| 释义 |
▪ I. † were, n.1 Obs.
Forms: 1 wer, 2–3 were.
[Common Teutonic: OE. wer = OFris., OS., OHG. wer, ON. and Icel. verr, Goth. wair = L. vir, OIr. fer (Gael. fear), W. gẘr, related to Lith. vyras, Skr. vīrá, man, hero.]
1. A male person; a man.
Beowulf 993 Fela þæra wæs wera and wifa. Ibid. 1352 Oðer..on weres wæstmum wræclastas træd. c900Laws ælfred §21 Ᵹif oxa ofhnite wer oððe wif. 971Blickl. Hom. 11 Salomones reste wæs..ymbseted..mid syxtiᵹum werum. c1000Sax. Leechd. I. 156 Þeos ylce wyrt ᵹedeþ þæt æᵹþer ᵹe wera ᵹe wifa feax wexeþ. c1175Lamb. Hom. 111 Wisdom biriseð weran. Ibid. 131 Bitwuxe were and wife nes nefre mare mon þenne he. c1200Ormin 7615 Þatt hallȝhe were Symeon Himm toc bitwenenn arrmess. c1250Gen. & Ex. 532 And on ðe sexte hundred ȝer Wimmen welten weres mester. Ibid. 3977 So was ðis were to wunder broȝt, ðhoȝ ðe asse spac, friȝtede he noȝt.
2. A husband.
c893ælfred Oros. i. x. §1 Heora wif..sædon..hie him woldon oðerra wera ceosan. a900Laws ælfred-Ine §38 (title) Be ðon ðe rihtᵹesamhiwan bearn habban, ond ðonne se wer ᵹewite. 971Blickling Hom. 185 Wif ic lærde þæt hie heora weras lufedan. c1000ælfric Exod. xxi. 22 Bete swa micel swa ðæs wifes wer ᵹyrnð. a1200Moral Ode 31 Ne lipnie wif to hire were, ne were to his wiue. c1230Hali Meid. 7 Hire latere were..lesse haueð þen hauede ear hire earre. a1250Owl & Night. 1341 For god wif may..Bet luuyen hire owe were, Þan on oþer hire copinere. c1275Wom. Samaria 30 in O.E. Misc. 85 Go and clepe þine were and cumeþ hider y-mene.
▪ II. were, n.2 Hist.|wɪə(r)|
Also wer.
[OE. were, var. of wer (dat. were), abbreviation of were-, werᵹild.]
= wergeld.
1607J. Cowell Interpr. 1628Coke On Litt. 127 Wera or Were sometimes signifieth amerciament or compensation. 1660R. Coke Power & Subj. 190 Who shall commit perjury upon holy things, let him lose his hand, or half his were. 1819Lingard Hist. Eng. I. iii. 124 He paid the were for the death of ælfwin. 1842Sir H. Taylor Edwin the Fair ii. v, He that within the palace draws his sword Doth forfeit an Earl's were. 1872E. W. Robertson Hist. Ess. 236 note, In later days it was a principle of Land-right that no free⁓man should be amerced ‘above his wer’.
▪ III. † were, n.3 Obs.
Forms: α. 3–5 were (5 Sc. vere), 4–5 wer (4 werr, 5 Sc. ver), 4, 5–6 Sc., weyr, (9 Sc.) weir (5 Sc. weyre, veir), 5 weere (8 Sc. weer). β. 4 wehere, 4–5 where, 5 wher, wheer. γ. 5 wyre.
[Of doubtful origin, but possibly the same word as northern ME. and Sc. were, var. of ME. werre war n.1, retaining the original sense of ‘confusion’, ‘perplexity’, which is prominent in OHG. werra, etc. The form agrees with north-eastern OF. were (also weire, wiere, wyere), which is the immediate source of ME. and Sc. were ‘war’.
In R. Brunne Chron. Wace (Rolls) 2126 and Rom. Rose 5699 the use of were is suggested by guere and guerre in the French originals. Although employed by some midland and southern writers, the word is chiefly characteristic of northern texts and latterly confined to Scottish use. Except in senses 5 b, 6, and 7, it most frequently occurs in the phrase in (a) were.]
