Forms: 3 ougard, awgarde, 5–7 awarde, 5–6 adward, 4– award. [a. AF. award, -airt, agard = OF. ewart, eswart, esguart, ‘look, aspect, attention, consideration, judicial decision, arbitrament,’ n. of action f. eswarder, esguarder: see AWARD v.1 The EE. forms ougard, awgarde, confuse the two F. forms in g and w; for the spelling adv- see AD- pref. 2.]
1. A decision after examination, a judicial sentence, esp. that of an arbitrator or umpire; the document embodying it.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 7318. Þai seke þam-self o a gret ougard [Fairf. a foule awgarde], Þai ask now oþer king þan me.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Pers. T., ¶ 409. To stonde gladly to the award of hise souereynes.
c. 1425. Wyntoun, Cron., VIII. iv. 152. To gyve A-ward For ane of þa twa þan askand Ðe successyown of Scotland.
1473. Sir J. Paston, in Lett., 732, III. 102. Sette attone by the adward off the Kyng.
1577. Holinshed, Chron., I. 3/1. To interdict so manie … as disobeied their award.
1665. Glanvill, Sceps. Sci., x. 52. The condemning award of that unintelligent Tribunal.
1878. Jevons, Prim. Pol. Econ., 78. The workmen have in several instances, refused to abide by the award of the umpire.
2. That which is awarded or assigned, as payment, penalty, etc., by the terms of the judge’s sentence or arbitrator’s decision.
1596. Spenser, F. Q., IV. x. 17. Faint-heart-fooles, whom shew of perill hard Could terrifie from fortunes faire adward.
1697. Bp. Patrick, Comm. Ex. xiv. 17. The Annoyances on their Bodies by Frogs, and Lice … were the just awards … of God’s punitive Justice.
1863. Kemble, Resid. Georgia, 134. The fatal infliction of the usual award of stripes.
1882. Pall Mall Gaz., 13 May, 7/2. The bill for distributing the balance of the Geneva Award.
† 3. Keeping, care, custody, wardship. (Cf. AWARD v.2 and WARD sb.) Obs.
c. 1450. Lonelich, Grail, xix. 202. Nasciens in presown kepten thei there That him and his londis bothe, they hadde In here award. Ibid., xxiii. 150. Loke thow … Of these ȝiftes that thou take good award.
1570. Marr. Wit & Sc., I. in Hazl., Dodsl., II. 326. To whose award all creatures are assigned.
