Middle English Dictionary Entry
wrecched adj.
Entry Info
| Forms | wrecched adj. Also wrecchede, wrecchet, wrecchidde, wrecchud, wrechched(e, wreched(e, wrechit, wretched, wricched, wriched(e, wroched, wruchud, (early) vreched & (errors) wrecthed, wretthyd; comp. wrecchedere, wrecchedore, wrechchedore; sup. wrecchidest, etc. & wrecchidhest. |
| Etymology | From wrecche adj. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Subjected to hardship or misfortune; miserable, unfortunate, unhappy; of a place: desolate [quot. ?a1425];
(b) characterized by hardship, misfortune, or wretchedness; grievous;
(c) poor, indigent; also in fig. context; also, low in social and economic status;
(d) as noun: one who is miserable.
Associated quotations
a
- a1225(c1200) Vices & V.(1) (Stw 34)9/18 : Ȝif ic ware riht cristeneman, ic wolde bliðelicor þoliȝen ðas lichames deað, ðanne ic wolde ðe wrecchede saule sa rewliche acwellan.
- c1300 SLeg.Becket (LdMisc 108)2395 : Wrechchedore [Hrl: Wrecchedere] gost ne miȝte non beo þane þis prisun was.
- a1325 SLeg.Brendan (Corp-C 145)528 : Wrecchedore gost þanne he was ne dorste noman finde.
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)37.6 : Ich am made wroched [L miser].
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.921 : Som drope of pitee thurgh thy gentillesse Vpon vs wrecched wommen lat thow falle.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)993 : Out es put sua wreched adam Of paradis.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)24517 : Allas! quat es me nu to red, I wrechidest of all!
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.4195 : O wrechid Troye…For to concent vn-to swyche folye.
- a1425(a1400) Paul.Epist.(Corp-C 32)1 Cor.15.19 : If wee in þis lyf onely be hopande in crist…wee ben wrecchydest of alle men.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)23b/a : Elegus: wriched.
- ?a1425 Mandev.(2) (Eg 1982)21/7 : It es lang sen any durst com nere þat wricched place, for it es waste and so full of dragouns and nedders…þat þare dare na man com nere it.
- c1450(c1375) Chaucer Anel.(Benson-Robinson)60 : The wrecched Thebans, bretheren two, Were slayn.
- a1480(c1450) Barlaam (2) (Peterh 257)7/168 : Y know non oþere good þat may be called good, saue þis only; Fro þe whych þou, wrechid kynge, art fully delyuered and disioyned.
- c1500(?a1437) ?Jas.I KQ (SeldArch B.24)st.167 : Help, of your grace, me wofull wrechit wight.
b
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)141 : We hauen seid þreo þing…hwu wunderlich was his hider-cume and hwu wrecchede his her-biwist and hwu siker his heðensið.
- ?a1300 Jacob & J.(Bod 652)460 : Wher artou, mi deþ, whi neltou me fonge? Nou mi wrecchede lif ilast al to longe.
- c1330(?c1300) Guy(1) (Auch)4887 : In wroched time mi body þou say, When þou schalt for me day.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)7.481 : Al þe grete þat were i-swore to Steven made a wrecched ende.
- (a1398) Trev.Barth.(Add 27944:Seymour)305/30 : Among alle wrecchidnes þe condicioun of bondage and þraldome is most wrecchid.
- (a1398) Trev.Barth.(Add 27944:Seymour)1171/11 : Atte laste þe scabbede hound…is adraynt in water or in ryuer, And so he endeþ his wrecchidde lyf.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)2.m.1.11 : Fortune…neither heereth ne rekketh of wrecchide wepynges.
- c1450(a1425) MOTest.(SeldSup 52)10878 : He brent hym self both bone and lyre; on þis wyse was his wreched ende.
- a1500 Let.Alex.(Wor F.172)143/527 : Forsoth, thi Moder with fowle and wrecched deth shal die.
c
- a1250 Wooing Lord (Tit D.18)277 : Ihesu…riche ar tu as lauerd in heuene…and tah poure þi bicom for me, westi and wrecched.
- a1400 Apoc.(1) in LuSE (Pep 2498)p.26 : Þou seist þat þou art riche and hast mester of noþing, And þou ne wost þat þou art wrecched an pouere and blynde & naked.
- a1456(a1402) *Trev.Nicod.(Add 16165)112b : Whyle Ennok spake…came forþe a wrechched [vr. wrechchede] man bering þe signe of þe croys on his shouldre.
d
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Is.16.4 : Dust is endid, the wretchid [WB(1): wrecche] is wastid; he that defoulide the lond failude.
2a.
Base, vile, contemptible; debased in character or condition; also, reprehensible; wicked: (a) of a person, the soul; also, of an animal [1st quot.];
(b) of a thing, an activity, etc.; also in fig. context; also in book title [quot. c1430]; ~ dom, ?a vile end; ?= wreccheddom n., with the sense of wrecchedom n. (b).
Associated quotations
a
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Wisd.15.18 : But & þei most wrecchid herien beestis [L animalia miserrima colunt].
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.185 : The derknesse of deeth ben the synnes that the wrecched man hath doon.
