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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)th, Wre(y)th, n.¹ Also: wrethe, vreth, wrecht, wreithe, wreath(e, vreath, wra(i)the, vraith, uraith, wrayth(t, vrayth(e, wrayith, wrae(i)the, warathe, wryth, wroth(e, wroith, werth, wairthe, rate. [ME and e.m.E. wreððe (c1175), wraðþe (a1200), wreþe (c1250), wreth (Cursor M.), wrathe (c1300), wrythe (a1400), wretthe (c1425), OE wrǽððu, wrǽðo, ON *wreiði (Norw. vreide).] Anger; rage, fury; indignation; exasperation. Also in wrath, in a state of anger, in a rage. b. specif. As a concomitant part of violent action, esp. in battle. Passing into c. The manifestation of anger in violent or vengeful action or in righteous retribution exercised by one in authority. Also pl. d. The righteous indignation and consequent retribution or punishment meted out by God. Also applied to pagan gods. Also the sons of wrath, mankind, having incurred the wrath of God by the first sin.(1) 1375 Barb. xviii 534.
Sen that caus ȝow led … And nother wreyth na iwill will As frendis ȝe sall resawyt be a1400 Leg. S. ii 1010.
Yhe but ire or wreth sall se Hym ourcumyne 14.. Burgh Laws c. 59 (A).
Na at thai sal doo na wrang na for wreth [B. ire] na for hatrent or for dout of lording [etc.] 1513 Doug. i i h. of ch.
Junois wreth [Sm. wraith] and mailtalent 1513 Doug. i i 42.
The causys of wreth war nocht away, Nor cruell harm forȝet 1513 Doug. iv v 46.
His mynd inflambyng as fyre, Prouokand hym to wreth and fellon ire a1585 Maitl. Q. 277/6.
Wreath c1590 Fowler I 53/155.
The papers … Sometymes through lowe, sometymes through wreath, I forced was … To teare them all in peaces small 1604-31 Craig ii 37.
Vpon the alter of her wreath, She would accept th'oblation of my death(b) ?1438 Alex. ii 250.
Quhan he slew Pyrrus … For wrathe and tene I woxe nere wode ?1438 Alex. ii 5476.
Wraith [F. courous] 14.. Acts I 12/2.
To lyff wythoutin wrang wrayth or discord a1500 Henr. Fab. 1463.
Sober thy wraith and let thi yre ourepas c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 115/28.
He wald oft ban me in his breith … And I forgif him laith and wraith 1513 Doug. iv Prol. 233.
Hys kyndnes alteris in wraith 1551 Hamilton Cat. 9.
Thai breik the fift command that slais ony man or woman in thair hart be wraith, malice, hettret [etc.] 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 164.
To pacifie him of the wraith consauit be him for the burning of the lugeing in Linlithqw 1575 Waus Corr. 95.
For it will moue me and him to greter vraythe nor I will vret a1578 Pitsc. I 323/7.
Bettoun … maid thame great cheir and blythtnes … that he might paciefie thair wraith 1609 Garden Garden 21.
Now patient, now angrie full of wraith 1611-57 Mure Dido & Æneas i 296.
The waters, toss'd by Juno's wraith 1619 Garden Elphinstoun 578.
Wraethe(c) 1513 Doug. ii x 24.
Sayr punytioun of Grekis dred scho, als Hir husbandis wroth [L. iras] a1561 Norvell Meroure 7a.
Stryfe … With torment ire: wrothe and derisione(d) 1586–7 Cal. Sc. P. IX 327.
His haestie wraeithe and passionat deling(e) 1651 Comm. Gen. Assembly III 398.
Having done nothing but what was incumbent to us … and aggreeable to sound reason … wherein we conceave all our brethren may be at an union with us without being at any further rate(2) 1375 Barb. i 167.
The tothir wreyth him … And turnyt him in wreth away a1400 Leg. S. xxvi 687.
In gret wrecht … He hynt the prioure be the hare c1420 Wynt. iii 230.
Tyll his wyff he kest sik leth That thai departyd all in wreth c1420 Wynt. viii 1776.
All breme he belyd in to berth And wrythyd all in wedand werth [C. wrethe] a1500 Rauf C. 486.
He bad the coilȝer in wraith … Cast the creillis fra the capill a1500 Henr. Fab. 2007.
Said the volff in wraith [etc.] c1475 Wall. iv 69.
In wraith thar with away fra him he went a1578 Pitsc. I 195/16.
Thir captanes … passit from King Richart in vraith and anger 1650 Dumfr. & Galloway Soc. LI (1975) 56.
Scho was desyrit to ask the maid forgivenes quhilk scho refuisit and went away in wraith(b) c1420 Wynt. vii 2861.
Than past thai fra the kyng in werth And slw and heryid(c) a1400 Leg. S. xlii 121.
In wryth Quyncyane [Bad] gef hire buffetisb. ?1438 Alex. i 1098.
