sb. and adv. Obs. Forms: 3 wraðer-, 3–4 wraþer- (4 wreþer-), 3 wroðer-, 3–5 wrother-hele (5 wrothir-, wrothher-); also 3 -heale, 4 -hale, -haylle, 4–5 -hail(e, -hayl. [= OE. *(tó) wráþre hǽle (hǽlu, -o): see WROTH a. and HEAL sb. 2 b (HELE, HAIL sb.2, HALE sb.1). Cf. GODER-HEAL.]
A. sb. a. To wrother heal (hele, also hail, hale), with evil fate or fortune; with or to misfortune, injury, calamity or destruction.
c. 1205. Lay., 29556. Þer heo iwurðen to, to wraðere hele.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 102. Go ut ase dude Dina,… to wrother hele.
c. 1275. XI Pains of Hell, 27, in O. E. Misc., 143. To wroþere hele he wes ibore.
c. 1305. Pilate, 187, in E. E. P. (1862), 116. He swor his more oþ anon þat he to wroþere hele þer com.
1377. Langl., P. Pl., B. XIV. 120. For to wrotherhele was he wrouȝte þat neuere was ioye shaped.
a. 1400. Sqr. lowe Degre, 299. Alas! it tourned to wroth-her-heyle.
a. 1425. Cursor M., 21923 (Trin.). To wroþerhele he ȝaf vs wit.
b. With dative (noun or pronoun) of person, etc.
a. 1200. St. Marher., 10. Ah crist to wurðmunt, ant him to wraðerheale, þe rode taken arudde hire readliche.
a. 1225. Juliana, 43. Þe ich font & habbe ifolhet me to wraðer heale.
1297. R. Glouc. (Rolls), 7282. So þat harald was king to wroþerhele þe kinedom.
13[?]. Gosp. Nicod., 695. What raue þe vayle, Þat in yhour temple hang? vs all to wrotherhail.
1362. Langl., P. Pl., A. II. 20. Out of wrong heo wox to wroþerhele monye.
c. 1400. Laud Troy Bk., 4260. He sayled in with a feble sayl And þat was him to wrotherhayl.
c. With genitive pronoun. rare–1.
c. 1205. Lay., 490. Mid þræte he spilede: To wroþer heore hele habbeð heo such werc idon.
B. adv. Unfortunately; disastrously.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 16477. Ful wrather-hail to min bihoue haf i tan þis mone.
c. 1325. Spec. Gy Warw., 129. Wroþer hele was Iudas born, For þurw þat sinne he was lorn.
a. 1330. Otuel, 203. Wroþer hele come þou her, I rede þou ȝeld op þi brond.
a. 1400–50. Wars Alex., 1759. Þou sekis fraward Sichim þi-selfe wrothir-haile.
