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ware

Archaic Terms
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

An archaic word meaning aware, on guard, or watchful; in poetry, it evokes vigilance, the primal need for caution, and a state of being alert to one's surroundings.

Detailed Definition
In the poem, Drake is imagined as alert and ready to act. "Ware" is an archaic word meaning cautious or aware, and it survives mostly in older literature or dialectal speech.
Example
Example in poetry:
“They shall find him, ware an’ wakin’, / As they found him long ago” (Yeats, “The Song of Wandering Aengus”); archaic “ware” means alert, wary, or aware, often appearing in dialectal or ballad diction; its old-fashioned sound can establish a folkloric voice; a poet may use “ware” deliberately in a historical ballad, but modern readers usually need context to recognize its meaning
Additional Notes
The quoted line uses "ware" in an old-fashioned sense that many modern readers would not recognize immediately.; Found in the poem, Drake's Drum by Henry Newbolt
Other Meanings of “ware”
Also Known As
wares goods merchandise
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