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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.

Wry(e, Wray, v. Also: vrey. P.t. also wraid. P.p. also wryd. [ME and e.m.E. wrie(n (c1250), wrye(n (14th c.), wrey (a1400), OE wriᵹian.]

1. tr.To move (something) with a turning or twisting motion. Freq. const. about or away. Also intr.b. tr., fig.(To cause a person) to turn or change with regard to beliefs or attitudes. Also intr.c. fig.Const. out of wit, to go out of one's mind, turn mad.(a) c1400 Troy-bk. i 500.
Ritht as the wheill about is wryd c1475 Wall. x 874 (F).
The schippis sa sair on ather syde thai wry [Moir wey; see also McD. x 888 n.] 1513 Doug. v xiv 9.
Thai … threw the ra abak; Baith to and fra, al dyd thar nokkis wry [L. torquent] 1513 Doug. xi xiv 50 (Sm.).
Latynis all thar ene about did wry [L. convertere] 1531 Bell. Boece I xv.
Phebus his firy cart did wry Fra south to west c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus i 659.
Anone his bak alyte he wryit, To pas away 1560 Rolland Seven S. 1123.
He wryit his face away … For be na way he lykit hir langage 1686 G. Stuart Joco-Ser. Disc. 41.
The todd will … wry about the neck o' the cock(b) 1630 Reg. Privy C. 2 Ser. III 558.
Seing the peece fyred wrayed his bodie about and so escaped the shottintr. a1500 K. Hart 725.
Scho wryit about to kys scho wes full sweirb. c1610 Melville Mem. 220.
It was a sair thing to se that gud regent, anes sa weill inclynit to do gud offices in religion and commown weall, sa wryed and drawen efter vther mens vain pretences 1660-7 Naphtali (1693) 518.
I came out of my own free will, no man pressing me, or wrying to come, but only so farre, as my conscience did command meintr. 1585–6 Misc. Wodrow Soc. 444.
Men … that hes wryed from the streicht path way c1600 Montg. Suppl. i 21.
At euerye schoure thai may nocht schrink … No thing can gar thame wray nor wrink … Bot pacientlie that thay will … luifc. c1400 Troy-bk. ii 2980.
Than Thelagonius at that herd As wryand out of wit he ferd And said ‘Allace … now caus of his deth am I'

2. tr.To twist, turn (away) or avert (the face, etc.) in (an) expression of anger, anguish or sorrow. Also intr. a1500 K. Hart 520.
Scho grevit and scho angerit … Hir face scho wryit about for propir teyne 1560 Rolland Seven S. 5384.
The Empreour … wryit his face, and wald not on him luik Bot at him greit indignation tuik 1681 Colvil Whig's Suppl. (1681) i 80.
He wry'd his mouth, and knit his browsintr. c1590 J. Stewart 54/62.
Scho quhyns, scho schrinks, scho vreyis, scho vips for vo a1605 Montg. Misc. P. xvi 3.
O vhat a martyrd man am I! I freat, I fry, I wreist, I wry

3. fig.a. To wrest meaning from some event, to understand or comprehend. b. tr.To twist, misinterpret (the meaning of words, etc.).a. 1513 Doug. ix iii 5.
Quha sa vehement fyre Drave from thar schippis thus wys byrnand schire? The deid [L. prisca fides facto] is auld forto beleif or wry Bot the memor remanys perpetualyb. 1556 Lauder Off. Kings 221 (see Wre(i)st v.3 (a)). a1585 Polwart Flyt. 754 (T).
Weining to wry [H. wrye] the veritie with wylis a1599 Rollock Wks. I 343.
Scarse may ane godlie man speik ane or twa wordis … quhen he is mistaken be evill men, quha sets them selfis to wry everie word that is spoken(b) a1561 Norvell Meroure 45b.
That some went back, and was affraid: And carnallie, his wordes wraid, Untill their mindes sensuall