▪ I. rue, n.1 Chiefly dial. or arch.
(ruː)
Forms: 1 hreow, 3 reowe, 4–6 rewe, 5–6 Sc. rew, 7– rue.
[OE. hréow, = Fris. rou, MDu. rou(w), rouwe, rauwe (Du. rouw), MLG. rouwe, ruwe (LG. rou, rau, ro, etc.), OHG. (h)riuwa (MHG. riuwe, G. reue), related to OE. hréowan rue v.1]
1. a. Sorrow, distress; repentance; regret.
| Beowulf 2130 Þæt wæs Hroðgare hreowa tornost. c 897 K. ælfred Gregory's Past. C. liii. 415 Ðæt beswicene mod..wyrð..amierred from ðære incundan hreowe. a 900 Cynewulf Christ 1674 Eart nu tidfara to þam halᵹan ham þær næfre hreow cymeð. 971 Blickl. Hom. 35 Don we urum Drihtne soþe hreowe & bote. c 1400 Song Roland 555 He may walk homward with hert-rew. c 1440 Partonope 3052** Allas he thought I am but rewe To hur that is my soverayne lady. 1581 Satir. Poems Reform. xliii. 211 Of rasche decreitis cums rew and may not mend it. 1628 Wither Brit. Rememb. ii. 1142 His Physicke must be Rue (ev'n Rue for Sinne). 1848 Longstreet Georgia Scenes 29 I'm a man that, when he makes a bad trade, makes the most of it... I'm for no rues and after-claps. 1893 Leslie Keith 'Lisbeth xxii, The heart's rue for that which it had scarce possessed, and yet had lost. 1896 A. E. Housman Shropshire Lad liv, With rue my heart is laden For golden friends I had. 1959 Listener 31 Dec. 1174/2 The nature and the mixture of the ingredients in the poetry—nostalgia, bathos, irony, rue, and religious fervour. 1976 Publishers Weekly 8 Mar. 64/2 A mix of rue and wit that is vintage [Mort] Sahl. |
b. Sc. In phr. to take the rue, to repent.
| 1789 Shepherd's Wedding 10 (E.D.D.), I own, indeed, I've ta'en the rue, My mind is fairly alter'd. 1816 Scott Old Mort. xxviii, Tam Halliday took the rue, and tauld me a' about it. 18.. in Nimmo Songs Clydesdale (1882) 145 She wanted him to break the marriage, for she had ta'en the rue. |
2. Pity, compassion.
| a 1250 Owl & Night. 1445 Ne mai ich for reowe lete,..Þat ich of murȝþe him ne singe. c 1300 Beket 1051 Nou God beo this holi manes help, for he hadde ther lute Rewe. |
| 1867 J. Ingelow Story of Doom v. 102, I was good—Had rue on thee a tender sucking child. 1900 Ellis Rom. Rose I. 12 Till every eye that saw her grew Bedewed with tears of pitying rue. |
▪ II. rue, n.2
(ruː)
Forms: 4–5 ruwe, 5–6 rewe, 5–7 rew, 6 Sc. reu; 4– rue (5 rwe).
[a. F. rue, for earlier rude (cf. OE. r{uacu}de), = Prov., Sp., Pg. ruda, It. ruta:—L. rūta, ad. Gr. ῥῡτή, orig. a Peloponnesian word.]
