Middle English Dictionary Entry
wō interj.
Entry Info
| Forms | wō interj. Also wa, who. Contraction: wannowe (= wo nou). |
| Etymology | OE wā interj.; cp. ME wō n. 7a. & 7b. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. we interj., wei interj., wei-la interj., wei-la-wei interj.
1.
(a) Expressing distress, misery, or grief: alas;—occas. with that clause expressing the ground of the complaint;
(b) in phrase, expressing indignation or anger: ~ nou, well now, ah.
Associated quotations
a
- a1250 Orison Lord (Lamb 487)185 : Wa þet ic am swa fremede wiþ þe.
- c1350 Ayenb.App.(Arun 57)265/11 : No rearde ne ssel þer by y-hyerd bote wo…wo hy gredeþ.
- (?1387) Wimbledon Serm.(Corp-C 357)126/1074 : Ve, ve, ve, quante sunt tenebre: wo, wo, wo, how grete beþ þes derkenessis.
- c1400 Apoc.(2) (Hrl 171)92/9 : Wo, woo, Babiloyne, þat greete cytee, þat strong cytee, for in oon hour is þi iugement comen.
- (c1426) Audelay Poems (Dc 302)189/4 : Þe childer of Iral cridyn ‘wa wa.’
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)15879 : Cried he neyþer wo ne way, But ded he was, & þer he lay.
- a1450 LDirige(1) (Dgb 102)366 : Allas, oure synnes…say, ‘wo, wo, wo!’
- c1425(?c1400) Wycl.Apol.(Dub 245)81 : ‘Who, sonnis, lifers,’ seiþ þe Lord, ‘þat ȝe schuld mak a counseil and not of me.’
b
- c1450 NPass.(Add 31042)147/59* : ‘Wannowe,’ sayde kayme, ‘her es Envy: My smoke gose down, & thyne gose hye.’