Emily Dickinson Lexicon

WAGE, v.t. [G. wagen; D. waagen; Sw. våga, to venture, to dare, to wage; Fr. gager, for guager, to lay or bet; from the root of wag. The sense is to throw, to lay or throw down, as a glove or gauntlet.]

1. To lay; to bet; to throw down, as a pledge; to stake; to put at hazard on the event of a contest. This is the common popular sense of the word in New England; as, to wage a dollar; to wage a horse.
2. To venture; to hazard. To wake and wage a danger profitless. – Shak.
3. To make; to begin; to carry on; that is, to go forward or advance to attack, as in invasion or aggression; used in the phrase, to wage war. He waged war with all his enemies. He ponder'd, which of all his sons was fit / To reign, and wage immortal war with wit. – Dryden.
4. To set to hire. Thou must wage / Thy works for wealth. [Not in use.] – Spenser.
5. To take to hire; to hire for pay; to employ for wages; as, waged soldiers. He was well waged and rewarded. [Fr. Obs.] – Ralegh. To wage one's law, to give security to make one's law. The defendant is then to swear that he owes nothing to the plaintif, and eleven neighbors, called compurgators, are to avow upon their oaths, that they believe in their consciences that he has declared the truth. This is called wager of law. – Blackstone.