Sc. and north. dial. Forms: 5 waire, wayr(e, 8 wair, 9 waur, 3– ware. See also VOAR. [a. ON. vár (Icel. vor, Sw. vår, Norw., Da, vaar).
By some regarded as cogn. w. L. vēr, Gr. ἔαρ (:—*wesr), but the phonology has not been satisfactorily explained.]
The season of spring.
a. 1300. E. E. Psalter lxxiii. 18. Somer and ware, þou schope þa.
c. 1375. Sc. Leg. Saints, xxvii. (Machor), 983. It hapnyt a tym in-to ware.
c. 1425. Wyntoun, Cron., IV. xv. 1484. Wythtin the fyrst moneth off wayre.
1483. Cath. Angl., 408/2. Wayr, quoddam tempus, ver.
1684–92. A. Symson, in W. Macfarlane, Geogr. Collect. (S.H.S.), II. 120. Hence their common proverb, speaking of the stormes in February; Winter never comes till Ware comes.
1814. W. Nicholson, Tales in Verse, 70. Ere the winds o’ ware were blawn.
1898. J. MacManus, Bend of Road, iii. 40. He’ll go to him the throngest day of Ware, an’ the warmest day in Harwust, an’ work the skin off his bones.
b. attrib., as ware day, evening, -time; ware-corn, corn sown in spring; spec. barley and oats as distinguished from wheat and rye (so Da. vaarsæd).
1426. Inv. Jarrow & Monk-Wearm. (Surtees), 196. In frumento et *ware corn emptis.
1593. Durham Wills (Surtees), II. 235. All the arrable landes,… as well harde corne lande, as ware corne lande.
1810. J. Bailey, Agric. Durham, 411. Ware-corn, barley or oats.
1861. R. Quinn, Heather Lintie (1863), 232. In winter, anent her, The birds resume their ware day sang.
1721. J. Kelly, Scot. Prov., 334. The *Ware Evening is long and tough, the Harvest Evening runs soon o’er the Heugh.
1820. Hogg, Bridal of Polmood, vii. Tales & Sk. 1837, II. 35. I … fleechyt Eleesabett noore [= never] to let us torfell in the *waretyme of owir raik.
1824. Mactaggart, Gallovid. Encycl., 37. Perhaps till the next waurtime.
