1. [n]  articles of the same kind or material; usually used in combination: silverware; software
2. [v]  spend extravagantly; "waste not, want not"

1. \Ware\, obs. imp. of {Wear}.
   Wore.
   

2. \Ware\, v. t. (Naut.)
   To wear, or veer. See {Wear}.
   

3. \Ware\, n. [AS. w[=a]r.] (Bot.)
   Seaweed. [Obs. or Prov. Eng.]
   {Ware goose} (Zo["o]l.), the brant; -- so called because it
      feeds on ware, or seaweed. [Prov. Eng.]
   

4. \Ware\, n. [OE. ware, AS. waru; akin to D. waar, G. waare,
   Icel. & Sw. vara, Dan. vare; and probably to E. worth, a. See
   {Worth}, a.]
   Articles of merchandise; the sum of articles of a particular
   kind or class; style or class of manufactures; especially, in
   the plural, goods; commodities; merchandise. ``Retails his
   wares at wakes.'' --Shak. ``To chaffer with them and eke to
   sell them their ware.'' --Chaucer.
         It the people of the land bring ware or any victuals on
         the Sabbath day to sell, that we would not buy it of
         them on the Sabbath, or on the holy day. --Neh. x. 31.
   Note: Although originally and properly a collective noun, it
         admits of a plural form, when articles of merchandise
         of different kinds are meant. It is often used in
         composition; as in hardware, glassware, tinware, etc.
   

5. \Ware\, a. [OE. war, AS. w[ae]r. [root]142. See {Wary}.]
   A ware; taking notice; hence, wary; cautious; on one's guard.
   See {Beware}. [Obs.]
         She was ware and knew it bet [better] than he.
                                                  --Chaucer.
         Of whom be thou ware also.               --2. Tim. iv.
                                                  15.
         He is ware enough; he is wily and circumspect for
         stirring up any sedition.                --Latimer.
         The only good that grows of passed fear Is to be wise,
         and ware of like again.                  --Spenser.
   

6. \Ware\, n. [AS. waru caution.]
   The state of being ware or aware; heed. [Obs.] --Wyclif.
   

7. \Ware\, v. t. [As. warian.]
   To make ware; to warn; to take heed of; to beware of; to
   guard against. ``Ware that I say.'' --Chaucer.
         God . . . ware you for the sin of avarice. --Chaucer.
         Then ware a rising tempest on the main.  --Dryden.
   

["software"] Commonly used to form terms for classes of software. For examples, see careware, crippleware, crudware, freeware, fritterware, guiltware, liveware, meatware, payware, psychedelicware, shareware, shelfware, vaporware, wetware.

[Jargon File]