1. Danger, peril, jeopardy.
c1250Gen. & Ex. 1788 Engel wirð a-gen him cam, Als it were wopnede here, Redi to silden him fro were. 1338R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 319 His life was alle in wehere. He bed grete catelle, his lif forto saue. c1375Sc. Leg. Saints xxvii. (Machar) 274 He þat quyk sawit moyses..has defendit þis barne here, þat lyk was to be in gret were. c1400Beryn 2850 They had levir saille forth, þen put[ten] hem in were, Both lyve & goodis. c1400Destr. Troy 8266 All in wer for to walt, wayueronde he sote, But he held hym on horse. 1500–20Dunbar Poems xxxvi. 1 Sen thy lyfe is ay in weir, And deid is evir drawand neir.
b. in were of, in danger of. Also Sc. in weres to (with inf.).
c1400Destr. Troy 7498 Bothe were þai bold men borne to þe grene, Woundit full wickedly in wer of hor lyues. Ibid. 13901. 1412–20 Lydg. Chron. Troy iv. 75 For outterly þei and her cyte Shal mor & mor in were of deth depende. 1804W. Tarras Poems 42 Lums [= chimneys] in wiers to get a dird [= shock] Or downward flung.
2. A condition of trouble or distress.
a1300Cursor M. 2425 Qui did þou vs þus in were, þat said þi wijf þi sister were? c1330R. Brunne Chron. Wace (Rolls) 828 He regned foure & þrytty ȝer In pes wyþouten wo & wer. 1352Minot Poems (ed. Hall) iii. 95 Þe Inglis men put þam to were Ful baldly, with bow and spere. c1400Rom. Rose 2827 Swete speche That hath to many oon be leche To bringe hem out of woo and were. c1400Minot's Poems (Hall) App. ii. 79 Þan sal þe land duel in were. c1407Lydg. Reson & Sens. 3061 Fro day to day most ful of moone, Solytarye, and allone, As a woman in gret wer. c1460Towneley Myst. iv. 22 Adam..liffyd..In sorow and in trauell strang, And euery day he was in were. c1500Lancelot 84 O woful wrech, that levis in to were.
b. A state of uncertainty or instability.
c1375Sc. Leg. Saints vi. (Thomas) 460 Þis present lyfe Is..vndirlout to chansis sere, sa þat men liffis ay ine vere. 1390Gower Conf. I. 8 Bot we that duelle under the mone Stonde in this world upon a weer. c1400Pety Job 129 in 26 Pol. Poems 125 Thus mannes tyme ys in a were; But thy tyme stondeth in 00 degre.
3. Apprehension, fear, dread.
a1300Sarmun lix. in E.E.P. (1862) 7 Loke þat ȝe nab no were, for seue ȝer ȝe habbiþ to pardoun. 1338R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 228 Þe Soudan was in wehere þe Cristen had suilk oste, Sir Edwarde's powere ouer alle he dred moste. c1375Sc. Leg. Saints i. (Petrus) 318 Sin eftir can crist appere To petir, at wes in sic were, and sad [etc.]. a1400Pol. Rel. & L. Poems (1903) 259, I am þi broþer, be nout in wer, be nout agast to come me ner. 1412–20Lydg. Chron. Troy iv. 3420 He was boþe ferful & in were, In gret dispeire and inly ful of drede. 1426― De Guil. Pilgr. 21663 For dred off hyre, I was in were. c1440York Myst. ix. 146 Loke in and loke with-outen were. 15..Colkelbie Sow 541 (Bann. MS.) Is nocht this a nyce caiss, That..in so mony dengeris, He eskapit with weris?
1808Jamieson s.v. Were, I haif nae weir of that, I have no fear of it, S.B.
b. A state of mental distress or trouble.
1303R. Brunne Handl. Synne 5676 Pers..on hys dreme gan þynke, Syghyng with mornyng chere, As man þat was yn grete were. c1385Chaucer L.G.W. 2686 (Fairf.) Drede of dethe doth hir so moche woo That thries doun she fele in swiche a were.
