Forms: α. 1 wrað (Northumb. urað, wurað), 2–3 wrað (5 wrad), 3–4 wraþ, 4 wraþe, 4–5, Sc. 6 wrathe (4 wrahte), 4–5 wrath (4 wragh, 5 Sc. vrath, 6 wraath, wraathe), Sc. 5–6, 8 wraith (6 wreith); 3 wræð (wærð), 6 Sc. wreth. β. 3 wroð, 3–5 wroþ (3–4 vroþ), 3–5 wroþe, 4–6 wrothe, 4– wroth (4 wrogh, wroght, wroþt, 4–5 wroht, worth, 5 wrought, wroghth, wourthe); 4–5 wrooþ, wrooth, 5 wrooþe, 5 rowthe, 6 wrouthe. [OE. wráþ, = OFris. wrêth evil, OS. wrêđ (MLG. wrede, wrêt, LG. wrêd), MDu. wrêt, wreet (Du. and Flem. wreed cruel), OHG. reid, reidi (MHG. reit, reide curled, twisted), ON. *wreiðr, reiðr (Norw. vreid, reid, Da. and Sw. vred) angry, offended, f. the pa. t. of wríðan to WRITHE. Cf. WRATH a.]
In very freq. use c. 1250–c. 1450. Rare (exc. in or after Biblical usage), c. 1530–c. 1850, being regarded as ‘out of use’ by Johnson, ‘nearly obsolete’ by Ash, but as ‘an excellent word and not obsolete’ by Webster (1828–32). Revived in sense 1, esp. in formal or dignified style, c. 1800.
1. Stirred to wrath; moved or exasperated to ire or indignation; very angry or indignant; wrathful, incensed, irate.
Rarely attrib., as in quots. a. 1225, 1375, c. 1400.
α. c. 950. Lindisf. Gosp., Matt. xxii. 7. Ðe cyniʓ uutedlice mið ðy ʓeherde wurað wæs.
a. 1000. Genesis, 2260. Ða wearð unbliðe Abrahames cwen, hire worcþeowe wrað on mode.
a. 1122. O. E. Chron. (Laud MS.), an. 1066. Þa þe cyng Willelm ʓeherde þæt secgen þa wearð he swiðe wrað.
c. 1175. Lamb. Hom., 15. Ne beo þu nefre ene wrað þer fore.
c. 1200. Ormin, 19603. And ta warrþ wraþ Herode.
c. 1205. Lay., 8268. Þa wes he wræð ful iwis. Ibid., 28723. Þus þe king wordede, wræð on his þonke.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 1599. Þof he was wrath it was na wrang.
1375. Barbour, Bruce, XVI. 245. Micht no man se ane vrathar man.
c. 1400. Rule St. Benet (Prose), 1. He, as a wrath fader,… deseret vs os not hys sons.
c. 1450. Merlin, i. 18. Tho gan the Iuge to be right wrath.
c. 1475. Rauf Coilȝear, 100. The Carll … wox wonder wraith.
c. 1520. M. Nisbet, Ephes. iv. 26. Be ye wrathe, and will ye nocht do synn.
c. 1560. A. Scott, Poems (S.T.S.), vi. 38. For be scho wreth I will not wow it.
1590. Burel, in Watson, Coll., II. (1709), 2. Anna, wondrous wraith, Deplors hir sister Didos daith.
a. 1776. Lord Ingram, in Child, Ballads, II. 131/2. A’ was blyth at Auld Ingram’s cuming, But Lady Maisdrey was wraith.
β. c. 1200. Trin. Coll. Hom., 183. Al þat me was leof, hit was þe loð; þu ware a sele ȝief ich was wroð.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 120. Wroð mon is he wod?
c. 1290. Becket, 413. Þo was þe king wel of i-nouȝ, wroþere þane he was er.
13[?]. Cursor M., 4889 (Gött.). If he it wit he wil be wroght [Trin. wrooþ].
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., V. xli. (BM. Addit. MS.). By þe galle we ben wrooþ, by þe herte we ben wys.
a. 1450. Knt. de la Tour (1906), 22. Thanne she was wrother thanne afore.
c. 1489. Caxton, Sonnes of Aymon, iii. 113. Sire,… ye be wroth of som other thyng.
1526. Tindale, Matt. xxii. 7. When the kyng hearde that, he was wroth.
1548. Udall, etc., Erasm. Par. Mark x. 65. For he was nether wroth, nor murmured against Christ.
a. 1599. Spenser, F. Q., VII. vi. 35. There-at Ioue wexed wroth.
1611. Bible, 1 Sam. xx. 7. If he be very wroth,… euill is determined by him.
1656. Blount, Glossogr.
1716. M. Davies, Athen. Brit., III. 25. Our modern Dissenters seem wroth, when they are deem’d a vulgar … kind of People.
