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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1976 (SND Vol. X).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

WARE, n.², adj. Also war(r), waar (I.Sc.), waur (Sc. 1835 Wilson Noctes Amb. (1855) IV. 271; Uls. 1953 Traynor), waure (Abd. 1868 G. MacDonald R. Falconer i. xii.). Sc. forms and usages. [wer; wɑr, wǫr. See Awaur.]

I. n. Care, heed. Obs. in Eng. since 15th c. Phr. to tak ware on, to take heed of, beware.Sc. a.1796 J. Farmer Nat. Ballads (1897) II. 253:
I'll plant a stake into the flow, That ploughmen may tak ware o't.

II. adj. Aware, conscious of (Sc. 1808 Jam., Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl., waar; Ork. 1929 Marw.; Uls. 1953 Traynor; I.Sc. 1973). Now only arch. in Eng. Derivs. warish, warie (Sc. 1828 Wilson Noctes Amb. (1855) II. 51), warry, waury [′wɑ:re], wary, cautious. Also adv. Adv. warly, warily, prudently.Sc. 1775 Dick o the Cow in Child Ballads No. 185 xxiii.:
Then Dickie was warr of that auld peat-house, Where there al the night he thought for to ly.Ayr. 1817 D. McKillop Poems 36:
Yet I maun own tho' ne'er sae waury, Sometimes the jade is like to waur me.Slk. 1826 Hogg in Blackwood's Mag. (June) 756:
But ne'er had love a brighter lowe, O light his torches warly.Rnf. 1835 D. Webster Rhymes 58:
Sandy McNab by some unlucky dint, Was nae waur o' a trap till his feet they fell in't.Abd. 1890 Mod. Sc. Poets (Edwards) XIII. 91:
Sang! I daurna daccle here, Sic things gar us be warish.Sh. 1914 Angus Gl.:
I was waar o'r plukkin.Sc. 1928 J. G. Horne Lan'wart Loon 19:
But grapin' warry doon the rin An' makkin' for the awesome din.