4. Perplexity; confusion of mind; doubt or uncertainty how to act or regard one's position, etc. Also with a.
(a)1338R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 81 William was in wehere, whan he herd þat tiþing. a1400Hampole's Prose Tr. 35 Be þou noghte in dowte ne in were when þou prayes or thynkes one Godd. c1400Destr. Troy 13160 A myst & a merknes mynget with rayn, Þat wilt vs in were & our way lost. 1500–20Dunbar Poems xxx. 50 He vaneist away with stynk and fyrie smowk;..And I awoik as wy that wes in weir.
(b)1377Langl. P. Pl. B. xi. 111 In a were gan I waxe and with my-self to dispute. 1390Gower Conf. I. 107 Ha, fader, be noght in a wer: I trowe ther be noman..That halt him lasse worth thanne I To be beloved. c1400Pety Job 129 in 26 Pol. Poems 297 Thus he wandreth in a were As a man blynde. c1407Lydg. Reson & Sens. 2901 And thus I stood al in a rage..Wavering as in a were. 1412–20― Chron. Troy i. 4273 But in a were he abydynge longe, Aforn hym sawe þe myȝty Grekis stronge.
5. A (subjective) state of doubt or uncertainty with regard to the truth or reality of anything; undecidedness of belief or opinion. Const. of, what, that, etc. Also with a and pl.
(a)a1300Cursor M. 7069 Her-of thar naman be in were. Ibid. 17069 All men was in dute and wer bot þou, leue hali mai! 1338R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 306 For þei were euer in wehere,..Whilk was best banere, with þat side forto hold. 1357Lay Folks Catech. 294 If the prest be in were [v.r. dowte] of him that sal take it [baptisme] Whethir he be baptized or he be noght. 1412–20Lydg. Chron. Troy iii. 3993 So þat ȝe shal of no þing be in were Of al þat euere þat I seie ȝou here. 1426― De Guil. Pilgr. 22228, I stood in a maner wher, What tokenes that it myght be, The thynges that I dyde se. a1500Chester Pl. xxiii. 74 Fowle haue we leued many a year, and of our weninge bene in were. 1500–20Dunbar Poems lxxii. 89 In weir that he was ȝit on lyf, Thai ran ane rude speir in his syde.
(b)c1350Will. Palerne 3513 William was in a wer þat it were him-selue. 1377Langl. P. Pl. B. xvi. 3 Ac ȝet I am in a were, what charite is to mene. a1395Hylton Scala Perf. ii. xi. (W. de W. 1494), Therfore they falle ofte in suche weeres and doubtes of hemself. c1420? Lydg. Assembly of Gods 1872 All that tyme stood I in a wyre [rhyme desyre] Whyche way furst myn hert wold yeue more To looke. 1500–20Dunbar Poems xc. 30 Sa that thi confessour be wyss and discreit, That can the discharge of every doute and weir.
b. to have no were, to be in no doubt. Also Sc. to have weres.
c1375Cursor M. 12135 (Fairf.) Of þine elde we haue na were; vnneþes artow of vij. ȝere. c1430Hymns Virgin (1867) 116 For of reward sche haþ no were þat þus abidiþ in charite. 1513Douglas æneis Dyrect. Bk. 80 Of ȝour moblys and all other geyr Ȝe will me serf siklyke, I haue na weyr. 1535W. Stewart Cron. Scot. I. 5 So that it be substantious of sentence In plane termis, thairof haif thow no weir. 1768Ross Helenore, Songs 129, I thought ere I died to have anes made a web, But still I had weers o' the spinning o't.
6. The condition of being (objectively) doubtful or uncertain; a state of affairs such as to give occasion for hesitation or uncertainty; a matter of doubt.
a1300Cursor M. 20794 Disput, he sais, es na mister Bi⁓tuix te wis in swilk a wer. 13..Ibid. 23824 (Edinb.) Þat ilke dai we se and here, we ah it noht to hald in were. 1303R. Brunne Handl. Synne 462 Þan ys doute & grete were [v.r. weyr] To wyte where-of dremys come. c1375Sc. Leg. Saints ii. (Paul) 378 For-thy it is in wer gyff þis be paulis hewid or nocht. c1475Rauf Coilȝear 706 Ȝone is Wymond, I wait, it worthis na weir. c1500Clariodus i. 1320 Quhair⁓for this knicht we tuike in this maneir To save our aithes, traist weill this is no weir.
