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.
Quotation dates: 1894-1898
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WARY, v. Also warry, waurro. To beware, be on one's guard (Fif. 1710 R. Sibbald Hist. Fif. (1803) 33, warry). Freq. in imper. = look out!, be careful!, watch! [′wɑre, ′wɑro]Ags. 1894 J. B. Salmond B. Bowden (1922) 128:
There was a tremendjis yawl. “Waurro”, roared Sandy's voice.Ags. 1894 J. B. Salmond My Man Sandy (1899) 13:
He'll better waurro, if I get a haud o' him.Per. 1898 C. Spence Poems 27:
See he [a mad dog] comes! — Wary men!
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"Wary v.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 23 May 2026 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/wary>
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