1. A perennial evergreen shrub of the genus Ruta, esp. Ruta graveolens, having bitter, strong-scented leaves which were formerly much used for medicinal purposes.
| α 1382 Wyclif Luke xi. 42 Woo to ȝou, Pharisees, that tythen mynte, and ruwe. a 1400 Pistill of Susan 112 With Ruwe and Rubarbe, Ragget ariht. c 1440 Promp. Parv. 438/2 Ruwe, herbe, ruta. |
| β a 1400 Stockholm Med. MS. ii. 846 in Anglia XVIII. 328 Rewe bitter, a worthy gres, Mekyl of myth & vertu is. c 1450 M.E. Med. Bk. (Heinrich) 198 Tak & grynde fenel & rewe, & boyle hem in water. 1533 Elyot Cast. Helthe (1539) 21 Two drye nuttes, as many fygges, and .xx. leaues of Rewe. 1570 Satir. Poems Reform. xv. 25 Cum, Nettillis, thornie breiris, & rew, With all foull filthie weid. 1617 Salerne's Regiment 46 From Garlicke, Nuttes, Hearb-grace, or Rew. |
| γ c 1400 Lanfranc's Cirurg. 104 Anoynte his nolle & his necke wiþ..oile of rue. c 1450 J. Metham Wks. 49 Modyrwort, rwe, red malwys. 1562 Turner Herbal ii. (1568) 123 The iuice of Rue..is good for the ake of the eares. 1578 Lyte Dodoens 260 There be two sortes of Rue, that is garden Rue, and wilde Rue. 1608 Sylvester Du Bartas ii. iv. Decay 425 As one same ground indifferently doth breed..The fragrant Rose, and the strong-senting Rue. 1667 Milton P.L. xi. 414 Then purg'd with Euphrasie and Rue The visual Nerve, for he had much to see. 1712 tr. Pomet's Hist. Drugs I. 189 A Shrub whose Leaves have a great resemblance to those of Rue. 1789 Mrs. Piozzi Journ. France I. 417, I perceived all the company..stop their noses with rue. 1813 Scott Rokeby v. xiii, When villagers my shroud bestrew With pansies, rosemary, and rue. 1846 Lindley Veget. Kingd. 470 Common Rue, and another species, are said to be emmenagogue, anthelmintic, and sudorific. 1875 H. C. Wood Therap. (1879) 537 The influence of rue upon the system is similar to, but less decided than that of savine. |
| fig. 1830 Scott Demonol. vi. 186 Persons who, upon this subject, purged their eyes with rue and euphrasie. 1862 Whittier Waiting v, For one shall..drink life's rue, and one its wine. |
b. With punning allusion to rue n.1
| 1500–20 Dunbar Poems lxiv. 10 Leif nor flour fynd could I nane of rew. 1583 Greene Mamillia ii. Wks. (Grosart) II. 297 Least time and triall make thee account Rue a most bitter hearbe. 1606 J. Davies (Heref.) Select Sec. Husband Wks. (Grosart) II. 8/1 So shalt thou But beare thine own Harts-ease, and neuer Rue. 1721 Kelly Scot. Prov. 284 Rue in Thyme should be a Maiden's Posie. 1825 Waterton Wand. S. Amer. iii. 238 They did all in their power to procure balm for me instead of rue. But it would not answer. |
2. a. With qualifying word prefixed, applied to various plants:
Aleppo rue, a species of Ruta. black rue (see quot.). dog's rue, figwort, Scrophularia. goat's rue (see goat 4 c). meadow rue (see meadow n. 4 c). Syrian rue (see Syrian a.). Also wall-rue.
| 1731 Miller Gard. Dict. s.v. Ruta, The two Aleppo Rues and the Wild Rue are somewhat tenderer than the common Sort. Ibid. s.v. Scrophularia, Figwort, commonly called Dogs Rue. 1874 Treas. Bot. Suppl. s.v., Rue, Black (N. Zeal.), Podocarpus spicata. |
b. With pl. A species of rue.
| 1731 Miller Gard. Dict. s.v. Thalictrum, Some Botanists have classed this Plant with Rues. 1753 Chambers' Cycl. Suppl. s.v. Ruta, The rues would seem to belong properly to the plants, with cruciform not rosaceous flowers. 1842 Penny Cycl. XXIV. 278/1 Herbs which have..a fetid smell like rue, and hence are called meadow rues. |
3. attrib. and Comb., as rue-juice, rue-leaf, rue-oil, rue-water; rue-like adj.
