aware

From Middle English aware, iwar, iware, ywar, from Old English ġewær (“aware, wary, cautious”), from ġe- (intensifying prefix) (English a-) + wær (English ware), from Proto-Germanic *gawaraz, *waraz (“aware, watchful, heedful, cautious”), from Proto-Indo-European *worós (“attentive”), from *wer- (“to heed; be watchful”). Cognate with Dutch gewaar (“aware, conscious”), German gewahr (“aware”), Swedish var (“watchful, wary, cautious”), Icelandic varr (“aware, watchful”). Replaced plain (unintensified) ware. Non-Germanic cognates include Ancient Greek ὁράω (horáō, “to see”) and Latin vereor (“I revere, fear”).

• (General American) IPA^(key): /əˈwɛɚ/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /əˈwɛə/
• (Scotland) IPA^(key): /əˈweːɹ/

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• Rhymes: -ɛə(ɹ)
• Hyphenation: aware

aware (comparative more aware or awarer, superlative most aware or awarest)

1. Vigilant or on one's guard against danger or difficulty.

   Stay aware! Don't let your guard down.

2. Conscious or having knowledge of something.
   • 1918, W. B. Maxwell, chapter 7, in The Mirror and the Lamp:

     “[…] This is Mr. Churchill, who, as you are aware, is good enough to come to us for his diaconate, and, as we hope, for much longer; and being a gentleman of independent means, he declines to take any payment.” Saying this Walden rubbed his hands together and smiled contentedly.

   Are you aware of what is being said about you?

• (on one's guard): wary, watchful, sensitive, alert, attentive, observant
• (conscious of something): apprised, informed, cognizant, conscious, mindful

• unaware

• awareness
• locale-aware

• wary
• beware

aware

1. Rōmaji transcription of あわれ