Ware

Pronunciation

• UK IPA: /wɛə(ɹ)/
• US enPR: wÄ•r, IPA: /wɛɹ/
• Rhymes: -ɛə(ɹ)
• Homophones: wear, where wine-whine merger

Old English wær.

Full definition of ware

Adjective

1. (poetic) aware

Usage notes

Replaced by intensified form aware.

Derived terms

• beware

Noun

1. (obsolete) The state of being aware; heed.

Old English waru

Noun

1. (uncountable, usually in combination) Goods or a type of goods offered for sale or use.
• 1923, John Lord, Capital and steam-power, 1750-1800, Astbury was the more successful and made frequent journeys to London, where he sold his ware and obtained further orders.
• 2002, March 28, On Sunday, a Mr. Stephen Muturi Kamau, aged 20 years, was shot dead at Dandora while he was selling his ware. This is a well known hawker. He has been hawking his ware in Dandora.
• 2011, Tonya Kappes, Carpe Bead'em, What in the world am I going to do with tarnished silver ware? The deeper I dig, I pull out more silver with carved handles.
• 2012, Julie Watson, Frommer's Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island, Artisans sell their ware in the historic district at the lower level of the Soldier's Barracks.
2. (in the plural) See wares.
3. (uncountable) Pottery or metal goods.damascene ware, tole ware
4. (countable, archaeology) A style or genre of artifact.
5. (Ireland) Crockery

Derived terms

• Corded Ware culture
• -ware

From Old English warian

Verb

1. (obsolete or dialectal) To beware of something.

Adjective

1. (obsolete) wary; cautious
• Bible, 2 Tim. iv. 15Of whom be thou ware also.
• LatimerHe is ware enough; he is wily and circumspect for stirring up any sedition.

From Old English war ("seaweed"). Cognate with Dutch wier ("seaweed"), Middle Dutch wier ("seaweed").

Noun

Origin 5