ware

1 of 4

noun

ˈwer

Synonyms of ware next

: manufactured articles, products of art or craft, or farm produce : goods

—often used in combination

tinware

: an article of merchandise

: articles (such as pottery or dishes) of fired clay

earthenware

: an intangible item (such as a service or ability) that is a marketable commodity

ware

2 of 4

adjective

: aware, conscious

was ware of black looks cast at me—

Mary Webb

archaic : wary, vigilant

ware

3 of 4

verb (1)

wared; waring

transitive verb

: to beware of : avoid

—used chiefly as a command to hunting animals

ware

4 of 4

verb (2)

wared; waring

transitive verb

Scotland

: spend, expend

Examples of ware in a Sentence

Noun She sold her wares at the market. a hunter yelling to his dog, "Ware the porcupine!" Adjective he's ware of the dangers that await him in the Antarctic

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Noun

There are 36 streets here named after different trades, including Hang Bac (Silver Street), where jewelers still sell their wares. —

Catherine Garcia, theweek, 11 Nov. 2024 Enticed by the opportunity to earn their own money and work flexible hours, the four women decide to jump into the adult products business, turning their whole village upside down with their unconventional wares and embarking on a journey of self-discovery and financial independence in the process. —

Regina Kim, Forbes, 11 Oct. 2024

Verb

This means the best approach, according to officials, is taking multiple precautions—like staying up to date with vaccines and waring a well-fitting mask—to keep COVID at bay. —

Chloe Taylor, Fortune Well, 4 Sep. 2023 Keiko Masumoto’s vessels best represent the beauty of the exhibition by combining the 12th century practice of Shigaraki ware with Pokémon — for example, Charizard pokes its limbs out of a traditional ceramic jar. —

Steven Vargas, Los Angeles Times, 26 July 2023 See all Example Sentences for ware

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Old English waru; akin to Middle High German ware ware and probably to Sanskrit vasna price — more at venal

Adjective

Middle English war, ware "cognizant, watchful, prudent," going back to Old English wær, going back to Germanic *wara- (whence Old Saxon war "aware, careful," Old High German gewar, Old Norse varr, Gothic wars), going back to Indo-European *u̯oro-, ablaut derivative of *u̯er- "observe, perceive," whence Latin verērī "to show reverence for, fear," Tocharian B wär-sk- "smell (transitive and intransitive)," Latvian vērties "to look, watch," vērot "to observe," and perhaps Greek horáō, horân "to look, see"

Note: Greek horáō, horân has alternatively been seen as an outcome of an Indo-European base *ser- "keep an eye on, protect."

Verb (1)

Middle English waren "to be mindful, be on guard," going back to Old English warian "to be wary, guard, protect," going back to Germanic *warōjan- (whence Old Saxon waron "to attend to, protect," Old High German biwarōn, Old Norse vara "to warn," varask "to be on one's guard"), derivative of *wara- "aware" — more at ware entry 2

Verb (2)

Middle English, probably of Scandinavian origin; akin to Old Norse verja (past participle varithr, varthr to clothe, invest, spend) — more at wear

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adjective

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb (2)

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of ware was before the 12th century

See more words from the same century

Cite this Entry

Style

“Ware.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ware. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.

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Kids Definition

ware

noun

ˈwa(ə)r,

ˈwe(ə)r

: manufactured articles or products of art or craft : goods

—often used in combination

tinware

: an article of merchandise

peddlers hawking their wares

: items (as dishes) made from fired clay : pottery

earthenware

Last Updated: 24 Nov 2024 - Updated example sentences

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ware

noun

adjective

verb (1)

verb (2)

Synonyms

Examples of ware in a Sentence

Word History

Dictionary Entries Near ware

Cite this Entry

Kids Definition