Wro

Now north. dial. Forms: α. north. and Sc. 3–6 wra, 5 wraa, 5, 9 wray (9 ray), 9 wrae (rae), wraie. β. 4–5 wro, 5 rowe. [a. ON. *wrá, later rá, rǫ nook, cabin (whence MSw. vraa, vra, Sw. vrå, Da. vraa, Norw. raa, ro).]

  1.  A nook or corner; a retired or sheltered spot.

  α.  a. 1300.  Cursor M., 18155. Þaa waful wras sa dedli dim, All lighted þe lem þat come wit him.

c. 1375.  Sc. Leg. Saints, xliii. (Cecilia), 495. I … giffis bot a lytil wra, a vyd merkat þare-for I ta.

a. 1400–50.  Wars Alex., 4190. Quare þre wees in a wraa welk þaim allane.

1513.  Douglas, Æneid, VI. Prol. 158. Sum blind Ciclopes of thi laithlie wra.

1840.  De Quincey, Wks. (1889), II. 365. The Dalesman … selects a sheltered spot (a wray, for instance), which protects him from the wind altogether.

1891.  in Eng. Dial. Dict., s.v. Ray sb.²

  β.  a. 1300.  Havelok, 68. He made hem lurken, and crepen in wros.

c. 1395.  Plowman’s Tale, I. 81. As I wandred in a wro, In a wode besyde a wall.

a. 1400.  Stac. Rome, 181. A lutel be-hynde … Þer stont a Chapel in a wro.

c. 1425.  Thomas of Erceld. (1875), 43. Nere þat wro is a well.

  transf.  13[?].  E. E. Allit. P., A. 866. In appocalyppce is wryten in wro, I seghe, says Iohan, þe loumbe.

  2.  Sc. An enclosure or shelter for cattle. ? Obs.

1808.  Jamieson, s.v. Rae.