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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1976 (SND Vol. X).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

WRANGOUS, adj. Also ne.Sc. vrangous; †wrongeous after Eng. Sc. form and usages of Eng. †wrongous. [′rɑŋəs]

1. Contrary to law, illegal, wrongful. Now most freq. in Sc. Law phr. wrongous imprisonment, false imprisonment, imprisonment without the due form of law (Sc. 1782 J. Sinclair Ob. Sc. Dial. 214, 1825 Jam.). The Act for preventing Wrongous Imprisonments of 1701 corresponds roughly to Eng. habeas corpus. It was in effect superseded by the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act, 1887.Sc. 1701 Edb. Gazette (10 Feb.):
The Acts made during this late Session of Parliament, viz. Act for preventing wrongous Imprisonments, and against undue Delays in Tryals.Sc. 1707 Border Mag. (March, 1939) 47:
Another year a neighbouring laird had agreed to put back a “wrongeous dyke”.Rnf. 1706–24 W. Hector Judicial Rec. (1876) I. 196, 111:
Deeds of picking and wrongous intromission of sheaves of corns. . . . A most unwarrantable deed of wrongous intromission.Sc. 1763 Session Papers, Low v. Rannie (10 Jan.) 3:
The said Alexander Low brought an action of wrongous imprisonment against the said John Rannie and John Aitken.Sc. 1818 Scott Rob Roy xxx.:
I reserve my action and pleas of oppression and wrongous imprisonment.Sc. 1837 W. Bell Dict. Law Scot. 1058:
Wrongous imprisonment is committed by a judge or magistrate granting warrant for commitment, in order to trial, without cause expressed, and on information not subscribed by the informer.Sc. 1893 Stevenson Catriona ix.:
It's clean in the two eyes of the Act of Parliament of 1700 anent wrongous imprisonment.Sc. 1901 Scotsman (29 March) 6:
Pursuer claimed damages for wrongous dismissal.Sc. 1926 Encycl. Laws Scot. I. 29:
Where the procedure is regular, though the arrestment was wrongous.Sc. 1931 J. Wilkie Bygone Fife 268:
The magistrate was mulcted in damages for wrongous imprisonment.

Hence adv. wrangous(ly), wrongously, -ie, wrongfully, improperly, illegally (Lth. 1825 Jam.).Sc. 1712 Urie Court Bk. (S.H.S.) 115:
The tennentis had wrongouslie intrometted with and away tacken severall other persones peatts.Rnf. 1728 W. Hector Judicial Rec. (1876) I. 138:
Most wrongously, and in manifest breach of his oblidgement.Lnk. 1890 H. Muir Reminisc. 97:
Some stane jist to tell how he wrangously suffered.Fif. 1895 S. Tytler Kincaid's Widow xviii.:
You're blaming yoursel' wrangously.Sc. 1926 Encycl. Laws Scot. I. 22:
Conclusive evidence that the interdict was wrongously obtained.

2. Unjust, injurious; ill-gotten. Also adv.Sc. p.1714 Jacobite Relics (Hogg 1819) I. 117:
I'm like to tine it a' belyve, For wrangous gear can never thrive.Ayr. 1826 Galt Last of Lairds xxvi.:
The wrongeous mischief ye would noo do to the sweet girl.Abd. 1839 A. Walker De'il at Baldarroch 1:
But to gi'e him a wrangous kick I wad be sorry.Ayr. 1894 A. Laing Poems 136:
To advocate a cause That weel they ken is doubly fause An' wrangous a'thegither.Sc. 1913 H. P. Cameron Imit. Christ iii. xlvi.:
E'en gin ocht be wrangous spak again him.

3. Inaccurate, incorrect, mistaken, badly aimed.Abd. 1768 A. Ross Helenore (S.T.S.) 15, 98:
If Lindy chanc'd, as synle was his lot, To play a feckless or a wrangeous shot . . . I wad na think that sick wyse fouk as ye Wou'd to your ain sick wrangous counsel gee.Sc. a.1820 Lord Ingram in Child Ballads No. 66 A. xxv.:
I will not father my bairn on you, Nor on no wrongeous man.Mry. 1890 W. H. Tester Poems 78:
Where wrongeous or richt.