▪ I. wraw, a. Obs. exc. dial.
Forms: α. 3 wrah, 4 wragh, 5 wraȝe; 4 wrau, 4–5 (9 north. dial.) wrawe, 4–6 wraw, 9 dial. raw. β. 4 wrowe, wroȝ, 5 wrow.
[Of obscure origin; the forms indicate an unrecorded OE. *wráh, *wráᵹ.]
1. Of persons: Angry, wrathful, wroth.
| c 1205 Lay. 3354 Þis iherde Leir king; þar fore he wes swuþe wrah. a 1275 Ancr. R. 416 (Cott. Cleop. MS.), Þe nan from ow ne parti wið scandle, ne wrah, ne mispaiet. a 1300 Thrush & Night. in Hazl. E.P.P. I. 51 Hy gladieth hem that beth wrowe. c 1315 Shoreham iv. 139 Wat helpþe hyt so wrau to be, Wanne þou wyþ gode chyst? c 1386 Chaucer Manciple's Prol. 46 With this speche the Cook wax wrooth & wraw. c 1400 Rule St. Benet (Prose) 8 Wisit þat er seke;..Sahtil þat ere wraȝe. c 1500 Blowbol's Test. in Halliw. Nugæ P. 9 They be than so angry and so wraw. a 1529 Skelton Agst. Garnesche ii. 40 Thow mantycore,..Wranglynge, waywyrde, wytles, wraw, and nothyng meke. 1811 Willan in Archaeol. (1814) XVII. 163 Wrawe, angry. 1887 Kentish Gloss. 126 Raw, angry.—Sittingbourne. |
b. Marked or characterized by anger or ire.
| c 1475 Promp. Parv. (K.) 80/2 Clenchyn a-ȝen in wraw speche,..obgarrio. |
2. Peevish, crabbed; perverse, contrarious.
| c 1386 Chaucer Pars. T. ¶677 Accidie maketh hym heuy thoughtfull & wrawe [v.rr. wrowe, Ellesm. MS. wrawful]. c 1440 Promp. Parv. 99/2 Crabbyd, awke, or wrawe.., ceronicus, bilosus. Ibid. 533/1 Wraw, froward, ongoodly,..protervus, exasperans. |
Hence † ˈwrawful a. = wraw a. 2; † ˈwrawly adv., perversely; † ˈwrawness, perverseness.
| c 1386 Chaucer Pars. T. ¶680 He dooth alle thyng with anoy and with wrawnesse, slaknesse, and excusacion. c 1400 wrawful [see prec. 2]. c 1440 Promp. Parv. 18/2 Awkely, or wrawely, perverse, contrarie. Ibid. 533/1 Wrawnesse, protervia,..bilositas, perversitas. |
▪ II. † wraw, v. Obs. rare.
Also 5 wrawen.
[ad. MDu. wrauwen, of imitative origin.]
intr. To miaul, as a cat; to mew.
| 1481 Caxton Reynard x. (Arb.) 22 Thenne..began he [sc. Tybert the cat] to wrawen for he was almost ystranglyd. 1662 in Pitcairn Crim. Trials III. 611 Quhan we vold [= would] be in the shap of cattis, we did nothing but cry and wraw. |