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Attentive to discover and avoid danger, or to provide for safety; wakeful; watchful; circumspect; wary. "Be sober, be vigilant." 1 Pet. v. 8. Sirs, take your places, and be vigilant. Shak.

A dangerous, treacherous, or malignant person. Who committed To such a viper his most sacred trust Of secrecy. Milton. Horned viper. (Zoöl.) See Cerastes. -- Red viper (Zoöl.), the copperhead. -- Viper fish (Zoöl.), a small, slender, phosphorescent deep-sea fish (Chauliodus Sloanii). It has long ventral and dorsal fi…

To expose one's self to, as a risk; to incur, as a danger; to venture; to hazard. "Too weak to wage an instant trial with the king." Shak. To wake and wage a danger profitless. Shak.

To defend; to protect. Tell him it was a hand that warded him From thousand dangers. Shak.

To give notice to, of approaching or probable danger or evil; to caution against anything that may prove injurious. "Juturna warns the Daunian chief of Lausus' danger, urging swift relief." Dryden.

Caution against danger, or against faults or evil practices which incur danger; admonition; monition. Could warning make the world more just or wise. Dryden.

Cautious of danger; carefully watching and guarding against deception, artifices, and dangers; timorously or suspiciously prudent; circumspect; scrupulous; careful. "Bear a wary eye." Shak. We should be wary, therefore, what persecution we raise against the living labors of public men. Milton.

A tower in which a sentinel is placed to watch for enemies, the approach of danger, or the like.

A dangerous disease of sheep.

Obs., except in the archaic phrase, as who should say.] As who should say, it were a very dangerous matter if a man in any point should be found wiser than his forefathers were. Robynson (More's Utopia).

Cursed; baneful; hurtful; bad; pernicious; dangerous. [Obs.] "Wicked dew." Shak. This were a wicked way, but whoso had a guide. P. Plowman.

n concerning winds, and esp. the expected approach of winds whose direction and force are dangerous to shipping, etc. The wind-signal system of the United States Weather Bureau consists of storm, information, hurricane, hot wind, and inland storm signals.

eding, or the like. Both he and she are still within my power. Dryden. Within himself The danger lies, yet lies within his power. Milton. Were every action concluded within itself, and drew no consequence after it, we should, undoubtedly, never err in our choice of good. Locke.