sb. Obs. Forms: α. 1 wræðe, -u, wræþu, 2 wræþe, 3 wreðe, 3–5 wreth, 4–6 wrethe, 6 Sc. wreath. β. north. 4–5 wrythe, 5 writh(e, Sc. wryth. [OE. wrǽðo (also wráðo), wrǽþu (f. wráþ WROTH a.), = MLG. wrêde. ON. *wreiði (Norw. vreide; MSw. wredhe, vredhe, Sw. and Da. vrede), reiði (Icel. reiði, Norw. reide). A different OE. formation is represented by WRATH sb.]

1

  1.  Violent anger; = WRATH sb. 1. Also in the phr. be (= by), but, for, of, in, on, through, with wrethe.

2

c. 950.  Lindisf. Gosp., Mark iii. 21. And miððy ʓeherdon his eodon to haldanne hine, cuoedon forðon þætte on wræðo [L. in furorem] ʓecerred wæs.

3

c. 1100.  O. E. Chron. (MS. F.), an. 1051. Forþan hi wæran intinga þare wræðe ðe was betwyx him & ðan cinge.

4

c. 1250.  Kent. Serm., in O. E. Misc., 33. Yef se deuel us wille a-cumbri þurch senne … oþer þurh wreþe.

5

c. 1250.  Gen. & Ex., 482. Lamech wið wreðe is knape nam.

6

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 10049. Moght in hir noþer be wreth ne het, Hir tholmodenes it was sa gret.

7

c. 1330.  Amis & Amil., 830. Lete thi wrethe first ouergon, Y pray the.

8

c. 1375.  Sc. Leg. Saints, xlii. (Agatha), 121. In wryth quyncyane bad gef hire buffetis.

9

a. 1440.  Sir Degrev. (Thornton MS.), 299 (Halliwell). Thus thay fighte in the frythe, With waa wreke thay thaire wrythe.

10

1422.  Yonge, trans. Secreta Secret., 135. Hatredyn engendryth wronge and wrethe.

11

c. 1440.  Eng. Conq. Ireland, 75. But in nothynge thay myght acorde, & begon to de-Pert, as in wrethe.

12

1530.  Palsgr., 290/2. Wrethe, angre, courroux, maltalent.

13

1587.  W. Fowler, Wks. (S.T.S.), I. 53. Sometymes through wreath, I forced was … To teare them all in peaces small.

14

  Personif.  c. 1420.  Lydg., Assembly of Gods, 624. Wrethe bestrode a wylde bore, and next hem gan ryde.

15

  transf.  c. 1475.  Partenay, 231. An huge bore of meruelous wreth.

16

  2.  A fit or display of wrath; = WRATH sb. 2.

17

a. 1400–50.  Wars Alex., 865 (Dubl. MS.). Sir, lat þi wrethes all wende.

18

1434.  Misyn, Mending Life, 117. Wrethis, hatredis, detraccions mekely suffyr.

19

  3.  Of the Deity: = WRATH sb. 4 a.

20

c. 900.  Rituale Eccl. Dunelm. (Surtees), 11. In alle soðfæst[nis] ðin se ymbvoended [L. avertatur] … wræðo ðin.

21

a. 1023.  Wulfstan, Hom. (1883), 174. Hæfþ eal folc … micele wræþe æt gode þurh his ænne gilt.

22

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 27362. O þat soruful dai o pain,… Þe dai o wreth, o quak and soru.

23

c. 1340.  Hampole, Pr. Consc., 1552. Þarewyth þai wreth God þat sese all; And his wreth at þe last sall with þam mete.

24

1387.  Trevisa, Higden, I. 191. Þat tyme þat Egipt was i-smyte wiþ God all myȝties wrethe.

25

c. 1420.  [see WREAK sb. 1].

26

  4.  Injury, hurt, harm. rare.

27

c. 1400.  Melayne, 96. Wende thy waye … To Charles … & he sall wreke thy wrethis alle.

28

c. 1440.  Bone Florence, 1613. Hys mowthe, hys nose, braste owt on blood, Forthe at the chaumbur dore he yode, For drede of more wrethe.

29