Middle English Dictionary Entry
wratthe n.
Entry Info
| Forms | wratthe n. Also wratth, wraththe, wrat, wraght, wrā̆th(e, wraith, wraugth, wretthe, wreththe & (early) wræþdæ, (SWM) wradðe, wræððe, wredðe, wredða, wreaððe, wreadðe, (infl.) wraððen & (?error) wærþe; pl. wratthes, etc. & wrettis, (early) wraððhes. |
| Etymology | From OE wrǣþþu, wrǣþþ, (Nhb.) urāððo, with shortening before doubled consonant. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. wreth(e n.(1), wroth n.
1.
(a) Anger, rage, fury; hostility, animosity; an instance, a state, or a feeling of anger or hostility, a fit of rage; also, the deadly sin of wrath;
(b) wrath personified or reified; also as name of allegorical character; in name of allegorical earldom [quot. c1400, 1st];
(c) distress, vexation; a feeling or state of distress or vexation;
(d) ?retribution, punishment.
Associated quotations
a
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)88/2 : Urre & wræþdæ is þare sawlæ ȝeiȝefan, for þi þæt heo sceal ursien & wræðþiæn aȝean sunnæn.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)124 : Nan mann nohht ne fand onn hemm To tælenn ne to wreȝenn, Noff whatt menn mihhtenn habbenn niþ Ne wraþþe ȝæn heore owwþerr.
- a1225(?OE) Lamb.Hom.(Lamb 487)15 : Gif þu dest þin uuel on-ȝein his uuel, swa muchel þa wredða bid þe mare bi-twenen eow.
- a1225(?OE) Lamb.Hom.(Lamb 487)17 : Hwet halt þe wredðe, seodðan þus god almihtin hauet ihaten uwilne cristene mon.
- a1225(c1200) Vices & V.(1) (Stw 34)41/27 : Ȝe modi menn…ararð upp ðe wraððhes and þe cheastes.
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)64/21 : Wreaððe…ablindeð…þe heorte.
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)142/28 : Prude salue is eadmodnesse…Wreaððes þolemodnesse.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)722 : Corineus…saide þas ilke word mid muchelere wredðe.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)1551 : [W]a hire wes on mode for hire fader wærþe [Otho: wreþþe].
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)3275 : Þa riche men…mid hæhere wradðe Plihten mid honden.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)5809 : Conaan eorl mid wraððen wende to Scotten.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)13174 : Þæ andswarede þe kaisere mid grættere wræððe.
- (c1300) Havelok (LdMisc 108)2719 : Wile ich forgiue þe þe lathe, Al mi dede and al mi wrathe.
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)805 : Þis hermite…hir tauȝt…lete þe lores of þe Fende, Pride, wratþe, and glotonie.
- c1350 How GWife(1) (Em 106)160/27 : Fare wordes wrath slaketz.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Prov.30.33 : Who terreth wrathis [WB(2): iris] bringeth forth discordis.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Roy 1.B.6)Jas.1.19 : Be ech man…slowe to wraththe.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.562 : Of ire comen thise stynkynge engendrures: First hate, that is oold wratthe.
- (a1398) Trev.Barth.(Add 27944:Seymour)1263/26 : Bytwen þe fox and þe brokke is kyndeliche wraþþe.
- a1400(a1325) Glo.Chron.B (Trin-C R.4.26)857/291 : Þis spousing was enchesen of gret hate & wreþþe [vr. wraaþ] þat bitwene king lowis & duc henri was seþþe.
- a1400 Cursor (Frf 14)27671 : Of enuy comis mistrowing…for to deme a man til ille for a wraþ he has him tille.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.294 : Bituex þe kyng of France & þe erle William Was þat tyme a distance, a wrath bituex þam nam.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)3.m.2.20 : Hir [lions’] mayster fyrst, totorn with blody tooth, assaieth the wode wratthes of hem (this to seyn, thei freten hir maister).
- a1450 Bot witt pas (Add 37049)19 : He þat wreke hym of euere wrathe, Þe langer he lyfes þe les he hathe.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)2310 : In a wrath, þe wale kyng swyth Him of his principalete priued.
- (c1454) Pecock Fol.(Roy 17.D.9)110/28 : Angir is a passioun of þe wil or of þe louȝer sensual appetit, and wraþ is a fre deede chosen freli bi þe wil.
- c1460 Tree & Fruits HG (McC 132)114/10 : Al vnmylde folk wiche ben…had and possessid of ire and wraith must nedis be excludid.
- 1483 Cath.Angl.(Monson 168)425 : Wrath: jra presens est & repentina est & excausa nascitur; iracundia vicium perpetuum est.
- a1500(a1450) Gener.(2) (Trin-C O.5.2)1373 : In his wraugth, this thought he euer among: If he shuld avenge hym sodenly, All his pepill wold say he did hym wrong.
b
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)3.21 : Wrathe…hath hise wordes ay so hote That all a mannes pacience Is fyred of the violence, For he with him hath evere fyve Servantz that helpen him to stryve.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)3.835 : Cheste can no conseil hide…Wraththe seide nevere wel.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)2.83 : Þe Erldome of enuye and Wratthe togideres…alle I hem graunte.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)5.134 : Now awaketh wratthe with two whyte eyen.
