Torpedo, 19. The parts of a torpedo are as follows:—(a) The explosive head (*war head). This is only fitted when the torpedo is to be used in earnest: for practice, a collapsible head is fitted.
13[?]. Coer de L., 2011. Sir, thus thou shalt lere To mis-say thy *werhedlynge.
1812. Byron, Ch. Har., I. xl. What gallant *war-hounds rouse them from their lair, And gnash their fangs, loud yelling for the prey!
1848. Lytton, K. Arthur, II. civ. Unleash the warhounds—stay us those who can!
1790. Burke, Fr. Rev., Sel. Wks. II. 255. From my heart I pity the condition of a respectable servant of the publick, like this *war minister.
1826. J. F. Cooper, Last of Mohicans, xxiii. None of my young men strike the tomahawk deeper into the *war-post.
1881. Tylor, Anthropol., ix. 224. The blood-red war-hatchet struck into the war-post.
1831. Trelawny, Adv. Younger Son, II. 33. Then they call a *war-talk, and say they would speak with these white men.
1833. Sk. of Eccentr. David Crockett, xiv. 185. His public harangues, or his war talks, as electioneering speeches are called in the west.
1851. Mayne Reid, Scalp Hunters, xxvi. II. 41. Over the western section of this great prairie passes the Apache *war-trail.
1786. Ferriar in Mem. Lit. & Philos. Soc. Manch. (1790), III. 28. In every Indian village, the *war-woman … is a kind of oracle; by dreams and presages, she directs the hunters to their prey, and the warriors to the enemy.