| 1558 Warde tr. Alexis' Secr. 37 Rue water, Rose water. 1617 Salerne's Regiment 133 Rew-water sprinckled in the house, kils all the fleas. 1681 Grew Musæum ii. v. ii. 248 Of a russet colour, and as it were all over pounced, somewhat after the manner of a Rue-Leaf. 1725 Fam. Dict. s.v. Ranunculus, The Yellow Ranunculus, with Rue-like Flowers. 1799 G. Smith Laboratory II. 449 Put into very strong vinegar, verdigrise, rue-juice. 1863 Prior Brit. Pl. 193 Its rue-like much divided leaves. 1866 Treas. Bot. 807/2, Rue oil, a volatile stimulant oil obtained from the shoots of Ruta graveolens. |
b. In plant-names, as rue anemone, an American species of Thalictrum; † rue maiden-hair, wall-rue; rue-weed (see quot. 1796).
| 1611 Cotgr., Rue de muraille, wall rue, Rue Maiden haire. 1796 Withering Brit. Pl. (ed. 3) II. 501 Thalictrum alpinum, Mountain Rue-weed. T. flavum, Meadow Rue-weed. T. minus, Lesser Rue-weed. 1802 Willich Domest. Encycl. s.v., Common Meadow-rue, Spurious Rhubarb, or Rue-weed. 1846–50 A. Wood Class-bk. Bot. 148 Thalictrum anemonoides,..Rue Anemone. 1884 Harper's Mag. May 934/2 Burt now appeared with a handful of rue-anemones. |
c. rue family, rue order, rue-worts, the natural order Rutaceæ.
| 1846 Lindley Veget. Kingd. 470 The Cneoreæ..seem to be a form of this Order of Rueworts. 1849 Balfour Man. Bot. §827 Rutaceæ, the Rue Family. 1857 Henfrey Bot. 266 Rutaceæ, the Rue order. 1875 Encycl. Brit. III. 111/1 A sub-order of the Rutaceæ or rue family. |
▪ III. † rue
var. of (or error for) ree n.2, reeve n.2
| 1696 Phil. Trans. XIX. 349 We have Ruff and Rue, the former being the Cock, the other the Hen. |
▪ IV. rue
dial. variant of rew n.1
▪ V. rue, v.1
(ruː)
Forms: inf. 1 hreowan, 2 reouwen, reuwe, rowe, 2–4 reowe; 2–4 rewen, 3–6 rewe (4 riewe), 4–7 rew (6 reew); 3–4 ruwe (5 ruwyn), 4 rywe; 4–5 reue, 4 reu, ru, rwe, 4– rue; also 3 sing. pres. 1 hriwð, 2 reouð, rieweð. Pret. 1 hreaw, 2–3 ræw, reu, 3 rew, rev, 4 rewe; 4 reud(e, reued, rwed, 4–6 rewed; 5–6 Sc. rewit, 5 ruet, ruit, rwyt, etc.
[OE. hréowan (a strong vb. with pa. tense hréaw), = OFris. riowa (Fris. rouwe, rouje), MDu. and Du. rouwen († rauwen, ruwen), OS. hrewan, pa. tense hrau (MLG. rouwen, ruwen, ruen, LG. rouen, rauen, roen, etc.), OHG. (h)riuwan, pa. tense hrau, rou, pl. ruwun (MHG. riuwen, ruwen, G. reuen), related to OE. hréow rue n.1 and to the adj. OE. hréowe, OS. hriwi sad, sorrowful. There are also slight traces of an OE. weak vb. hréowian, = OS. hriwôn, hreuuôn, OHG. (h)riuwôn. Related forms in ON. are hryggr (stem hryggv-, for earlier *hriww-) adj., hryggva, hryggja weak vb., hryggð fem., sorrow.]
† I. trans. With dat. (or acc.) of the person, and usually with impersonal subject. Obs.
