Inflected warred, warring. Forms: 2 uuerrien, 3 wurre, weorre, weorri, 3–4 worri, worry, 3–5 worre, werri, werry, 3–6 werre, 4 werr, 4–5 wer, were, 4–7 warre, 6 warr, dial. var, Sc. weir(e, 4, 6– war. [f. WAR sb.1 Cf. the equivalent OF. guerrer, *werrer; also werreier WARRAY v.]
† 1. trans. To make war upon. Obs.
1154. O. E. Chron. (Laud MS.), an. 1135. Dauid king of Scotland toc to uuerrien him.
1297. R. Glouc. (Rolls), 4636. Þe kunde men of þis lond recetted were þere [sc. in Wales] Euere wanne of straunge men yworred hii were. Ibid., 4987. Ac penda þe heþene duc adde euere god wille To worry him [Oswy] & don him ssame.
c. 1383. in Eng. Hist. Rev. (1911), Oct. 744. Þough it be leful in caas to werre & sleen euele cristene men … whanne riȝtfulnesse … shulde perisshen elles.
1390. Gower, Conf., I. 363. To passe over the grete See To werre and sle the Sarazin.
a. 1400. Prymer (1891), 49. Sepe expugnauerunt. Oft they werreden me fro my ȝouthe sey now israel.
c. 1470. Harding, Chron. CXXVI. vi. (1812), 244. Kyng Henry warred Robert Estenuyle.
1534. St. Papers Hen. VII. (1834), II. 186. The traison, rebellion, extorcion, and wilfull ware of your forsaid Erles,… the one varing, burning, and distroing the other.
1609. Daniel, Civ. Wars, IV. xxx. To warre the Scot, and Borders to defend.
fig. a. 1225. Ancr. R., 246. Kastel; þet is eueriche god mon þet te ueond weorreð.
c. 1275. Five Joys of the Virgin, 26, in O. E. Misc., 89. Al hire weorreþ þat wuneþ ine londe.
1340. Ayenb., 57. Þe tauerne is … þe dyeules castel uor to werri god an his halȝen.
c. 1366. Chaucer, A. B. C., 116. He not to werre us swich a wonder wroughte [Fr. ne cuit pas que fust pour guerre], But for to save us that he sithen boughte.
1422. Yonge, trans. Secreta Secret., 156. Al the day of oure lyfe in grete Perill we byth, for thre enemys ws werryth.
1609. Daniel, Civ. Wars, VIII. lxxv. 222. Loue and Ambition … tyranniz’d on his diuided hart, Warring each other with a powrefull part.
† b. To ravage (a city, land, etc.) by warlike operations; to harry. Obs.
1297. R. Glouc. (Rolls), 43. Engelond haþ ibe inome & iwerred ilome [v.rr. iworred, werred]. Ibid., 7648. Hii worrede al norþhomberlond, & uorþ euere as hii come.
1523. Ld. Berners, Froiss., I. cxci. 93. Thus in euery parte was the realme of Fraunce warrede in the tytell of the kynge of Nauer.
† c. To harass, persecute. Obs.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 186. Doð god, ȝif ȝe muwen, to þeo þet ou weorreð.
c. 1290. Holy Rood, 324, in S. Eng. Leg., 10. Sethþe þare cam An Aumperour þat hiet Adrian, heþene he was and swiþe luþur and werrede [v.r. worrede] ech cristine man.
1297. R. Glouc. (Rolls), 1587. Vaspasyan … after nero com, Þat betere man was þan he & ne worrede noȝt cristendom.
1523. Ld. Berners, Froiss., I. ccclix. 235 b. Whan the gauntoyse sawe them selfe thus mocked and warred by the gentlemen of Flaunders [etc.].
2. intr. To make or carry on war; to fight. Now only literary.
a. with const. against, on, † toward, upon, with.
c. 1205. Lay., 20191. Arður … bi-læi Colgrim þe weorrede aȝein him.
c. 1230. Hali Meid., 5. Babilones folc … þe deoueles here of helle … weorreð & warpeð eauer toward tis tur for to kasten hit adun.
1297. R. Glouc. (Rolls), 1755. He bigan to worri anon vpe þe king basian.
1303. R. Brunne, Handl. Synne, 4970. He lete þe fals Phylystyens, þe folk of Isrel to werre aȝens.
a. 1300–1400. Cursor M., 2493 (Gött.). Four kinges werrid [Cott. MS. werraud (? for werraiid)] apon fijf.