- a1450 Castle Persev.(Folg V.a.354)893 : Pryde, Wrathe, and Envye, Com forthe, þe Deuelys chyldryn þre!
- (1458) Visit Hen.VI (Vsp B.16)3 : Whan charite is chosen with states to stonde…Than wrathe may be exiled out of this londe, And…Wisdom & wellthe…May rightful regne.
c
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)11.3-4 : Þo wepte I for wo and wratth of her speche, And in a wynkyng wratth, wex I aslepe.
- c1450(1369) Chaucer BD (Benson-Robinson)605 : My wele is woo, My good ys harm, and evermoo In wrathe ys turned my pleynge And my delyt into sorwynge.
- a1475 Sidrak & B.(Lnsd 793)7476 : Thogh God sawe al þis world brynne And alle þe folk þat ben þerynne…Ȝit in God schulde no wraþþe be, For in him may be noon yuel mood For noþing of þis worldes good…Þerfore þat time he [a man] deie shal God greueþ him noþing withal.
d
- ?a1425(a1415) Wycl.Lantern (Hrl 2324)33/23 : Summe…ben made mynystris of Cristis godhed hauyng powere & drede in to wraþþe & veniaunce of hem þat don yuel.
2.
(a) The wrath or hostility of God, a pagan deity, etc.; divine retribution; also in fig. context; also person. [quot. c1400]; also, a manifestation of divine anger or retribution; a state of divine wrath;
(b) children (sones, vesseles) of ~, creatures subject to divine wrath; dai of ~, the day of divine wrath, Judgment Day.
Associated quotations
a
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)9268 : Wha tahhte ȝuw To fleon…Godess wraþþe & wræche.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Marg.(1) (Bod 34)22/11 : Godd…hwas wreadðe is se gromful…help me, mi…lauerd.
- c1300 SLeg.(LdMisc 108)388/401 : He schal is louerdes wrathþe habben.
- c1350 Apoc.(1) in LuSE (Hrl 874)p.134 : God schal…ȝiue hym þe coupe of þe grete indignacioun of his wraþþe [vr. wrat].
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)2.5 : Þan schal God speken to hem in hys wraþe.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Ps.87.17 : In me passeden þurȝ þi wrathis.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))1 Thes.1.10 : Jhesu…delyuerede vs fro wraththe to comynge.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Roy 1.B.6)Apoc.14.8 : Babilon…ȝaf drinke to alle folkis of the wijn of wraththe of hir fornicacioun.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Roy 1.B.6)Apoc.14.10 : This shal drinke of the wijn of Goddis wrath, that is meynd with cleer wijn in the cuppe of his wraththe.
- c1400 Bk.Mother (Bod 416)106/20 : His wraþþe schal take armure, and arme his creatures to do uengaunce of his enemyes.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)2897 : He hath pronounced…The wooful wrath and contrariouste Of felle Mars.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)1.940 : Now I hope That thow the goddes wrathe hast al apesed.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)7225 : He in Cristis wrath hym ledith.
- a1425 HBk.GDei (Hnt HM 148)91/12 : Þe wraght of þe domesman sall be at his comyng als remyng of a lion.
- c1450 Jacob's W.(Sal 103)42/29 : Ȝif ȝe wyl fle fro þe iiij wrettys of god…leuyth ȝour vsage of wrongfull tythyng.
- c1450 Jacob's W.(Sal 103)107/30 : Sodeynly þanne þe wretthe & þe wreche of god schal fallyn on þe.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)973/28 : I drede the wratthe of God.
- a1500(c1410) Dives & P.(Htrn 270)2.251 : Ȝe han tresoryd wretthe and wreche to ȝou in þe laste dayys.
- a1500 Nicod.(4) (Hrl 149)80 : From hens-forthe schal come vppon you the wrathe of God.
b
- c1350 Apoc.(1) in LuSE (Hrl 874)p.51 : Þe grete day of wraþþe is comen & who may stonde.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Rom.9.22 : If God…susteynede in greet pacience the vessels of wraththe…he schulde schewe the richessis of his glorie in to vesselis of mercy.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.335 : Therfore be we alle yborn sones of wratthe and of dampnacioun.
- c1400 Apoc.(2) (Hrl 171)34/2 : Þe greet dai of wraþþe is comen, and who schal mowen aȝenstonde?
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Eph.2.3 : We weren bi kynde the sones of wraththe, as othere men.
- a1500(c1410) Dives & P.(Htrn 270)2.307 : We ben alle born childryn of wretthe & of deth, but onon as we fallyn in þe font ston & in þe watry of bapteme…onon we receyuyn þe lyf of grace.
3.
?Error for writ n.
Associated quotations
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)13a/a : Caucio: wraþþe [Cnt: a wrytt], caucion, & wed.