wage

[ weyj ]

/ weɪdʒ /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR wage ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

Often wages. money that is paid or received for work or services, as by the hour, day, or week.Compare living wage, minimum wage.

Usually wages. Economics. the share of the products of industry received by labor for its work (as distinct from the share going to capital).

Usually wages. (used with a singular or plural verb) recompense or return: The wages of sin is death.

Obsolete. a pledge or security.

verb (used with object), waged, wag·ing.

to carry on (a battle, war, conflict, argument, etc.): to wage war against a nation.

Chiefly British Dialect. to hire.

Obsolete.

to stake or wager.
to pledge.

verb (used without object), waged, wag·ing.

Obsolete. to contend; struggle.

Nearby words

waft, waftage, wafter, wafture, wag, waged, wage determination, wage differential, wage earner, wage incentive, wage scale

Origin of wage

1275–1325; (noun) Middle English: pledge, security < Anglo-French; Old French guage gage¹ < Vulgar Latin *wadium < Germanic (see wed); (v.) Middle English wagen to pledge < Anglo-French wagier; Old French guagier < Vulgar Latin *wadiāre, derivative of *wadium

SYNONYMS FOR wage

1 earnings, emolument, compensation, remuneration. See pay¹.

5 undertake, prosecute.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR wage ON THESAURUS.COM

Related formswage·less, adjectivewage·less·ness, nounun·der·wage, noun

Can be confusedsalary wages

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for waged

For three decades, ‘Puck’ waged war on all things holy—politicians, social mores, and the news.
The Magazine That Made—and Unmade—Politicians|Anthony Haden-Guest|November 2, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Indeed, the Emiratis waged a secret bombing campaign in Libya, flying out of air bases in Egypt.
Obama’s Arab Backers May Draw the U.S. Deep Into the Mideast Quagmire|Jamie Dettmer|September 25, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Israelis have also waged a psy-war on Hamas, albeit more informal and spontaneous.
Israel, Hamas, WhatsApp and Hacked Phones in the Gaza Psy-War|Itay Hod|July 26, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In late 2008 and 2009, Israel waged a three-week invasion of Gaza, in which 13 Israelis and more than 1,400 Gazans died.
Israel Needs Better War Technology|Lloyd Green|July 7, 2014|DAILY BEAST

On the street is, in fact, is where Linton waged his most public act of war on Uber.
Inside Uber’s Political War Machine|Olivia Nuzzi|June 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
But I am sure that this campaign will be waged upon a plan altogether above personal consideration.
Speeches of Benjamin Harrison|Benjamin Harrison
A successful campaign had been waged against a mountain people.
Myths of Babylonia and Assyria|Donald A. Mackenzie
Wars more or less fierce were waged before nations were civilized.
Beacon Lights of History, Volume III|John Lord
He waged war against the Gandhari of the hills for three years, and was slain in battle by their rajah.
Indian Myth and Legend|Donald Alexander Mackenzie
Arjun swept like sweeping whirlwind, all resistless in his force, Sought no foe and waged no combat, held his ever onward course!
Maha-bharata|Anonymous

British Dictionary definitions for waged

wage

/ (weɪdʒ) /

noun

(often plural) payment in return for work or services, esp that made to workmen on a daily, hourly, weekly, or piece-work basisCompare salary
(as modifier)wage freeze

(plural) economics the portion of the national income accruing to labour as earned income, as contrasted with the unearned income accruing to capital in the form of rent, interest, and dividends

(often plural) recompense, return, or yield

an obsolete word for pledge

verb (tr)

to engage in

obsolete to pledge or wager

archaic another word for hire (def. 1), hire (def. 2)

Derived Formswageless, adjectivewagelessness, noun

Word Origin for wage

C14: from Old Northern French wagier to pledge, from wage, of Germanic origin; compare Old English weddian to pledge, wed

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for waged (1 of 2)

wage

early 14c., "to pledge, deposit as a pledge," from Old North French wagier (Old French gagier), from wage (see wage (n.)). Meaning "to carry on" (of war, etc.) is attested from mid-15c., probably from earlier sense of "to offer as a gage of battle" (early 15c.). Related: Waged; waging.

Word Origin and History for waged (1 of 2)

wage

c.1300, "a payment for services rendered," also in Middle English "a pledge of security" (mid-14c.), from Old North French wage (Old French guage) "pledge," from Frankish *wadja- (cf. Old English wedd, Gothic wadi "pledge"); see wed. Modern French cognate gages (plural) means "wages of a domestic," one of a plethora of French words for different classes, e.g. traitement (university professor), paye, salaire (workman), solde (soldier), récompense, prix. The Old English word was lean, related to loan and representing the usual Germanic form (cf. Gothic laun, Dutch loon, German lohn).

wage

noun

verb (used with object), waged, wag·ing.

verb (used without object), waged, wag·ing.

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Origin of wage

Examples from the Web for waged

British Dictionary definitions for waged

wage

noun

verb (tr)

Word Origin for wage

Word Origin and History for waged (1 of 2)

wage

Word Origin and History for waged (1 of 2)

wage