Wretchedly

adv. [f. as prec. + -LY².] In a wretched manner.

  1.  In a miserable or unhappy fashion; with great misery, discomfort, distress or unhappiness; miserably.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 9459. Quen he sa wrechedli had tint His heritage.

c. 1340.  Hampole, Pr. Consc., 842. Þus wrechedly endes þe lyf of man.

c. 1400.  Maundev. (1839), xxiii. 251. Thei lyven fulle wrecched-liche; and thei eten but ones in the day.

c. 1410.  Lanterne of Liȝt, 51. Art þou not þanne wrechidli diuidid in þi silf?

c. 1450.  Myrr. our Ladye, 5. Adam … fel so wretchydly in to synne.

1538.  Starkey, England, 74. For lake therof [sc. food] many … lyue veray wrechydly.

1562.  J. Heywood, Prov. & Epigr. (1867), 82. Tyll death from this lyfe, did hir wretchedly fetche.

1652.  Benlowes, Theoph., I. lxxxvi Crest-fall’n by sin, how wretchedly I stray.

a. 1667.  Cowley, Ess., Liberty, ¶ 7. Thus wretchedly the precious day is lost.

1765.  Museum Rust., IV. 403. It is our lots to be so wretchedly situated … as to be content with forty shillings per cow per annum, nett profit.

1817.  Byron, Manfred, II. i. 77. I can bear—However wretchedly…—In life what others could not brook to dream.

1867.  Morris, Jason, IX. 76. This body … In thy despite here mangled wretchedly.

1868.  Freeman, Norm. Conq. (1877), II. viii. 187. Arnulf … drove him out to die wretchedly in exile.

  b.  In a way suggestive of indisposition or bad health.

1728.  Young, Love of Fame, VI. 232. Methinks I look so wretchedly to-day!

1797.  Jane Austen, Sense & Sens., xxx. Though looking most wretchedly, she ate more.

  2.  So as to cause, or involve in, misery, distress or discomfort.

1297.  R. Glouc. (Rolls), 5049. Þe wreche … Þat þus wrecchedliche vs drifþ out of vre kunde londe.

c. 1450.  Myrr. our Ladye, II. 190. Wretchedly caste oute from the glory of paradyse.

a. 1548.  Hall, Chron., Edw. IV., 223 b. The hepyng of synne vpon synne, wretchedly by his aunceters.

a. 1700.  Evelyn, Diary, 8 July 1656. A faire towne, but now wretchedly demolished by the late siege.

1828–32.  Webster, s.v., The prisoners were wretchedly lodged.

  † 3.  Sc. In a miserly or niggardly manner. Obs.

1500–20.  Dunbar, Poems, xvi. 21. Sum gevis to littill full wretchitly, That his giftis ar not set by.

  4.  Qualifying adjs. (or advs.): To a distressing, vexing or unsatisfactory degree; deplorably, very badly; = MISERABLY adv. 5.

  In the trivial use frequent from c. 1830.

1546.  Bale, Eng. Votaries, I. 76. They are wretchedlye blynde, for want of lyuelye knowlege in the sacred scriptures.

a. 1677.  Barrow, Serm., xix. Wks. 1686, III. 219. Sloth is a base quality, the argument of a mind wretchedly degenerate and mean.

1696.  Stanhope, Chr. Pattern, I. iii. (1700), 8. Both Error and Vice do … so wretchedly abound.

a. 1700.  Evelyn, Diary, 23 July 1679. The land all about wretchedly barren.

1810.  Lady Granville, Lett. (1894), I. 4. Miss Berry … looking wretchedly ill.

1830.  Greville, Mem., 5 Feb. (1875), I. 275. They are wretchedly off for speakers.

1858.  Dickens, Lett. (1880), II. 65. You will find it a wretchedly stupid letter.

1879.  McCarthy, Own Times, xxvii. II. 306. The hospitals were in a wretchedly disorganised condition.

  5.  In an inexpert, unsatisfactory or crude manner; inefficiently, unskilfully, very poorly.

1677.  Miége, Fr. Dict., II. s.v., To do a thing wretchedly,… faire mal quelque chose.

a. 1700.  Evelyn, Diary, 8 July 1656. A statue of Coilus in wood, wretchedly carved.

1719.  De Foe, Crusoe, I. (Globe), 136. I made me a Suit of Cloaths wholly of these Skins;… they were wretchedly made.

1757.  [Burke], Europ. Settlem. Amer., VII. xxvii. II. 269. The capital … was a small place wretchedly fortified.

1778.  E. Harwood, Eds. Classics (ed. 2), 59. This Edition wretchedly reprinted, Francof. 169.

1856.  Kane, Arct. Expl., I. xxvi. 349. We are wretchedly prepared for another winter on board.

1881.  Miss Braddon, Asphodel, II. 16. Lina, dearest,… you were playing [billiards] almost as wretchedly as I.