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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 2002 (DOST Vol. XII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Wra(i)k, Wre(i)k, v. Also: wraike, vraik, uraike, wraykk-, wraeck, vrak, wrake, wrakk-, urakk-, wrack(e, wreyk, wreak, wryk-. [Late ME and e.m.E. wrek (c1420), wrack (1470-85), wreck (1570); Wra(i)k n.¹]

I. 1. a. tr.To harm, hurt, damage or destroy (a person, country, etc.) by physical violence, war, etc. Also reflex. and passive.There is considerable ambiguity between the sub-senses.(a) c1475 Wall. (1570) viii 286.
Was nane … that gat of him ane straik, Efter agane maid neuer ane Scot to wraik 1570 Misc. Bann. C. I 38.
My Lord, make us quite of thir … lordis that will circumvene yow with thair policie, and wraike [Bann. Memor.6, wracke] yow with force 1570 Sat. P. xxiv 8.
Quhair furious Fleming schot his ordinance Willing to wraik him a1578 Pitsc. I 71/8.
They thocht no thing better nor to wraike them and that witht extreme weiris(b) 1571–2 Reg. Privy C. II 121.
To terrifie … gude men throw … thair monstruous and disperat doingis … tending thairby not a lytill to discourage and wrak oure soverane lordis gude and obedient subjectis 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 175.
To wrak and put to sak all theis nobillmen 1576 Digest Justiciary Proc. I 26.
Sum claithis that wes stollin fra hir … for the quhilk scho dang and wrakit hir awin seruandis 1583 Sempill Warning v.
Thenk quhow the … heroun hunttis the froig Thai vill devoir and vrak ȝow ane and ane c1590 J. Stewart 16/32.
Agramant did … tak in hand, To vrak his realme, and put his men to deed 1592 Douglas Chart. 301.
The greit cruelteis … committit … hes sa wrakit and schakin lowis sindre partis of the north cuntrie, that [etc.] 1596 Dalr. II 214/8.
The bordourers … herriet vp al, slew, burnt, and wraket thair nychtbouris(c) a1578 Pitsc. I 21/13.
Ilk ane of thame had wrackit vther swa that thair war nocht … the memorie of ony of thame heireftir 1591 Crim. Trials I ii 263.
To have wrackeit and spuilȝeit the countrey ?1613 W. Alexander Doomes-day iii 506 (G, H).
[This … king that doth for fight prepare] As if he wrack'd the world(d) 1572 Sat. P. xxxii 124.
Preserue … Our King, gude Lord! and als his regent eik: Lat neuer thair micht … Haue strenth or power thame for to hurt or wreikreflex. 1567 G. Ball. 186.
Suppose we suld wrack [D. wrake] our self, and tyne, The feild [etc.]passive 1569-73 Bann. Memor. 211.
Wreakit a1578 Pitsc. I 36/17.
The nobilietie hes put ws in this place … to [hauld] this realme in tranquilietie [etc.] … or be our discentioun the realme is wraikit and betraissit 1578 Antiq. Aberd. & B. IV 765.
Sum of thair housis wyiffis and bairnis being thairin wer alluterlie wraikit and brount 1604-31 Craig i 7.
When Troy was wrackt 1610 Reg. Privy C. IX 60.
Thevis and lymmaris … be quhome the peaceable subjectis of the in-cuntrey ar havelie opprest, troublit and wrackit