7. Often in phr. (usually introduced as a mere tag) but were, forouten were, out of were, without were, without doubt. Also occas. with any.
(a)a1300Cursor M. 2157 Arphaxat liued wit-outen were Threhundret aght and tuenti ȝere. c1340Hampole Pr. Consc. 2296 Þan er we certayn, with-outen were, Þat at our last ende þai sal apere. c1380Sir Ferumb. 2872 Hast þou gode chere Þy faire tour to gete aȝan wyþ-oute any where. c1407Lydg. Reson & Sens. 51 To yive me drynke of her tonne, Of which she hath, with-oute wer, Couched tweyn in hir celler. c1485Digby Myst. iii. 1027 With-owtyn ony wyre, þer xall ye se hym. c1530Songs, Carols, etc. (E.E.T.S.) 83 This worde was wretyn withowt were For many a man, þat shuld drede. 1552Lyndesay Monarche 5288 Elie sayis, withouttin weir, The warld sall stand sax thousand ȝeir.
(b)c1305Land Cokaygne 21, I sigge for soþ, boute were, Þer nis lond on erthe is pere. c1375Sc. Leg. Saints xv. (Barnabas) 70 We lat ȝow wyt, but ony ver, þat of lord criste Ihesu,..we are þe seruandis & mene. 1456Sir G. Haye Law Arms (S.T.S.) 109 That he is his soverane.. is but were. c1475Rauf Coilȝear 499 For na gold on this ground wald I, but weir, Be fundin fals to the King. 1567Gude & Godlie B. (S.T.S.) 37 Thay within ane lytill stound Began to myrrie be but weir. 1574Satir. Poems Reform. xlii. 390 Thair suld be plantit throw this land At euerie Kirk..Ane Preichour at the leist but weir.
(c)1375Barbour Bruce iv. 222 Bot he wes fule, forouten weir, That gaf treuth to that Creature. c1475Rauf Coilȝear 288 He will be found in his fault that wants, foroutin weir.
(d)a1425Cursor M. 3799 (Trin.) He seide, oure lord out of were I wist not his wonyng here. c1475Rauf Coilȝear 230 ‘Out of weir’, said the King, ‘I wayndit neuer to tell’.
▪ IV. were, n.4 rare.
[f. were v.]
†1. A defender, protector. Obs.
c1250Gen. & Ex. 2680 Moyses was louered of ðat here, ðor he wurð ðane egyptes were.
2. Sc. Defence.
a1878Ainslie Land of Burns (1892) 237 At guard an wier lay Andro Keir—He faught to haud his ain.
▪ V. were, v. Obs. exc. Sc.|wɪə(r)|
Forms: 1 werian (werᵹan, weriᵹean), 2–3 werien (3 weriin, 5 weryyn), 3–4 werie, 4 werye(n); 2–3 weren (3 Orm. werenn), 4–5 were, wer (4 werr, 5 werre), 5 weire, 5–6, 9 Sc. weir, 6 weere (9 dial. weer), weare, 8–9 Sc. wear. pa. tense 1–4 werede (1 -ode), 4 wered, -id, werde, 5 werit (Sc. -yt); 5 were, wore, Sc. wor. pa. pple. 4 werd, 9 dial. weard.
[Common Teut.: OE. werian, werᵹan = OS. werian, werean (MLG. and LG. weren), OFris. wera (WFris. weare, warre; NFris. weeri, wiare), MDu. and Du. weren, OHG. warian, werian, etc. (MHG. wergen, weren, wern, G. wehren), ON. and Icel. verja (Norw. verja; Sw. värja, Da. værge, verge), Goth. warjan. The extent to which the two senses of preventing or checking, and defending or protecting, are represented, varies in the different languages; the greater currency of the second in English, though already prominent in OE., may have been assisted by the agreement with ON. verja.]