1749. Fielding, Tom Jones, VI. ix. The parson … saying, ‘You behold, Sir, how he waxeth wroth at your abode here.’
1820. Wordsw., ‘A Book came forth,’ 7. But some … Waxed wroth, and with foul claws … On Bard and Hero clamorously fell.
1842. Tennyson, Dora, 23. Then the old man was wroth, and doubled up his hands.
1852. Dickens, Bleak Ho., xl. Sir Leicester is majestically wroth.
1880. Blackmore, Mary Anerley, xxxiii. ‘I know it,’ said Carroway, too wroth to swear.
absol. a. 1250. Owl & Night., 944. Selde endeþ wel þe loþe & selde playdeþ wel þe wroþe.
transf. c. 1385. Chaucer, Cook’s T., 34. Reuel and trouthe … been ful wrothe al day as men may see.
b. Said of the Deity.
a. 1100. in Earle, Land-Charters (1888), 253. Crist … him wurðe wrað þe hi hæfre ʓeþywie.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 959. Wa es me! lauerd,… þat euer i mad þe wrath.
c. 1340. Hampole, Pr. Consc., 5479. When he es wrathe þat es maker of alle.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Pars. T., ¶ 96. Ther shal the … wrothe Iuge sitte aboue.
1393. Langl., P. Pl., C. I. 117. God was wel þe wroþer.
c. 1450. Mirk’s Festial, I. 4. Aboue hym schall be Crist his domes-man so wroþe, þat [etc.].
1533. Bellenden, Livy (S.T.S.), I. 106. The goddis war sa commovit and wraith, þat [etc.].
1611. Bible, Isaiah, lxiv. 9. Be not wroth very sore, O Lord.
1697. Dryden, Æneis, V. 1110. The God was wroth.
1820. Keats, Hyperion, II. 351. He saw full many a God Wroth as himself.
1877. Tennyson, Harold, I. i. 28. Why should not Heaven be wroth?
c. With dative, or const. with preps., as against, at, on, † to, † toward, † upon, or esp. with.
(a) a. 1000. Genesis, 405. Þonne weorð he him wrað on mode.
c. 1000. Ags. Ps. (Thorpe), lxxxiv. 4. Þæt ðu us ne weorðe wrað on mode.
c. 1200. Ormin, 4814. Forr whatt iss Drihhtin me þuss wraþ?
c. 1230. Hali Meid., 31. Beo hit nu, þat … ti were beo þe wrað.
(b) c. 1175. Lamb. Hom., 117. Þi les ðe god iwurðe wrað wið eou.
c. 1205. Lay., 6369. A-nan se he wes wrað wid eni.
1297. R. Glouc. (Rolls), 570. Corineus … wroþ inou was Toward þe king lotrin.
1303. R. Brunne, Handl. Synne, 12293. Al tymes ys God more wroþer with þys Þan [etc.].
a. 1352. Minot, Poems, iii. 5. For mani men to him er wroth.
1375. Barbour, Bruce, I. 201. Gyff ony thar-at war wrath.
1388. Wyclif, Num. xxiv. 10. Balaach was wrooth aȝens Balaam.
1412. 26 Pol. Poems, 47. First whan god wiþ man was wroþ.
1471. Caxton, Recuyell (Sommer), 535. Dyane … was wrothe and angry vpon them. Ibid. (c. 1489), Sonnes of Aymon, i. 50. Charlemayne … was wrothe to theym.
1535. Coverdale, 2 Chron. xxviii. 9. The Lorde God … is wroth at Iuda.
1590. Spenser, F. Q., III. vi. 19. She … woxe halfe wroth against her damzels slacke. Ibid., vii. 8. Be not wroth With silly Virgin.
1611. Bible, Ps. lxxxix. 38. Thou hast bene wroth with thine anointed.
1794. Mrs. Radcliffe, Myst. Udolpho, xxv. The signor, it seems, had lately been very wroth against her.
1859. Tennyson, Elaine, 160. Then got Sir Lancelot suddenly to horse, Wroth at himself.
1873. ‘Ouida,’ Pascarèl, I. 39. She, dear soul, was very wroth against him always.
1883. Whitelaw, Sophocles, Antigone, 1177. Wroth with his pitiless sire, he slew himself.
fig. a. 1300. Cursor M., 30. Þe wrang to here o right is lath, And pride wyt buxsumnes is wrath.
† 2. Marked or characterized by anger or wrath; indicative of ire or indignation. Obs.
c. 1000. Ags. Ps. (Thorpe), lxiii. 4. Hi … hi mid wraðum wordum trymmað.
a. 1300. E. E. Psalter lxxiii. 1. Wrathe es þi breth, ouer schepe of þi fode.
a. 1325. Prose Psalter, cxxiii. 3. Her wodeship was wroþe oȝains us.
13[?]. Gaw. & Gr. Knt., 1706. Þay sued hym [sc. a fox] fast, Wreȝande hym ful weterly with a wroth noyse.
c. 1375. Cursor M., 828 (Fairf.). Sone bigan veniaunce to kithe, al was wraþ þat er was blithe.
