Obs. poet. Forms: 3–5 won, 3–7 wone, 4 whon, 4–5 woon, wonne, 5 von, woone; 5 oon, one; Sc. and north. 3–4 wan, 3–6 wane, 4–6 wayn(e, (4 vayn, 6 vaine). [ME. wǭn, app. a. ON. ván (see WONE sb.2), but the earliest form with prefixed:—(Y-), viz. I-WON (q.v.), is remarkable in a word of Scand. origin.]
I. 1. Hope or expectation of a favorable issue; choice of alternative; hence, resource, expedient, course. Often in phr. to have, know, see, etc. no other (or better) wone.
c. 1290. S. Eng. Leg., I. 7/226. Þo he nuste non oþur won [v.rr. whon, iwon].
1297. R. Glouc. (Rolls), 442. Þis gode folc of troye … flowe in to hor castles, vor hii nadde oþer won. Ibid., 1915. He him vnderstod of þe beste won. Ibid., 6540. He þoȝte of luþer won, Vor to sle þis godwine. Ibid., 10749. He of scapede to churche, as him þoȝte best won.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 5679. Moyses sagh na better wan Bot fled he in-to madian.
c. 1400. St. Alexius (Vernon), 247. Whon he sauȝ non oþur won, He bi-þouȝte him sone Anon, Wher him was best to be.
c. 1410. Sir Cleges, 313. Sir Cleges sey non other von; Thereto he grauntyd sone anon.
c. 1425. Wyntoun, Cron., III. vi. 874. Sen oþir succoure haf ȝhe nane, Na ȝhe can se na bettyr wayne.
c. 1435. Torr. Portugale, 1295. The theff couth no better wonne, In to the see rennyth he sone.
c. 1450. St. Cuthbert (Surtees), 7779. He wist noȝt whilk was better wane, To dye in fire, or els be slane.
1535. Stewart, Cron. Scot. (Rolls), I. 191. Flie mycht tha nocht, thair wes na vther wane.
1583. Leg. Bp. St. Androis, 85. Than, when he had na vther vaine, He maid him for the kirk againe.
b. phr. (north.) Will [WILL a.] of wane (less freq. wone), occas. wilsome of wane: at a loss, in bewilderment, without resource.
13[?]. Cursor M., 3051 (Gött.). Nou gas þat wreche wille of wane Wandrand in wildernes alane.
1375. Barbour, Bruce, VII. 2. The kyng toward the vod is gane, Wery for-swat and vill of vayn.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 12823. All will of his wone his werdis to laite.
c. 1420. Sir Amadace (Camden), xxxiv. Nowe may wise men sitte atte home, Quen folus may walke full wille of wone.
c. 1450. Holland, Howlat, 43. Wa is me, wretche in this warld, wilsome of wane!
1535. Stewart, Cron. Scot. (Rolls), II. 496. Preist or clerk that tyme tha sparit nane; Full mony one tha maid rycht will of wane.
2. Opinion, belief. (Cf. WEEN sb. 1.)
c. 1300. Havelok, 1711. More he louede hauelok one, Þan al denemark, bi mine wone! Ibid., 1972.
1370–80. Visions of St. Paul, 207, in O. E. Misc., 229. Hose leeueþ not in wone Þat Iesu crist, Godus sone, Tok Flesch and blod.
c. 1375. Sc. Leg. Saints, xix. (Cristofore), 89. Trowand in wane, forowt wene, Þat þu þe maste master had bene.
II. Resources; abundance.
3. Phr. (full) good wone, (full) great wone: a good number, a great quantity; used either in apposition (often following the sb. qualified), or with dependent of. Also advb., more or less vaguely, but chiefly with reference to the exercise of great force or speed. So evil wone, scarcity, dearth.
1297. R. Glouc. (Rolls), 17. Engelonde is vol inoȝ of frut & ek of tren … Of stel of yre & of bras, of god corn gret won. Ibid., 5359. His vissares … so gret won of fisse him broȝte, Þat wonder it was.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 7921. O scep he had ful mikel wan.
c. 1300. Havelok, 1907. He leyden on heuedes, ful god won.
c. 1330. King of Tars, 635. Whon thei weore bete ful good won.
c. 1350. Leg. Rood, iii. 447. We sall gett water grete wane Here out of þis hard stane.
1377. Langl., P. Pl., B. XX. 170. Lyf … gaf hym golde, good woon, þat gladded his herte.
a. 1400. Relig. Pieces fr. Thornton MS. (1914), 102. Þou gafe thaym welthe mare wone þan þay euer hadde.
14[?]. T. Chestre, Launfal, 360. He … keste her well good won.
14[?]. Sir Beues (M.), 1344. Bred ne corne he ete none, But water had he good one.
14[?]. Guy Warw. (Cambr. MS.), 10329. Of harnes þou haste here gode oon.
c. 1470. Henry, Wallace, VIII. 948. Thir wermen tuk off venysoune gud wayn.
a. 1500[?]. Chester Pl., Balaam, 125. Yea, looke, thou het hym gold great wone [v.r. one], And riches for to lyve upon.
c. 1530. in N. & Q., 3rd Ser. XI. 7/2. Fruytes and corne shal fayle, gret woone.
1570. Levins, Manip., 168/24. Good wone, abundantia. Euil wone, inopia.
4. Abundance, plenty. In wone: in abundance, plentifully.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 2876. Thoru brennyng of þe brinstane, Quare-of þar es sa mikel wan. Ibid. (13[?]), 641 (Gött.). Þis is a stede of welthful wone, Of ioye ne blis ne wantis nane. Ibid., 4353. Worldes welth to welde in wone.
1340–70. Alex. & Dind., 499. Þere won walleþ of watur in þe welle-springus.
c. 1470. Golagros & Gaw., 37. All thair vittalis war gone, That thay weildit in wone.
5. Fortune, wealth, riches, possessions.
a. 1300. Floriz & Bl. (C.), 386. Þe ne faileþ non Gold ne seluer ne riche won.
c. 1300. Prov. Hending, xxvi. Ȝef þou haue þin oune won.
a. 1310. in Wright, Lyric P., iv. 24. This worldes won.
13[?]. K. Alis., 5658. Hy ben y-clothed in alle wones.
13[?]. Gaw. & Gr. Knt., 1269. Were I worth al þe wone of wymmen alyue.
c. 1440. Capgrave, Life St. Kath., II. 1370. That ye shuld parte al this welthe and wone.
a. 1500. Flower & Leaf, 201. The large wones Of Prester John, ne al his tresory Might not unneth have bought the tenth party.
