My life I never but as a pawn To wage against thy
enemies. --Shak.
2. 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.
3. To engage in, as a contest, as if by previous gage or
pledge; to carry on, as a war.
[He pondered] which of all his sons was fit To reign
and wage immortal war with wit. --Dryden.
The two are waging war, and the one triumphs by the
destruction of the other. --I. Taylor.
4. To adventure, or lay out, for hire or reward; to hire out.
[Obs.] ``Thou . . . must wage thy works for wealth.''
--Spenser.
5. To put upon wages; to hire; to employ; to pay wages to.
[Obs.]
Abundance of treasure which he had in store,
wherewith he might wage soldiers. --Holinshed.
I would have them waged for their labor. --Latimer.
6. (O. Eng. Law) To give security for the performance of.
--Burrill.
{To wage battle} (O. Eng. Law), to give gage, or security,
for joining in the duellum, or combat. See {Wager of
battel}, under {Wager}, n. --Burrill.
{To wage one's law} (Law), to give security to make one's
law. See {Wager of law}, under {Wager}, n.
2. That for which one labors; meed; reward; stipulated
payment for service performed; hire; pay; compensation; --
at present generally used in the plural. See {Wages}. ``My
day's wage.'' --Sir W. Scott. ``At least I earned my
wage.'' --Thackeray. ``Pay them a wage in advance.'' --J.
Morley. ``The wages of virtue.'' --Tennyson.
By Tom Thumb, a fairy page, He sent it, and doth him
engage, By promise of a mighty wage, It secretly to
carry. --Drayton.
Our praises are our wages. --Shak.
Existing legislation on the subject of wages.
--Encyc. Brit.
Note: Wage is used adjectively and as the first part of
compounds which are usually self-explaining; as, wage
worker, or wage-worker; wage-earner, etc.
{Board wages}. See under 1st {Board}.
Syn: Hire; reward; stipend; salary; allowance; pay;
compensation; remuneration; fruit.