▪ I. † wowe Obs.
Forms: 1 wawa, 2–4 wawe, 3–4 wowe, 3 wou.
[OE. wáwa = OHG. wêwe, ON. vá:—OTeut. *waiwan-, f. the root *wai-, repr. by OE. wá woe.]
Misery, distress, trouble, sorrow.
| α a 1000 Genesis 466 (Gr.) Þæt þær yldo bearn moste onceosan godes & yfeles,..welan & wawan. c 1000 ælfric Gram. xlviii. (Z.) 279 On ðære wæron awritene heofunga..and wawa... Se wawa ᵹetacnað þone ecan wawan, ðe ða habbað on hellewite. c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 73 He wurð idemed to þolien wawe mid douelen in helle. a 1200 Moral Ode 151 in O.E. Hom. I. 169 Eure he walde her inne wawe and ine wene wunien. c 1200 Ormin 13349 Þatt he shollde wurrþenn harrd To þolenn alle wawenn. |
| β c 1200 Trin. Coll. Hom. 165 Here is..smertinge, sorinesse, werinesse, and oðre wowe muchel. c 1205 Lay. 27560 Þar was wowe and sorinisse inowe. c 1250 Owl & Night. 414 Al þat ho singeþ hit is for wowe. a 1300 Fragm. Seven Sins i. iii. in E.E.P. (1862) 17 Þis worldis wel nis bot wowe. c 1315 Shoreham vii. 858 Þanne falþ ous rewelyche by kende To soffry wowe. |
▪ II. wowe
var. wough n.1 and a.; obs. form of woo v.1