1. trans. To check or restrain; to ward off, repel. Also with away, off. Now rare or Obs.
a900Andreas 743 Stan..septe sacerdas sweotulum tacnum, witiᵹ werede & worde cwæð. c925Laws ii. Edward §4 Þæt ælc man hæbbe symle þa men ᵹearowe.., ðe læden ða men ðe heora aᵹen secan willen, and hy for nanum medsceattum ne werian. c1220Bestiary 102 [He] Of hise eȝen wereð ðe mist, wiles he dreccheð ðore. c1250Gen. & Ex. 2898 Ic sal hem lesen fro, And here fon weren wið wo. c1320Sir Tristr. 2543 His gloue he put þer inne Þe sonne to were oway. 13..Gaw. & Gr. Knt. 2015 Fyrst he clad hym in his cloþez, þe colde for to were. c1375Leg. Rood viii. 297 Þe Cros I calle þe heerdes ȝerde,..And wiþ þe ȝerde þe wolf he werde. a1470Harding Chron. xcviii. xii. (1812) 181 By whiche he maye the wolf werre [v.r. bete] frome the gate. c1480Henryson Test. Cress. 182 Of his Father the wraith fra vs to weir.
1791J. Learmont Poems 47 Lord wear aff the featour's blow Frae honest fock! 1829Brockett N.C. Words (ed. 2), Weer, or Wear, to stop or oppose, to keep off, to guard.
2. To defend, guard, or protect from assault or injury.
Beowulf 1205 Siððan he under seᵹne..wælreaf werede. Ibid. 1327 Ðonne we on orleᵹe hafelan weredon. a900O.E. Chron. an. 755 Se cyning on þa duru eode, & þa unheanlice hine werede. 971Blickl. Hom. vi. 79 Hie for þæm hungre þa burh werian ne mihton. a1122O.E. Chron. an. 1016 (Laud MS.), His rice he heardlice werode þa hwile þe his tima wæs. c1175Lamb. Hom. 81 Al þos godnesse hom ne mihte werien, þet ho ne wenden alle in to helle. c1200Ormin 5305 Þa birrþ þe stanndenn þær onnȝæn, & werenn Cristess þeowwess. c1205Lay. 5696 And swiðe wel heom wereden þa walles of Rome. a1250Owl & Night. 834 Bute he can clymbe swiþe wel; Þar myd he wereþ his greye vel. a1300Cursor M. 23766 Eth es for to win wit heer, þe ture þat nan es bute to were. 1340Ayenb. 129 Þou hest kueade þeawes þet þe ssolle lede to þe dyaþe of helle bote þe grace of god þe ne werie. 1375Barbour Bruce xx. 379 All tym had I Handis, myne hede for till were. c1412Hoccleve De Reg. Princ. 2546 He of iustice is bounden hem to were And to diffende. c1440Promp. Parv. 522/2 Weryyn', idem quod defendyn. c1470Henry Wallace iii. 183 Wallace..Wichtly him wor [v.r. did him weir], quhill he a suerd had tayne.
a1800in Chambers Pop. Rhymes Scot. (1870) 151 He tethered his tyke ayont the dike, And bade him weir the corn. 1807J. Stagg Misc. Poems (1808) 40 For tho' wi' witch wood weard, yet weel They kend auld Hornie's tricks.
†b. Const. with or against, from (or of). Obs.
(a)a1000Exodus 237 Þa þe..ne mihton..breostnet wera wið flane feond folmum weriᵹean. c1175Lamb. Hom. 13 Ic eou wille werien wið elcne herm. c1200Ormin 10227 To fihhtenn forr þe leode, To werenn hemm wiþþ wiþerrþeod Þatt wollde hemm oferrganngenn. c1315Shoreham i. 1244 Þe þrydde hys icleped ‘coniurement’ Aȝenys þe foule þynge to werie þe. 1390Gower Conf. II. 248 Hir enchantement Ayein the Serpent scholde him were.
(b)a1300Cursor M. 11168 Hir sun he sal and fader baþe Be to wer his folk fra waþe. c1400Ywaine & Gaw. 3284 And fro my liown i sal the wer. 1402Pol. Poems (Rolls) II. 44 For holy chirche hath us..happid with grace, to were us from wederes of wynteres stormes. c1425Macro Plays, Cast. Persev. 2046 Fro seuene synnys we schul hym were. c1470Gol. & Gaw. 58 Luke that wisly thow wirk, Criste were the fra wa!
