Obs. Forms: 1 waʓian (weaʓian), 3 waȝien, wawi(e, 3–5 waw(e. [OE. waʓian = MLG. wagen, MDu. waghen (mod.WFlem. wagen), OHG. wagôn (MHG., mod.G. wagen), ON. vaga:—OTeut. *waʓōjan, f. *waʓō agitation: see WAW sb.1 Cf. WAG v.]
1. intr. To shake, totter, move loosely; to be ready to fall. Only OE.
c. 725. Corpus Gloss. (Hessels), L 81. Labat, weaʓat.
a. 1000. Riddles, iv. 8 (Gr.). Hornsalu waʓiað, wera wicstede.
c. 1000. Ælfric, Deut. xxxiv. 7. His eaʓan ne mistodon ne his teð ne waʓodon [Vulg. nec dentes illius moti sunt].
2. To sway to and fro on a base; to wave in the wind. Cf. WAG v. 3. Also fig.
c. 888. Ælfred, Boeth., xxxv. § 7. Ða ongon mon secgan be ðam hearpere þæt he meahte hearpian þæt se wudu waʓode & þa stanas hi styredon.
c. 1380. Wyclif, Sel. Wks., I. 72. Sawe ȝe a reede wawinge wiþ þe wynde?
1387. Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), VI. 425. It was i-made sotilliche by gravynge craft þat it semed verrailiche þat corn growynge þerynne wawed hider and þider, as longe corn dooþ in feeldes.
14[?]. Lydg., Test., 653 Min. Poems (1911), 353. [I] Wawed with eche wynd, as doth a reedspere.
b. Of the beard, tongue: = WAG v. 4.
13[?]. K. Alis., 1164. Swithe mury hit is in halle, When the burdes wawen [Laud MS. waweþ] alle!
c. 1400. Laud Troy Bk., 6765. Afftir that strok his tonge neuere wawed.
c. Of a person: To swing.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 518/2. Wawyn, or waueryn, yn a myry totyr, oscillo.
3. of water, the wind: To move restlessly or uncertainly (about). Also transf. and fig.
c. 1200. Trin. Coll. Hom., 175. Ðe se is eure waȝiende and þere fore unstedefast.
1496. Dives & Pauper (W. de W.), IX. iv. 352/1. His worde & his loue & his fayth wawen about as the wynde.
1538. Elyot, Dict., Vndans, wawyng or mouing like to wawes.
4. Of a person, animal: To move, stir; to go; also with away. Also refl.
c. 1205. Lay., 26941. Hit agon daiȝen and deor gunnen waȝeȝen [c. 1275 pleoye].
c. 1290. Beket, 2148, in S. Eng. Leg., 168. He nas nouȝt þe man þat he wolde is heued enes withdrawe Ne fondi for-to fleo heore strokes, ne enes a-weiward wawe.
c. 1425. Cast. Persev., 210, in Macro Plays, 83. Wretthe, þis wrecche, with me schal wawe.
5. trans. To cause to move or stir.
c. 1290. St. Lucy, 114, in S. Eng. Leg., 104. A þousend men with al heore main on hire gonne drawe: Ac euere heo lai stille a-ȝein, huy ne miȝhten hire enes wawe.
1297. R. Glouc., Chron. (Rolls), 4220. Þis geant … bigan is mace adrawe Þat tueye stalwarde men ne ssolde noȝt enes wawe.
13[?]. K. Alis., 2634. A spere … Yn the ground y-stikit fast,… Ac non of his myghte up-drawe, No forth in eorthe hit wawe.
1382. Wyclif, Matt. xi. 7. A reede wawid with wynd [Vulg. arundinem vento agitatam].
b. To move (a limb).
c. 1290. Marie Egiptiace, 192, in S. Eng. Leg., 266. Heo ne wawede leome non bote hire lippene vnneþe.
13[?]. Sir Beues, 2177. Hit [the horse] ne wawede no fot, Til Beues hadde þe stirop.
a. 1400. Festiv. Ch., 330, in Leg. Rood, App. 221. Þe Egle is frikest fowle in flye, Ouer all fowles to wawe hys wenge.
c. Of wind: To agitate (water).
c. 1380. Wyclif, Serm., Sel. Wks. I. 70. And wyndis of pryde wawen þes floodis, so þat it is perilous to shippis for to wandre.
Hence † Wawing vbl. sb.
c. 1305. Pop. Treat. Sci., 386. This soule deieth in a man … whan he leveth his breth and his wawinge also.
1500. Ortus Vocab., Cellinium, the wawynge of the water.
