ware

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noun

ˈwer 

1

a

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

—often used in combination

tinware

b

: an article of merchandise

2

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

earthenware

3

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

ware

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adjective

1

: aware, conscious

was ware of black looks cast at me

—Mary Webb

2

archaic : wary, vigilant

ware

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verb (1)

wared; waring

transitive verb

: to beware of : avoid

—used chiefly as a command to hunting animals

ware

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verb (2)

wared; waring

transitive verb

Scotland

: spend, expend

Synonyms

Noun

• commodities
• goods
• merchandise

Adjective

• alive
• apprehensive
• aware
• cognizant
• conscious
• mindful
• sensible
• sentient
• witting

Verb (1)

• beware (of)
• guard (against)
• look out (for)
• mind
• watch out (for)

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

Noun

The annual weeklong event in a vast exhibition space in southern Paris, in which farmers and trade unions converge, along with their produce and livestock, to promote their wares and push officials for better trade deals and subsidies. —TIME, 15 May 2024

Streamers have joined the fray, doing exactly what the Big 4 networks have done for decades: touting their wares to the advertising buyers who spend billions of dollars in TV spots every year. —Michael Schneider, Variety, 14 May 2024

There may be subtle variations in the wares because of the natural materials and the hand assembly. —Jane Margolies, New York Times, 11 May 2024

Attendees can refuel from all the music and dancing by sampling tasty Indian street food and delicious drinks of all kinds, and take in the assortment of vendors plying their wares. —Randy McMullen, The Mercury News, 8 May 2024

An élite dealer named Thomas Jenkins, who kept a place on the Via del Corso for displaying ancient wares, sold Townley, among other objects, a statue of a naked, muscled discus thrower. —Rebecca Mead, The New Yorker, 6 May 2024

That in turn boosts demand, which means businesses can set higher prices for their wares. —Paolo Confino, Fortune, 3 May 2024

For the carpet weavers, that’s meant their wares were once again banned under U.S. law. —Mehdi Fattahi, The Christian Science Monitor, 3 May 2024

Shop wares from local and regional artisans at the annual Made Around Here Market. —Skye Sherman, Travel + Leisure, 10 Apr. 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

With this doll, Ariel can transform from mermaid tail to human waring a dress with just a push of a button (in her shell necklace). —Rachel Rothman, Good Housekeeping, 8 July 2023

According to the Commerce Department’s Bureau of Economic Analysis, the economy in the first quarter this year saw some $2.4 trillion in productive facilities and equipment either ware out or become obsolete. —Milton Ezrati, Forbes, 8 June 2021

Is the day coming when bowls ware a thing of the past? —San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Dec. 2022

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

Phrases Containing ware

• agate ware
• Canton ware
• Parian ware
• sanitary ware

Kids Definition

ware

noun

ˈwa(ə)r,

ˈwe(ə)r

1

a

: manufactured articles or products of art or craft : goods

—often used in combination

tinware

b

: an article of merchandise

peddlers hawking their wares

2

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

earthenware