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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.

Wre(t)chit, Wra(t)chit, adj. Also: wrechyt(e, -yd, vrechit, wretchid, -et, ‘d, wre(t)ched, wrechted, wrethc(h)ed, wrachyt, -eit, wratche(i)t, -ed, wraichit, wreatched, wrychit, ratchit. [ME and e.m.E. wrecchede (a1200), wrichede (c1250), wrechid, -ed (both Cursor M.), wretched (1482).]

1. Of a person. a. Unhappy, miserable. Passing into b. Vile, contemptible, reprehensible. Freq. in collocation with sinnar where there is overlap with a above.a. a1400 Leg. S. i 139.
Thane browcht thai furth that wrechit man a1500 Bernardus 353.
O mane and wrechyte creatowr Maide in this warlde dolowr to endour 1513 Doug. ii x 167.
As maste wrachit and miserabil catyve Ded I desyrit 1513 Doug. iv viii 42.
Wrachyt 1513 Doug. v xi 47.
O woful wrachit wemen 1513 Doug. xi iii 42 (Sm.).
Wratchit 1559 Cal. Sc. P. I 228.
Your gracis displeasure against me … is to my wreched hart a burthen grevous c1590 Fowler I 279/119.
This wrethced cors, this poore cors of grace denud a1605 Montg. Sonn. xxxiv 2.
Wouchsaiv to help a wrechit woman weepb. ?a1500 Remembr. Passion 27.
Me, a wrachit synnar c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 15/17.
I wrachit [M. wrychit] synnar vile and full of vice Arundel MS 255/19.
Ane wraichit man, Cayphas 1567 Sat. P. iv 168.
My wratchet wyfe hes now put out the smoke 1567 G. Ball. 24.
We wratcheit sinnaris pure, Our sin hes vs forlorne 1570 Sat. P. xxxvi 66.
Fals mischeant Mortoun … Thy wretchit hairt could neuer schame eschew! 1570 Sat. P. xxxvi 124.
Douglassis fals, wratchit, and infame(b) 1567 G. Ball. 218.
This ratchit [B. wretchet, D. wreatched] man [sc. Caligula] he had his hyre

2. Of conditions, circumstances or actions. a. Causing misery, unhappiness, pain, etc. b. Vile, contemptible, base, mean.a., b. 1375 Barb. i 235.
He that ay has levyt fre May nocht knaw weill … The angyr na the wrechyt dome That is cowplyt to foule thyrldome c1420 Ratis R. 1459.
Vrechit c1420 Wynt. v 5347.
Wrechyd 1456 Hay I 172/25.
Mony ar the quhilkis for thair pride … thinkis thai suld nocht be … under obeisance … And of this wrechit disobeysaunce cummys untreuth and unlautee c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 184/19.
Quha … dois his dayis in dolour dryfe Thocht he in lordschip be possest He levis bot ane wrechit lyfe 1562-3 Winȝet I 133/29.
This our maist wrechit aige c1590 Fowler I 241/26.
Myne eyne, poure furth ȝour teares … to waill my wrethched state! c1590 Fowler I 291/19.
Wrechted Urquhart Jewel 213.
The same leprosy of a wretched peevishness whereof [etc.](b) a1450 Fifteen Ois 290.
Help me … to withstande the feind my fa, The wraichit warlde, my flesche alssua a1500 Henr. Praise of Age 25 (Makc.).
This wrachit warld may na man trow, for quhy Of erdly ioy ay sorow is the end 1513 Doug. ii iii 78.
Thar wrachit and dolorus offens 1513 Doug. v xi 106.
Wrachyt [L. miserum] 1513 Doug. x xiv 36.
This wrachit lyfe, sa ful of syte 1513 Doug. xi Prol. 95.
Resist the fendis slycht … He kendillis oft thy flesch in byrnand heit He causys wrachit plesans seym full sweit 1535 Stewart 11729.
That Romane navin maid sic wratchit end In Pechtland Firth c1552 Lynd. Mon. 209.
In this wracheit vaill of sorrow Arundel MS 249/300.
Efter this wrachit and failȝeand life leid my saule … to eternall felicite a1570-86 Arbuthnot in Maitl. F. 49/1.
O wrachit weird o fals feinȝeit fortoun O heich vnhappie o cruell destanie 1609 Garden Garden 66.
Our state accursed doth … Yea, wratched most, apeare

3. a. Small, of little account; base. b. Poor, poverty stricken.a. c1450-2 Howlat 650 (A).
The litill we wran, The wretchit dorche was 1456 Hay I 302/8, 16.
He suld be wele … avisit or that he write to the pape ony materis … for ony lycht mennis counsailis or ony small wrechit mannis … And alssua for quhat thing he wrytis that it be nocht a wrechit thing that he wrytis for c1460 Regim. Princ. 100 (Maitl.).
It is degrading to ane kingis crowne To mell him with small wrechit bissines a1500 Henr. Fab. 2897.
The mous vpwart, the paddok doun can pres … the gled … to this wretchit battell tuke gude heid 1528 Lynd. Dreme 27.
That sic ane wracheit worme hes maid so habyll Tyll sic ane Prince to be so [a]greabyll 1535 Stewart 43876.
Thocht I be now so law and wratchit wicht, Sumtyme I wes of greit honour and michtb. 1375 Barb. ix 408.
Quhen sic a knycht … Into sic perell has him set To wyn a wrechyt [C. vrechit] hamillet 1513 Doug. iii ix 110.
My wrachit fude was berreis of the brymmyll

4. Niggardly, miserly, mean. 1456 Hay II 58/3.
To be wrechit of the gudis that God has send thame to preve thame … and nocht to be hid, na hurdit 1456 Hay II 80/13.
The ferde [sc. king] is wrechit till himself and large till his subjectis 1456 Hay II 80/33, 81/8.
Mekle sorowe cumis of wrechit avarice … for it is lesse maistry to be wrechit … gredy and fast haldand … na to be wyse liberale and large c1475 Wall. vii 400.
Had he the warld and be wrachit off hart He is no lord a1500 Colk. Sow i 21.
Quhair wrechit awerice birnis Hyding hurdis in to hiris a1500 Bk. Chess 1589.
Thar was a wretchid wyf Gaderit gret gold and led a wretchid lyf 1579, 1617 Despauter (1579).
Miser, wretchit 1604 W. Alexander Paraenesis 515 (C).
As wretch'd Vespasian sought to gather gold Urquhart Jewel 280.
That the minister is the greediest man in the parish … and that the richer they become … the more wretched they are