- (1402) Will in Anc.10 ()21 : I be take my soule in to the hondes of god, preynge to hym mekely of his grace that he wole take so pore a present as my wrechud soule is to his mercy.
- (1415) Reg.Chichele in Cant.Yk.S.42 (Lamb 69)45 : Att þe begynnyng y most unworthi recommande [me] wrecchet and synful to þe mercy and grace of God.
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)2426 : Wreched saul…what may thou say When þou partes fra þe body away…sal walaway be þi sang, For þou here dispended þi tym wrang…Þou has done many synful dede.
- c1460 Tree & Fruits HG (McC 132)23/24 : Haue in mynde also how eche day þou synnest and þerfor hold þi self right vyle and wrecchid for to receyue þat blissid sacrament.
- (a1464) Capgr.Chron.(Cmb Gg.4.12)50/4 : Nero regned aftir þis Claudius, of all men wrecchidhest, redy to all maner vices.
- c1450(a1400) Chev.Assigne (Clg A.2)77 : She…seyde, ‘Aryse, wrecched Qwene, and reste þe her no lengur.’
- -?-(1415) Will in Som.RS 16401 : I, wrichyd Synner, Thomas Broke…make my testament…in this maner.
b
- a1275 *Body & S.(4) (Trin-C B.14.39)125 : Welle vreched is tis werld & þis werldis pride.
- a1275 Þene latemeste dai (Trin-C B.14.39)10 : Awei! wrechede bodi, nou þou sal to bere, & i sal for þine sunnen habben fendes to were.
- c1275 Ken.Serm.(LdMisc 471)216/59 : Þo ilke þinges so bieth bitere to þo wrichede flessce.
- (a1333) Herebert Þou wommon (Add 46919)34 : Dame, help at þe noede…Þat uor no wreched gult, Ich boe to helle y-pult.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)109/22 : Þet he ous wende oure wrechide wil and hise confermy al to þe heȝe guode.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)7.33 : Þe clerkes þat were somtyme i-put out…seide þat it were a wrecched name [read: shame] þat a newe comynge schulde putte olde londesmen out of here place.
- a1400(?c1300) LFMass Bk.(Roy 17.B.17)80 : I praie saynt mary…þat god haue merci…of my wreched synfulnes.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)6781 : Qua dos wit beist þat wreched [Frf: wriched] plight, He sal be don to dede with right.
- a1400 Cursor (Trin-C R.3.8)3113 : In þat tyme…þe folke was good, þe world was clene…To wrecched doom al is went, To lerne god ȝiue fewe entent.
- (1401) Will in Anc.1019 : My wruchud body to be buryid were that evere i dye in the nexte chirche yerd God vouchesaff, and naut in the churche but in the uttereste corner as he that ys unworthi to lyn therinne.
- (1413) Will in Bdf.HRS 216 : I…recomande…my wreched stynkyng careyne to be beried wyþoute þe Chapell.
- ?a1425 Orch.Syon (Hrl 3432)305/22 : He stondeþ in þe wrecchid flood vndir þe brigge, and in þe floodis of delicis and wrecchidnessis of þe world þei mynystren þe sacramentis to ȝou.
- c1430(c1395) Chaucer LGW Prol.(2) (Benson-Robinson)414 : He hath in prose translated…Of the Wreched Engendrynge of Mankynde, As man may in Pope Innocent yfynde.
- a1450 Aelred Inst.(2) (Bod 423)14/531 : Of this wrecched rote [Pride] springen many buanches [read: braunches].
- a1450 Mandev.(3) (BodeMus 116)115/4 : Oure wiuys ben not solempnely aparayled…for swiche maner onourement we holdyn gret folye, to putte to the wrechede body [Rwl: wretched bodies] more beute than God hath kyndely youe therto.
- c1450(c1400) Rev.Jul.Norwich (Add 37790)75/27 : A, wriched synne! Whate ert þou? Thowe er nought.
- a1500 GRom.(Add 9066)229 : The wyf is the wrecched [vr. wretthyd] flessh…for the whiche the soule may not passe to everlastyng lyf.
2b.
Of little account, paltry, worthless, weak; also, shabby, mean.
Associated quotations
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mk.(Manly-Rickert)B.3146 : Of feble trees ther comen wrecched ympes; This maketh that oure heires beth so sklendre And feble that they may nat wel engendre.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Cl.(Manly-Rickert)E.850 : Ther as ye me profre swich dowaire As I first broghte…It were my wrecched clothes no thyng faire.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)15.138 : He was a nygarde…a wrecched hous he helde.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)2.149 : Ther as wrecchid [vr. wrecthed] greues, Sour lond, to weet, or salt, is, neuer delue.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- ?1482 Rev.Monk Eynsham2119 : He wulde haue geuyn alle the world..so that he might haue be delyueryd fro on spurre with the whiche he was compellid to stere his wrechid hors to renne.
Note: Cf. OED wretched, adj. 5. 'Of persons or animals: Poor in ability, capacity, character, etc.'
Note: Glossary: "wrechid adj. 'of poor abilities'."
Note: New sense.