1582. Stanyhurst, Æneis, I. (Arb.), 22. Wroth woords statelye thus [he] vsed.
1648. J. Beaumont, Psyche, XII. xxxiii. Wroth fiery Knots are marshalled upon Her Forehead.
† 3. Of a fierce, savage or violent disposition or character; stern, truculent. Obs.
Beowulf, 319. Ic to sæ wille wið wrað werod wearde healdan.
c. 893. K. Ælfred, Oros., VI. ii. 254. Þa wearð Tiberius Romanum swa wrað & swa heard swa he him ær wæs milde & ieþe.
c. 1000. Ags. Ps. (Thorpe), lxvii. 5. Þa þe wydewum syn wraðe æt dome.
c. 1205. Lay., 18583. Þis iherde Gorlois … & he andsware ȝaf, eorlene wraðest. Ibid., 28503. Arður þat iherde, wraðest kinge. Ibid. (c. 1275), 6402. Þar was mani bold Brut, and mani cnihtes wroþe [c. 1205 bisi kempen].
† b. In the phrase as wroth as (the) wind. Obs.
13[?]. Gaw. & Gr. Knt., 319. He wex as wroth as wynde.
1377. Langl., P. Pl., B. III. 328. Also wroth as þe wynde Wex Mede in a while.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 13091. And he [was] wrothe as the wynde to his wale eme.
14[?]. Erthe upon Erthe, 33/48. Erthe is as sone wroth as is the wynde.
c. 1470. Golagros & Gaw., 770. Golograse…, Wod wraith as the wynd, his handis can wryng.
† 4. Of animals: Of a violent or fierce nature; irritated, enraged. Obs.
a. 900. Cynewulf, Crist, 1548. Se deopa seað … æleð hy mid þy ealdan liʓe…, wraþum wyrmum.
a. 1250. Owl & Night., 1043. Þe vle wes wroþ, to cheste rad, Mid þisse worde hire eyen abraid.
13[?]. E. E. Allit. P., B. 1676. Þou … on mor most abide … With wroþe wolfes to won.
c. 1375. Sc. Leg. Saints, i. (Peter), 523. Þan wes þe hound na thing wrath, Na schup to do na man schath.
a. 1400–50. Wars Alex., 738. As wrath as a waspe.
1526. Tindale, Rev. xii. 17. The dragon was wroth with the woman.
b. transf. Of the wind, sea, etc.: Moved to a state of turmoil or commotion; violent, stormy.
13[?]. E. E. Allit. P., C. 162. Euer was ilyche loud þe lot of þe wyndes, & euer wroþer þe water, & wodder þe stremes.
13[?]. Gaw. & Gr. Knt., 525. Wroþe wynde of þe welkyn wrastelez with þe sunne.
13[?]., etc. [see 3 b].
1426. Audelay, Poems, 47. Wry not fro Godis word as the wroth wynd.
1590. Spenser, F. Q., II. xi. 19. When the wroth Western wind does reaue their locks.
1835. Browning, Paracelsus, V. 661. The wroth sea’s waves are edged With foam.
1852. C. B. Mansfield, Paraguay, etc. (1856), 123. It rained heavily…. So I was wroth, and the weather too.
1876. Swinburne, Erechtheus, 1649. The most holy heart of the deep sea, Late wroth, now full of quiet.
† 5. Bad, evil; grievous, perverse. Obs.
In later use in to wrothe hele, -haile (see WROTHER-HEAL).
c. 1000. Ags. Ps. (Thorpe), cxviii. 101. Ic minum fotum fæcne siðas, þa wraþan weʓas, werede ʓeorne.
a. 1023. Wulfstan, Hom., I. (1883), 273. Hu læne and hu lyðre þis lif is,… hu tealt and hu wrað.
a. 1225. Juliana, 57. Weila as þu were iboren wrecche o wraðe [v.r. wraðer] time.
a. 1225. Leg. Kath., 171. Þe wrecches þet ha seh … wraðe werkes wurchen.
a. 1250. Prov. Alfred, 115. Þenne beoþ his wene ful wroþe isene.
1297. R. Glouc. (Rolls), 3019. To wroþe hele al þis lond was he so milde þo.
c. 1330. King of Tars, 131. To wrothe hele that he was bore.
c. 1400. Laud Troy Bk., 7872. That was him to wrothe-haile: For thei of Grece opon him throng.
† 6. Displeased, grieved; sorrowful, sad. Obs.
13[?]. K. Alis., 4528 (Laud MS.). Alisaunder haþ vnderstonde Þe lettre þat com from darries sonde. Wroþ he was, & hadde pyte.
13[?]. Gaw. & Gr. Knt., 70. Ladies laȝed ful loude, þoȝ þay lost haden, And he þat wan was not wrothe.
c. 1450. Ludus Coventriæ, 329. Lombe of love with-owt loth, I ffynde þe not, myn hert is wroth.
† b. Fearful, apprehensive, afraid. Obs. rare–1.
13[?]. K. Alis., 544 (Laud MS.). Vche of hem so bycom wrooþ: For a dragon þer com in fleen.