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron. Wace (Rolls), 4786. He [Cassibolan] swor he scholde on hym [Androcheus] were; & þat he had, he scholde hym reue.
c. 1380. Wyclif, Sel. Wks., III. 298. Þis proude worldly prest … prively meynteneþ oure enemyes to weren aȝenst us wiþ oure owene gold.
c. 1450. Lovelich, Merlin, 12153. So whanne this Galachim gan to vndirstonde … how his fadir kyng Newtris with Arthour gan werre, to his Modyr he wente, [etc.].
1486. Bk. St. Albans, Coat-arm., a v b. And the cursed peple of Sem wered ayenys them.
a. 1513. Fabyan, Chron., an. 1263 (1533), 36. They drew to them great power, and warred vppon the landes and castellys of syr Roger Mortymer.
1530. Palsgr., 772/1. The turke hath warred with Christendome all my dayes.
1565. Peend, Hermaphroditus, C j. Helena … For whom the Grecians warred ten years space with the Troyans.
1629. Hobbes, Thucyd., I. 42. The Athenians had done vniustly, and ought speedily to be warred on.
c. 1643. Ld. Herbert, Autobiog. (1824), 209. Monsieur de Luynes continuing still the [French] King’s favourite, advised him to war against his subjects of the reformed religion in France.
1678. Wanley, Wonders, V. ii. § 82. 472/2. Solyman … War’d upon the Venetians and invaded the Islands of Corfu and Malta.
1726. Shelvocke’s Voy. round World, Pref. p. xx. Capt. George Shelvocke may make use of this Imperial Commission in warring against the Spaniards.
1806. Gazetteer Scot. (ed. 2), 207. Fergus,… after having warred unsuccessfully with his sovereign,… retired in the habit of a monk to the abbey of Holyroodhouse.
1827. Pollok, Course T., VII. 451. The fated crew that warred Against the chosen saints.
1879. Green, Readings Engl. Hist., i. 3. Tribe warred with tribe.
transf. 13[?]. Gaw. & Gr. Knt., 720. Sumwhyle wyth wormez he werrez, & with wolues als.
1603. Holland, Plutarch’s Mor., 234. In this wise doe eagles warre with dragons.
1814. Scott, Lord of Isles, IV. iii. What make ye here, Warring upon the mountain-deer, When Scotland wants her King?
b. simply.
1297. R. Glouc. (Rolls), 7887. & vor roberd was eldore & eir, gret folc he sende al so Fram normandie to worry & is fader biquide vndo.
a. 1352. Minot, Poems, i. 12. Of Ingland had my hert grete care When Edward founded first to were.
1387. Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), V. 237. Oon Gylomaurus þe tyraunt, þat hadde i-werred in Irlond and in Bretayne.
c. 1400. Maundev. (1839), xxiii. 251. And whan thei werren, thei werren fulle wisely.
c. 1400. Brut, II. 322. In whiche tyme rayned and werred thilk orpid kniȝt Sere Iohn Hawkwode.
1471. Caxton, Recuyell (Sommer), 645. And they were enduced to warre and to fyght.
1593. Shaks., Rich. II., II. i. 252. Wars hath not wasted it, for war’d he hath not, But basely yeelded vpon compromize That which his Ancestors atchieu’d with blowes.
1621. Bp. Mountagu, Diatribæ, 499. All the time hee warred in Asia, and had the spoile of yt wealthy Country.
a. 1727. Newton, Chronol. Amended, ii. (1728), 214. Sesostris … warred first under his father.
1764. H. Walpole, Otranto, iv. He received the agreeable news that the confederate princes, who were warring in Palestine, had paid his ransom.
1816. Byron, Ch. Har., III. xxxv. Here, where the sword united nations drew, Our countrymen were warring on that day!
1887. Mahaffy & Gilman, Alexander’s Empire, xxii. (1890), 213. The murder of the young king Seleucus Soter (III.), who was warring in Asia Minor.
c. Of peoples, sovereigns, etc.: To carry on war against each other; to be (mutually) at war.