(c)1801Hogg Sc. Pastorals 23 For wearin' corn of hens an cocks,..His match was never made.
†c. To defend, uphold, or give support to (a cause, etc.); to maintain (one's opinion). Obs.
c1250Gen. & Ex. 3714 Burȝes stronge and folc v[n-]friȝt, stalwurði to weren here riȝt. a1300Cursor M. 1476 Wit antecrist þan sal [Enoch] fight For to werye cristen right. 1340Ayenb. 69 Þer byeþ zome..þet none guode techinge ne onderuongeþ, ak alneway weryeþ hare sentense huet þet hit by.
d. To keep or hold (a means of entrance or exit); † to have or possess as one's own.
c1330R. Brunne Chron. Wace (Rolls) 9312 Þe Erl..þoughte no feyþ til [him] wold bere, But he in pes his wyf myght were. c1470Henry Wallace ix. 1965 At Sterlyng bryg he ordand thaim full rycht, And thar to byd, the entre for to wer. 1802Fray of Suport ii. in Scott Minstrelsy I. 187, I set him to wear the fore-door wi' the speir. a1894J. Shaw in R. Wallace Country Schm. (1899) 355 To wear a gate at sheep-shearing, to open and shut it.
†e. To protect or save by removing. Obs.
c1460Towneley Myst. viii. 151 If thay with wrong away wold wrast, outt of the way I shall the were.
†3. refl. To defend or guard (oneself, etc.); often followed by against, from. (Cf. 1 b.) Obs.
Beowulf 541 Wit unc wið hronfixas werian þohton. 993Battle of Maldon 82 ælfere & Maccus..hi fæstlice wið ða fynd weredon. c1175Lamb. Hom. 69 Crist..ȝeue us wepne..Mid gode werkes for us to weren. c1200Ormin 1406 Acc þu mihht werenn þe fra þeȝȝm Þurrh rihhte læfe o Criste. a1225Ancr. R. 400 Were þe, ᵹif þu konst, aᵹean me. c1250Gen. & Ex. 2083 Ðor-fore ic am in sorge and hagt, for ic ne migte me nogt weren. a1300Cursor M. 2227 Þai culd find on no manere How to wer þam fra þe flode. c1315Shoreham Poems i. 114 For we beþ of nonn power To weryen ous fro schame. c1380Sir Ferumb. 845 Olyuer tok is spere & eke ys scheld & heng hit on þer-wiþ him-self to were. c1386Chaucer Knt.'s T. 1692 Foyne if hym list on foote, hym self to were. c1407Lydg. Reson & Sens. 1195 From al hir fon hir self to were, In her ryght honde she had a spere. c1470Henry Wallace v. 901 A suerd he drew, rycht manlik him to wer.
†4. absol.
a. To make a defence, to offer resistance. Obs.
c1200Ormin 2046 Þuss mihhte ȝho bitellen wel & werenn þurrh þatt bisne. c1200Mor. Ode 325 in Trin. Coll. Hom. 230 Ne muȝe we werien naðer ne wið þurst ne wið hunger. c1250Gen. & Ex. 851 Fowre [kings] on-seken and fifue weren. 13..K. Alis. 3533 The spies on bothe sydes goth, Of Alisaundre, and eke Darie, How eche schal from othir werye.
†b. To act as a shield or protection. Obs.
c1375Cursor M. 21840 (Fairf.) Hit is our shilde & our spere, a-gainis þe feinde for to were. c1400Destr. Troy 11108 Sho..Hade no helme on hir hede fro harmys to weire.
Hence † ˈwering vbl. n.
a1300E.E. Psalter xxi. 20 And þou, lauerd, ne fer þi help fra me; At mi weringe bihald and se. 13..K. Alis. 2798 The saut com so thikke and swithe, That no weryng ne myghte heom lithe. a1310in Wright Lyric P. xxv. 75 Send mi soule god weryyng.
▪ VI. were
see be v. A. 6, 7.
▪ VII. were
var. or obs. f. vere n., very, war n.1, v., war, waur a. and adv., ware a., wear v., weir, where, whether, wire n. |