▪ I. † ˈwrackful, a.1 Obs.
Also 3 wracful, 4 wrakful, 5 -fulle.
[f. wrack n.1 + -ful.]
Characterized by resentment or anger; vengeful, angry.
| c 1230 [implied in next]. 13.. E.E. Allit. P. B. 302 Now God in nwy to Noe con speke Wylde wrakful wordez. Ibid. 541 Suche a wrakful wo for wlatsum dedez Parformed þe hyȝe fader. ? a 1400 Morte Arth. 3818 He wente at the gayneste, Wondis of thas wedirwyns with wrakfulle dynttys. |
Hence † ˈwrackfully adv., vengefully. Obs.
| c 1230 Hali Meid. 41 Hwen godd se wracfulliche fordemde his heh engel. |
▪ II. † ˈwrackful, a.2 Obs. rare.
In 4 wrecful.
[OE. wræcful, f. wræc wrack n.1 + -ful.]
Full of misery; wretched.
| c 1311 in Wright Pol. Songs (Camden) 256 For wille is red, the lond is wrecful; For wit is qued, the lond is wrongful. |
▪ III. ˈwrackful, a.3 Now arch. and rare.
[f. wrack n.2 + -ful.]
1. Causing shipwreck; wreckful.
| 1558 T. Phaer æneid ii. 64 To Syllas wrackfull shore with shypps approche we nye. 1583 B. Melbancke Philotimus T iv b, That..shears the fruitles sande with wrakfull waues. 1591 Sylvester Du Bartas i. ii. 353 To stand still firm against the roaring noise Of wrackfull Neptune. 1612 Drayton Poly-olb. i. 326 Where king Latinus lent safe harbor for his Ships, with wrackfull tempests rent. 1623 Drummond of Hawthornden Flowres of Sion xii. 6 These Lockes, of blushing deedes the gilt attire, Waues curling, wrackfull shelfes to shadow deepe. 1633 T. Bancroft Gluttons Feauer F 2 b, A Vessell, neare some wrackfull strand. |
2. Causing destruction or devastation; effecting damage or harm; destructive.
| 1578 Mirr. Mag. 23 b, Then my delight was in the diery dent Of wrackful warre. 1594 Carew Tasso (1881) 24 Eu'n so the king of streames..Beyond his banckes abroad all wrackfull goes. c 1600 Shakes. Sonn. lxv. 6 O how shall summers hunny breath hold out Against the wrackfull siedge of battring dayes? 1633 T. Bancroft Gluttons Feauer B 6 Cracke all mine arteries with tortures tride, Yet must more stormes, more wrackfull woes abide? 1921 Chambers's Jrnl. Jan. 50/1 A people that..has not had its mind and feelings warped by that wrackful war. |
3. Subject to, attended by, injury, harm, etc.
| 1581 T. Howell Deuises B iv, To shunne the sheete of shame, Which had bewrapt her wrackfull blemisht name. 1612 J. Davies (Heref.) Muses Sacr. Wks. (Grosart) II. 82/1 This Life, a Way; (a wrackfull way) that Wisedome lothes to proue. 1811 Scott Don Roderick iii. vi, What wanton horrors marked their wrackful path! |