1297. R. Glouc. (Rolls), 9568. Hii nadde iworred bote a lute þat hii acorded were.
1338. R. Brunne, Chron. (1725), 25. Whan Alfrid & Gunter had werred long in ille, Þorgh þe grace of God, Gunter turned his wille.
c. 1375. Cursor M., 21872 (Fairf.). Folk þai salle gaine oþer rise to were [earlier texts werrai] samin in mani wise.
1607. Rowlands, Famous Hist., 34. As we are Christians, let us War no more, But fight ’gainst such as will not God adore.
1832. R. & J. Lander, Exped. Niger, I. 88. We were told that the natives of Cape La Hoo and Jack-a-Jack had been warring for three years previously.
d. To serve as a soldier.
1535. Coverdale, 2 Tim. ii. 4. No man that warreth [Gr. στρατευόμενος] tangleth him selfe with wordly busynesses. (Similarly 1611.)
1594. Selimus, 669. Ile follow Mars, and warre another while, And die my shield in dolorous vermeil.
1631. Gouge, God’s Arrows, III. xxxvii. 248. A righteous man … may rightly warre at his command.
1841. G. P. R. James, Brigand, xv. The young gentleman we speak of has been long warring with the armies in Italy.
3. fig. Of persons: To contend, fight with immaterial weapons; to carry on a metaphorical warfare. Of things, forces, principles: To be in strong opposition.
a. with const. as in 2 a.
c. 1200. Trin. Coll. Hom., 177. Þe wraððe of kinges … þe … wurreð uppe chirches, oðer wanieð hire rihtes. Ibid., 195. Ȝief [he hadde] werred wið god alse þe deuel him to eggede.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 348. Vlesliche lustes, þet weorreð aȝean þe soule [= 1 Pet. ii. 11].
1390. Gower, Conf., I. 366. Homicide … Which werreth ayein charite.
1484. Caxton, Chivalry, 77. Chastyte and strengthe warren and fyghten ageynste lecherye and surmounte hit.
1512. Colet, Serm. Convoc., B vij. Lette the lawes be rehersed that warreth agaynst the spotte of Symonie.
1582. Bible (Rheims), 1 Pet. ii. 11. I beseche you … to refraine your selues from carnal desires which warre against the soule. (Similarly 1611).
1595. Daniel, Civ. Wars, I. civ. But was by tempests, windes, and seas debarr’d; As if they likewise had against him warr’d.
1611. Bible, Rom. vii. 23. I see another Lawe in my members, warring against the Lawe of my minde.
1765. Museum Rust., IV. 443. This writer is so determined to war with common opinion, that, in the eighth paragraph, he tells us, that [etc.].
1780. M. Madan, Thelyphthora, I. 242. How this learned man’s prejudices warred against his judgment [etc.].
1792. Rogers, Pleas. Mem., I. 314. When … on the scathed oak warred the winter-wind.
1831. G. P. R. James, Phil. Augustus, xxiii. Such were the thoughts … that warred against each other in his breast.
1842. Newman, Par. Serm., VI. 36. It is our duty to war against the flesh as they warred against it.
1866. W. R. Alger, Solit. Nat. & Man, IV. 412. Whoso follows these directions,… however warred on, will never be desolately alone.
1871. Freeman, Norm. Conq. (1876), IV. xvii. 12. William, at this stage of his reign, warred rather against the memory of the dead than against the lives or fortunes of the living.
b. simply.
c. 1400. Beryn, 1990. Litil vailith wisdom … Ther fortune evir werrith, & eke hap & chaunce.
1582. Bible (Rheims), James iv. 1. Your concupiscences which warre in your membris. (Similarly 1611).
1797. Coleridge, Christabel, I. 271. But vainly thou warrest.
c. To be in mutual opposition. Cf. WARRING ppl. a.
1845. G. P. R. James, Arrah Neil, i. Antagonist principles are ever warring within us.
4. trans. with cognate object: To carry on, wage (a warfare, etc.). rare.
1390. Gower, Conf., II. 62. For this a man mai finde write, Whan that knyhthode schal be werred, Lust mai noght thanne be preferred.
c. 1425. Eng. Conq. Ireland, iv. 10. Robert … sette the bowmen for to wer [MS. Rawl. were] the fight of the kernels.
1530. Tindale, Lev., Prol. ¶ 9. Circumcysion was vnto them a comen bagge sygnifienge that they were all sodiars off God to warre his warre.
1582. Bible (Rheims), 1 Tim. i. 18. That thou warre in them a good warfare. (Similarly 1611.)
