† wurthe, a. Obs.
Forms: 1 wierðe, wyrðe, wyrþe, wirðe, 1–4 wurðe, wurþe (3 wrþe), 3–4 worþe.
[OE. wierðe, wyrðe, etc., a derivative from weorþ worth n.1 or a. In OE. and early southern ME. texts distinguishable from worth a., but subsequently merged with it.]
1. Worthy. (Freq. const. with inf.)
| c 897 ælfred Gregory's Past. C. xxxiii. 227 He..bit ðære tide hwonne he ðæs wierðe sie ðæt he hine besuican mote. 971 Blickl. Hom. 47 Þa lareowas beoþ syþþan domes wyrþe. c 1000 Ags. Gosp. Matt. iii. 11 He ys strengra þonne ic, ðæs ᵹescy ne eom ic wyrþe to beranne. a 1122 O.E. Chron. (Laud MS.) an. 1046, Behet man him þæt he moste wurðe beon ælc ðæra þinga þe he ær ahte. a 1200 Vices & Virtues 59 Ic am wel wurðe ðat and more to þolien. c 1205 Lay. 13445 Swa þat heo al speken..Þat Uortiger weoren wurðe to walden þas þeode. a 1225 Ancr. R. 38 Ȝif ich nam wurðe for to beon iblesced. c 1275 Passion of our Lord 320 in O.E. Misc. 46 Alle hi onswerede, he is wrþe to beo ded. 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 890 Þe stude..me clupeþ..after him, vor he was so worþe man. Ibid. 3466 Wel aȝte þat be a wurþe stude wanne þer such sepulture ys. c 1325 Chron. Eng. 741 in Ritson Metr. Rom. II. 301 Afterward, ase he wes wurthe,..An abbot him remue wolde. |
2. Deserved, merited.
| a 1225 Ancr. R. 138 We moten þauh don him wo, ase hit is ofte wel wurðe. |