He was hardy and wicht in weir And prikked sa … That he rushit richt sturdely In middes of the stalwart ficht And with sic wraith he smot ane knicht 1513 Doug. x xiii ll.
To behald The wroith and ire of athir in the fightis c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus iv 342.
His greit wraith, and rampand rebellioun, Aganis my courtc. 1531 Bell. Boece II 95.
Exerce youre wraith and cruelte on him, sen he is first rute of all this trubill 1533 Bell. Livy II 94/7.
The wraith and ire of Romanis aganis the Veanis war defferrit to the nixt ȝere 1569 Cal. Sc. P. III 3.
[That she will] abstract [her] unnaturale wraith [from us] undeservit a1578 Pitsc. I 141/12.
He wald exasperat thame of Ingland to wraith and yre 1590 Conv. Burghs I 313.
Quhairby this pure burch is … liklye to incur his maiesties wreth and importabill punisment 1592 Douglas Corr. 243.
In suspending your wreithe and leiffin of all violent reweng … it salbe ane beginning of ane gretter quyett boytht to ȝour freindis and self 1593 Prot. Bk. T. Auchinlek 25b.
Quhilk contract and appoyntment the said John wes forsit … to … subscryve … or than to haife incurrit his fatheris greit wrethe 1598 James VI Basil. Doron 152/8, 10, 153/4.
Embrace treu magnanimitie not in being uindictife … bot … in thinking youre offendoure not uorthie of youre uraith empyring ouer youre passion & triumphing in the comanding youre selfe to forgiue, steuarding the effects of youre curage & uraith to be richtlie emploied upon repelling of iniuries uithin … be iuste uarris upon forraine ennemies & sa quhaire ye finde a notable iniurie spaire not to giue course to the torrents of youre uraith, the uraith of a king is lyke to the roaring of a lyon 1600 Crim. Trials II 236.
Vnder the pane of incurring of his hienes wraith and indignatioun 1607 6th Rep. Hist. MSS App. 697/2.
This proude rebellioun … of … the Clangregour … having most iustlie procurit his maiesties havie wraith … againe thame a1651 Calderwood VII 334.
The necessitie of yeelding was inforced, under noe lesse paines than the wraith of authoritie, imprisonment [etc.] 1657 Aberd. Eccl. Rec. 235.
Thie sadd and lamentable effectes which thie divisiones and rupture of this church hawe produced … to the … afficting of the spirites of thie godlie, who hawe been groaning under that woefull vreath and looking for a day of heallingpl. 1626 Garden Worthies 33.
Was it our fate, misfortoune or our foes? … Yea all … was causes & o'recame-ws … Yet creuell all, why did there wraiths devoure? And [etc.]d. (1) c1420 Ratis R. 641.
Sice dedis … stanch the vreth of God almycht 1533 Boece 228a.
Pichtis be wraith of almychty God eneuch was punyst 1558 Q. Kennedy Tractive 142.
As all gude Christiane men wald avoide the evirlasting wraith of Almychtie God 1560 Bk. Disc. 188.
Quhair idolatrie is mayntened … thair sall Goddis wraith reigne 1560 Rolland Seven S. 5693.
This is the wraith of leuing God … That this mischance hes sufferit fall on me 1561 Q. Kennedy Compendious Ressonyng (ed.) 182 (G).
Wraytht 1562-3 Winȝet I 7/1.
In prouocatioun of Godis wraith contrare vs 1562-3 Winȝet I 14/6.
Thow art ane vnclene land, quhilk is not raynit vpon in the day of the creuell wraith 1562-3 Winȝet I 30/14.
For the abusing of thir dayis, amangis vtheris faultis, God is at wrayith with vs 1562-3 Winȝet I 31/12.
In the wrath and indignation of His fury 1567 G. Ball. 24.
Our warkis can nocht … satisfie, our Fatheris wraith & ire 1574 Misc. Maitl. C. I 111.
Vrayth 1573-1600 Burne Disput. in Cath. Tr. 137/15.
The vraith and iust iudgement of God 1588 Aberd. B. Rec. II 62.
The uraith and displesour of God 1612 Aberd. Eccl. Rec. 78.
The evident documentis of Goddis wrath aganes the land, be the extraordinarie drouth(b) c1600 Montg. Suppl. xxix 48.
Wairthe(c) ?c1675 J. Gordon Hist. I 76.
Warathe(2) a1500 Henr. Test. Cress. 182.
He [sc. Jupiter] had ane … speir Of his father [sc. Saturn] the wraith fra vs to weir 1513 Doug. ii x 78.
The wroth [Ruddim. wraith] of the goddis has down beft The city of Troy c1590 Fowler I 172/9.
The godds there iust conceaved wreathe release(3) 1562-3 Winȝet I 81/19.
The scriptuir techis that we are borne the sones of wrayth 1580 Hay in Cath. Tr. 43/20.
To be borne in originall sinne, and the sones of wraithe as witnesses Sainct Paul