b. To harm, etc. (a person, etc.) by unjust, unkind or cruel treatment, not involving deliberate physical violence. Also passive, to be harmed, devastated or ruined by cruel treatment or adverse circumstances. a1570-86 Maitland in Maitl. F. 334/41.
Princis and magistratis Wraik not ȝour awin with fals consaittis Bot do thame rycht and rasoun a1585 Maitl. Q. 159/159.
To quyite me with austeritie … Or trap me Or wrap me Maist wrangfullie in wo … wraiking Ȝour seruand as ȝour fo 1584 Gowrie P. 77.
They have used him as a fitt instrument to wracke such as they hated, feared, and suspected most 1584 Hawick Arch. Soc. (1961) 6.
The intollerabill wrangis and stay of iustice … usit … to wrak the said Sir Thomas … undir colour of iustice a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 768 (W).
Thow vsit his counsall anes, Quha wald ȝit, behauld ȝit, To wrak [Wr. wreak] thee, war than we 1590–1 Crim. Trials I ii 238.
Thay demandit him [sc. the devil] ‘Quhat way thay mycht wrak Dauid Seytoune and his guidis?’ 1597 James VI Dæmonol. (STS) 21/30.
The deuill … could finde waies inough without anie helpe of others to wrack al mankinde 1600 Elgin Rec. II 82.
[He] said … that the minister dealt onlie with him of meir malice and hathrent he buir agane him and the rest of the name of Innes … and said that he ves not the first Innes that the minister haid vraikitt 1600-1610 Melvill 31.
Alas … to lay upone an auld weak man's back that [sc. the bishopric of St. Andrews] [etc.] … It will wrak him and disgrace him 1603 Philotus 422.
Gif in ȝour yre I be ouerthrawin Quhome haue ȝe wraikit bot ȝour awin? 1626 Garden Worthies 53.
These proud potentats … Against ther king … conspir'd … to wrong & wrake himpassive 1565 Cal. Sc. P. II 250.
Nou abuif all I mwst ernistly craif your … help in this my gryttest extremyte [to move the Queen's majesty … to travail with our sovereign for our relief,] uther wyis … we ar wraykkyt for evir 1571 Sempill in Sat. P. xxviii 141.
And scho wer wrakit, … Than sould the duke but dout ressaif the croun 1584–5 Hamilton P. II 637.
I see no other remeyde but … to be all utterlie wreyked sackleslie or leave the realme 1602 Shetland Sheriff Ct. (ed.) 48.
That they ar hevelie hurt and prejugit be … personis … quha … beginnis … thair actionis aganis utheris befoir … jugis out of the coyntrie quhairbe the haile commonis ar liklie to be wrekit 1604 Acts Sederunt ii 36.
Sa that thay be not wrackit altogither be not registering of thair saids writtis c1610 Melville Mem. 404.
How … dangerous it is for a courteour when sic as haue the prince ear ar ther ennemys. Otherwayes what soeuer he be that reposes vpon his gud seruice, is commounly cowped and wraked c1650 Spalding I 254.
The boit perishis, thrie men drownis … Thus is Abirdein wrackit both be sea and land(b) 1629 Maxwell Mem. II 202.
And my eldest dochtir at the punt of daith also; and gif scho dei, I wil be wtirle wrykit

c. To harm (a person, etc.) in his material well-being, to ruin, reduce to poverty. Chiefly passive. 1575 Orkney Oppress. 6.
Oppressing the king's lieges … in compelling them … to mak him and his haill household … bankettis … on their awin expensis to the great hurt and wrack of the country be way of sorning … Be making … of new takkis … compelling them to pay to him great soums of money … whilk will and sall wraik the haill commons a1585 Maitland in Maitl. Q. 49/10.
The theiffis … ryid the countrie throw Rax thay I trow thay sall wrak man and wyfepassive 1564 Reg. Privy C. XIV 201.
Personis … perforce enterit in the schip, reft and spuilȝeit the wynis, [etc.] … brak hir in pecis [etc.] … Seing the puir men, awnaris of the saidis schip and guidis, ar … uterlie heriit and wrakkit 1569 Reg. Privy C. I 678.
He … is put fra all trade of marchandice, and … uttirlie wrakkit without support be providit to him a1570-86 Maitland in Maitl. F. 302/29.
Be commoun taking of blak maile Thai that had flesche gud breid and aile Now ar sa wrakit, maid pure [etc.] 1570 Warrender P. (SHS) I 83.
A good nombre hes bene wrakit and depauperat … be distroying of thair houssis 1574 Davidson in Three Reformers 119.
Syne hes their sommer maill to by … Quhilk … brings great hurt … to sic masters of thir poore, Who be this sharp nipping are wrakked 1582 Conv. Burghs I 132.
Thair is … sindry merchantis … greitumlie hurtt and vtheris alluterlie wrakkit and hereit be the playing of bankeroutt … within the cuntrie of Flanderis a1605 Montg. Flyt. 469 (T).
That wyfis suld be wrakit, And the kow give ane choppin wes wont give a quart 1586 Cal. Sc. P. VIII 313.
All other materis set asyd to addres yowr self hame … othervayis I vill this say ye ar vraikkit 1597 Crim. Trials II 25.
Thay wald haif bene wrakkit bayth in body and geir 1615 Crim. Trials III 24.
Ȝour freindis, engadged and wraiked for ȝour debtis 1621 State P. No. 121.
By this thair priwatt purses are inritched and his maiesties haill subjectis wraeckit 1639 Aberd. B. Rec. III 170.
That the toune was nowayes habill to pay any suche fyne … thay ar so wrakit and wndone in thair estates c1650 Spalding II 321.
Abirdein wes prest and wrackit in fynding first the men, and nixt thair mantenance

