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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.

Writh(e, Wry(i)th, v. Also: vryth, (wricht), wreth, wreith, wreath. P.t. wry(i)th, wraith, wrythyd, writh-, wry(i)thit, writhyt. P.p. wraithed. [ME and e.m.E. writ(h, wriþe (all Cursor M.), wrythe(n (Chaucer), writhe(n (1390), wreath (1530), wreth(e (1535), wriethe (1545); p.t. wroth (Manning); p.p. y-wriðen (Layamon), ywrithe (Trevisa), wrythed (15th c.), OE wriðan.]

1. a. tr.To turn or direct (a feeling, one's will, etc.) in relation to another, specif. in (= against) a person, fra (from) (a subject, etc.), to or towards (a person); also, const. away. b. To cause (a person) to turn (her will) fra (another), to change (a person's) mind. c. intr.To turn from (agreement with) another's will, to turn away.a. (1) a1400 Leg. S. xxxi 361.
Scho thocht wele to wricht In hyme hir wikitnes
c1409-1436 Kingis Q. § 122.
Bid tham repent … Or I sall with my fader old Saturne … Oure glad aspectis from thame writh and turne
c1450-2 Howlat 995 (A).
Gif I lak in my leid … wryth me no wyte
1460 Hay Alex. 17580.
To … thole na welth fra wisdome wryith his witt
(2) c1420 Ratis R. 1049.
Gyf thai twa sais thé nocht bot nay, I pray thé, vryth thi wyll away
1460 Hay Alex. 5146.
That … he micht sum vardit say Quhilk fra the toun mycht wryith his will away
a1500 Henr. Bludy Serk 107.
The lady was wowd, bot scho said nay … Sa suld we wryth all syn away
b. a1400 Leg. S. xlii 97.
Scho … sad it wes les maystry Hard stanis to grynd … Thane for to wryth Agathis wil Fra Cryst
a1568 Bann. MS 226a/46.
I repent Gif I haif wrocht ony way to wryth hir intent
c. c1420 Wynt. i 621.
Bot fra Hys wyll quhen that we wryth, [E. writh] Quhy sulde He Hys gracys kyth Till ws?
c1420 Wynt. i 636.
For thi, we sulde have dowt … To leve Hys byddyng … And yheld ws fekyll fals in fay, Wrythand [E. writhand] in tyl werk alway [= away]

2. tr.To screw up or avert (the face) in anger, distaste or disagreement. b. intr.Of (a part of) the body: To twist or turn in anguish, anger, etc. Also transf., of the will.pres. a1500 Henr. Test. Cress. 189.
The god of ire … Wrything his face with mony angrie word
1513 Doug. vi iii 130 (Sm.).
Sum … For sorow thair facis wrythis away
p.t. a1500 Seven S. 220.
He wryth the face and drewe abak
b. pres. c1420 Wynt. vi 1977.
Than spak Makbeth dyspytusly And to the thayne sayd angryly Lyk all wrythyn [C. wrethyn] in hys skyn [W. As he were wrythin in his will] Hys awyn nek he [sc. the thane of Fife] suld put in The yhoke
1460 Hay Alex. 16873.
He woix sa woid that in his skyn he writhis
c1475 Wall. vi 421.
A lang quhill he stud wrythand in a rage
c1500 Crying of Play 107.
Suppos that wretchis wryng & wryth
1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 734.
For feir and wo within my skin I wryith
p.t. ?1438 Alex. ii 9600.
His neiffis for dule togidder he dang, And all his body wraith and wrang
c1420 Wynt. viii 1776.
All breme he belyd in to berth And wrythyd all in wedand werth
c1450-2 Howlat 954 (A).
This howlat … Bannyt bitterly his birth … He welterit, he wrythit
1460 Hay Alex. 3717.
He was sa wa he wryith and schuke his hede
a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 971.
Schir Wawane writhit for wa
transf. c1420 Wynt. vi 2019 (W) (see pres.above).

3. Of a person or thing: To twist, move with a twisting motion, turn. b. tr.To turn (something). Also fig. c. To turn, roll up (a sleeve). d. To put (something) around (upon) (a person's neck). 1513 Doug. i iii 19.
The takillis brast The schippis stevin frawart hyr went gan wryth [Sm. writhe] And turnyt hir braid syde to the wallis
1513 Doug. v v 12.
A mantil … With purpour selvage writhyn [Sm. writhin, Ruddim. writhing] mony fold
1513 Doug. v vi 67.
Dyores quhidderand at hys bak fute hait Hys tays choppand on hys heill al the gayt Writhand with hys schuldir to haue thrung hym by
a1568 Mersar in Bann. MS 213b/58.
Leif hir nocht … Bot … Turne thyne intent quhen that scho wrythis away
b. 1513 Doug. iii viii 83.
The nokkis of our rays we writh
1513 Doug. xii vi 152.
He the renys in hys ryght hand hynt, Syne writhit hes about … The fomy mowthis of the hasty stedis
1513 Doug. xii viii 98.
Juturna … Awaywart turnys and writhis hyr broderis cart
fig. 1513 Doug. iv xi 95.
Hir faynt spreit in al partis writhis sche, Sekand the way
c. 1638 Adamson Muses Thr. I 92.
From us we our doublets threw, Our shirt-sleeves wreathing up
d. 1643 Acts VI i 10/2.
The heavines of that antichristian yock if it salbe again wraithed wpon our neckes
1650 Nicoll Diary 17.
These men … labour to wreith the yok of thair oppressiounes upone thair bodyes and soules

4. intr., fig. To turn, act in some fashion. c1409-1436 Kingis Q. § 107.
Though it to me [sc. Venus] pertene In lufis lawe the septre to gouerne … Quhilum … That langis noght to me to writh allone

5. tr.To throw (something) into confusion. 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 1160.
Womanlines wryithit [L. writhyt] the elementis Stoneist the heuin and all the eirth adoun

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"Writh v.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 28 Mar 2024 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/writhe>

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