Obs. or dial. Also 1, 3 wiþer, wiðer, 3 Orm. wiþerr, 4–5 wyþer, 5 wethire, whiþer, wythyr. [OE. wiþer adv. or adj. (rare), related to wiþer prep. = OFris. wither, OS. withar (MLG. wêder, wedder, MDu., Du. weder, weer), OHG. widar (MHG. wider, G. wider prep. and wieder adv.), ON. viðr, Goth. wiþra; OE. has also wiþ(e)re prep. ONFris. withere (MDu. wêdere), OHG. widari (MHG. widere): f. Indo-Eur. wi- denoting separation or division + comp. suffix -tero- (cf. Skr. vitarám further). See also WITHER-1.]
A. adj. 1. Hostile, adverse; fierce.
[c. 1000. Gloss, in Germania (N. S.), XI. 394/366. Infensus, wiþer.]
c. 1200. Ormin, 11389. Ga, wiþerr gast, o bacch fra me.
c. 1205. Lay., 9287. Þer he isæh Wiðe[r] king þe wiðer wes an compe.
1387. Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), I. 275. Sicambri were afterward i-cleped Franci, as it were feranci, þat is wither and sterne.
c. 1746. J. Collier (Tim Bobbin), View Lanc. Dial., Wks. (1862), 60. O lusty wither Tyke.
[Cf. 1847. Halliwell, Wither … a strong fellow. Yorksh. … Withering, (1) strong; lusty. Chesh.]
2. Contrary, opposite; wrong (side).
c. 1205. Lay., 11972. Þa aras heom a wind a þere wiðer side.
13[?]. E. E. Allit. P., A. 230. On wyþer half water com doun þe schore.
a. 1400–50. Wars Alex., 3355. Þat he wirke noȝt on þe wethire halfe.
† B. adv. Hostilely; perversely; fiercely. Obs.
c. 1200. Trin. Coll. Hom., 121. Men bien swo wiðerfulle, þat swo he ȝerenluker clepeð hem to him, swo hie wiðere turneð froward him.
c. 1250. Gen. & Ex., 3386. Amalech folc faȝt hard and wiðer.
Hence Witherly a., contrary, perverse; adv., fiercely, violently. Obs. or dial.
13[?]. E. E. Allit. P., B. 198. Neuer ȝet in no boke breued I herde Þat euer he wrek so wyþerly on werk þat he made. Ibid., C. 74. Al he wrathed in his wyt & wyþerly he þoȝt.
1790. Grose, Prov. Gloss. (ed. 2), Witherly, wilful, contrary.
1847. Halliwell, Witherly, hastily; violently. Devon.
