Middle English Dictionary Entry
wōwe n.
Entry Info
| Forms | wōwe n. Also (early) wou, wawe, (SWM) weowe; pl. (early) wowes, wawen. |
| Etymology | OE wāwa; the form weowe perh. influenced by ME wẹ̄ n. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. wo n., wough n.(2) 5.
1.
(a) Misery, wretchedness; a state or condition of wretchedness, misery, or distress;
(b) adversity, hardship; misfortune, bad luck; tribulation, affliction; also, an affliction, a hardship; sufferen (itholen, tholen) ~; don ~, to afflict (sb.) with tribulations;
(c) torment, physical pain; eche (helle) ~, damnation; don ~, to torture (sb.);
(d) sorrow, grief, anguish.
Associated quotations
a
- a1225(?c1175) PMor.(Lamb 487)151 : Eure he walde her inne wawe & ine wene wunien.
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)165 : Here is…smertinge, sorinesse, werinesse, and oðre wowe muchel.
- a1250 Mon may longe (Mdst A.13)36 : Weirmes mete þu selt ben…al þi lif þu drist in wowe.
- c1275(?c1250) Owl & N.(Clg A.9)414 : Al þat ho singeþ, hit is for wowe.
- ?c1335 Þe king of heuen (Hrl 913)p.120 : Þis world is wel nis bot wowe; Þis wrecche lif nis bot a þrow.
b
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)13349 : He shollde wurrþenn harrd To þolenn alle wawenn, All forr þe soþe lufe off Godd.
- a1225(OE) Lamb.Hom.Pentec.(Lamb 487)87 : Muchele wawen…hi þer iðoleden, and god hom ledde ofer þa rede se.
- a1200(?OE) Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)151 : Ðe wop þe man wepeð for his emcristenes wowe cumeð of þe wlache heorte.
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)143 : Hali boc nemneð þes woreld ‘sæ’ for þan þe mistliche gelimpeð, hwile of wele and wile of wawe [L adversitatum], walkeð þar-onne, alse doð þe uðe in þar sæ.
- c1225 Body & S.(2) (Wor F.174)62/7 : Hit [woan]eþ and mænet þeo weowe and þene seoruhfule siþ and þet sori idol.
- a1250 Ancr.(Nero A.14)88/19 : Þe eihteoðe hweolp is impacience; þesne hweolp fet hwose nis nout þolemod aȝean alle wowes & in alle vueles.
- a1275 Serm.St.Nich.(Trin-C B.14.39)64/31 : Wou god wole for þe gode do þat gode hope hauet him to.
- a1300(?c1150) Prov.Alf.(Jes-O 29)85/120 : God may yeue þenne he wule god after vuele, weole after wowe.
- c1300 Lay.Brut (Otho C.13)3124 : Hii hadde in þan see mochel wowe isoffred.
- c1300 Lay.Brut (Otho C.13)3251 : Þis folk was swiþe sori for þes kinges wowe [Clg: sorwen] and eke hii weren bliþe for deaþe of þan deore.
- c1300 Lay.Brut (Otho C.13)15911 : Cadwaladre wonede þar, and al þan ilke time þe wowe [Clg: þe sorhȝe] was here.
- c1350(a1333) Shoreham Poems (Add 17376)159/858 : Þanne falþ ous rewelyche by kende To soffry wowe.
c
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)9 : He wile…weren us…wið eche wowe.
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)11 : He…binimeð him heuene wele and bringeð him on helle wowe.
- a1225 Lamb.Hom.Creed (Lamb 487)73 : Þe mon þet naueð rihte ileue mid him, he wurh idemed to þolien wawe mid douelen in helle.
- a1300 11 Pains(1) (Jes-O 29)73 : Mo saulen þolieþ þer sucche wowe.
- a1325 SLeg.Patr.(Corp-C 145)171 : Þe deuel luþer & wikke Wol…do þe tormens & wowe.
d
- a1225(?c1175) PMor.(Lamb 487)231 : In helle his hunger and þurst…Þer is waning and wow [Trin-C: wop] efter eche streche.
- c1300 Lay.Brut (Otho C.13)1798 : Leir…lai on felde and reste him for wowe [Clg: on folde].
- c1300 Lay.Brut (Otho C.13)13756 : Þar was wowe [Clg: sarinesse] and sorinisse inowe Þo keay funde Beduer dead ligge him þar.