2. a. To damage or destroy (property) by invasion or violent means. b. To destroy or deplete (a person's material wealth).a. 1596 Dalr. I 236/8.
Kirkes and castelis quhilkes the Saxonis mishantlie had wraked 16.. Hist. Kennedy 27.
Distroyit the hous in the plenneissing, and wrakitt all the yairding c1650 Spalding I 282.
Thay war quarterit in New Abirdein … and remanit wraking the tounb. 1596–7 Misc. Spald. C. I 88.
Be the quhilk witchcraft … his haill geir … ar altogidder wrakit and away

3. To subvert or destroy (ideas or influence). 1558-66 Knox II 267.
Sche hes plainlie purposed to wrak the religioun within this realme 1596 Dalr. II 250/16.
In casting doune closteris, expelling the religious, … wraking the Papes authoritie

4. With non-personal subject. 1570 Sempill in Sat. P. xii 74.
Thir plaigis ar powrit out To wraik this warld 1585 Cal. Sc. P. VIII 134.
The pest hes wrakkit Edinburgh sa that ther ar ma nor ix thousand peple dead 1598 James VI Basil. Doron 88/5.
Thir heritable shirefdomes … urakkis the haill cuntree 1600-1610 Melvill 246.
The presuming and swalling of the cheiff corrupt members, be avarice and ambition, haid vitiat and wrakit the esteat of the Kirk 1607 Aberd. B. Rec. II 295.
Dumbartane … is liklie to be wrakit be the inundatioun of the watter of Clyde 1626 Garden Worthies 159.
There violence all wraiked and devour'd 1628 Misc. Spald. C. II 207.
Extraordinar … expenssis whilk hes so wracked many of thame as [etc.] 1638 Henderson Serm. 235.
This is the thing that wracks us 1644 Baillie II 190.
Civill warr wracks Spaine a1650 Row 437.
The corruption of the Kirk of Ingland … will wrack us

5. To punish, exact retribution. Also intr. 1598 James VI Basil. Doron 63/8.
Ye ualde … be compellid then to uraike monie quhilke the chastisement of feu in the beginning micht haue preseruid 1587-99 Hume 41/18.
The … diuers meanes … Quhairby the Lord the wicked wraikes … Be weire be want be losse of freinds be greeuous thought … Be seruitude be lang exile be sicknesintr. a1400 Leg. S. xviii 733.
For-thi to God ay lowynge be, That thru thé [sc. Our Lady] sparand is to wrak Of synful, that wil pennance tak

6. To suffer harm, destruction in some regard or financial ruin. 1531 Vaus (1566).
Now airis downtakis & dalie wrakis 1570 Sempill in Sat. P. xii 67.
Hepburnis will wraik for wyrrying of the King 1590 Reg. Morton I 167.
He is come of our hous and I wald be layth to see him wrack c1590 J. Stewart 33/133.
I var to blame gif sic ane beutie vrak 1593 Douglas Corr. 189.
Gif the king had wraikit at this tyme, I had bene worthy to haue bene hangit 1600-1610 Melvill 370.
The countrey and Kirk … is lyk to wrak for nocht telling yow the treuthe a1605 Montg. Misc. P. xlvi 56.
I smore if I conceill, I wrak if I reveill 1614 Melrose P. 166.
I hoip your lordschip will not sie me and my freindis wrak 1625 Garden Kings 52.
Then like a wretche he wraks

II. 7. a. tr. Of a ship or sailor: To have suffered shipwreck. Also intr. b. To cause shipwreck, to wreck ships.a. 1567 Edinb. Test. I 27a.
Ane schip … wrakkit at Montrois 1591 Edinb. Test. XXII 305a.
Ane boit … was vraikit 1645 Pittenweem Ann. 54.
The schip … lying wrakit at full sea 1678 Mackenzie Laws & C. i xix 13 (1678) 205.
When a ship is wrackt 1685 Cullen Kirk S. 22 Feb.
Giuen to 2 sea men wrackt 8 s. 1692 Conv. Burghs IV 595.
Ane bush … named the Generall, was wraked in this harbourintr. c1575 Balfour Pract. 619.
Gif ane ship … perish, rive or wrakb. 1611-57 Mure Dido & Æneas iii 252.
Their fleet with flames deface! … Sack, wreak, revenge, demolish and destroy!