The various constructions illustrated under sense 2 occur also with senses 1, 3, and 4.
1. To affect (a person) with penitence or contrition (for sins or offences committed).
| c 888 K. ælfred Boeth. xxxvi. §7 Ne bið se cwuca ðonne nyttra ðe se deada, ᵹif him his yfel ne hreowð. c 1000 in Thorpe Laws II. 260 Ᵹif þu onᵹite þæt him his synna hreowen. c 1200 Ormin 3976 Ȝiff..þat he missdoþ Onn aniȝ kinne wise, Itt reoweþþ himm. a 1300 Cursor M. 28676 Þis man sais..þat him reuys his sinnes sare. c 1375 Lay Folks Mass-Bk. (MS. B) 359 Gyue me grace for to etchewe to do þat þing þat me shulde rewe. |
2. To affect with regret (for some act); to make (one) wish one had acted otherwise.
| c 897 K. ælfred Gregory's Past. C. xxxix. 286 Ne do ðu nan wuht butan ᵹeðeahte, ðonne ne hriwð hit ðe, ðonne hit ᵹedon bið. c 1250 Prov. Alfred A. 111 Þe þat nule one youhþe yeorne leorny,..þat him schal on elde sore rewe. a 1300 Cursor M. 16465 Þan him reued of his res, and went him-self [to] wrei. 1338 R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 237 Þe Walssh wer alle day slayn, now rewes þam þer res. c 1420 Avow. Arth. xxii, Ȝette Menealfe, or the mydnyȝte, Him ruet alle his rees. c 1440 York Myst. xiii. 36 Þe bargayne I made þare, Þat rewes me nowe full sare. |
b. With clause as subject, usually me (or him) rues that, etc.
| a 1000 Genesis 1276 Hreaw hine swiðe, þæt he folcmæᵹþa fruman aweahte. a 1300 Cursor M. 1602 Me reus þat euer made i man. c 1386 Chaucer Epil. Merch. T. 14 Me rewith sore I am unto hir teyd. c 1440 York Myst. xlviii. 8 Þerfore me rewis þat I þe worlde began. |
c. With it as subject (also followed by that).
| a 1200 Moral Ode 354 Þe ðe blisse for ðos for-lat, it him mai reuwe sore. 13.. E.E. Allit. P. B. 290 Sore hit me rwez Þat euer I made hem my self. 1382 Wyclif 2 Cor. vii. 8 If I made ȝou sori in a pistle, now it rewith me not. c 1412 Hoccleve De Reg. Princ. 754 It rewiþ me if I yow haue disesyd. |
3. To affect with sorrow; to distress, grieve.
In some cases with approximation to sense 2 or 4.
| a 900 Cynewulf Christ 1414 Ða mec ongon hreowan þæt min hondᵹeweorc on feonda ᵹeweald feran sceolde. a 1000 Genesis 819 Me nu hreowan mæᵹ æfre to aldre, þæt ic þe minum eaᵹum ᵹeseah. c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 149 If he ne mei..his neode ibete, þet him sare roweþ. c 1200 Ormin 5576 Himm reoweþþ þatt he dwelleþþ her Swa swiþe lange onn eorþe. 13.. Sir Beues 1220 Wel sore me reweþ þat tiding. a 1450 Le Morte Arth. 1029 Me Rewith the deth of hyr for his sake. 1548 Patten Exped. Scotl. B v b, It would haue rued any good huswiues heart, to haue beholden ye..murder. |
4. To affect with pity or compassion.
| c 1200 Ormin 5592 Himm reoweþþ ec of alle þa Þatt follȝhenn deofless lare. c 1320 Cast. Loue 540–1 Ful sore þe prisun reweþ me: For-þi he reweþ me wel þe more, For Merci euere clepeþ þin ore. c 1400 Laud Troy Bk. 3367 Alas, me rewes of Priamus. c 1555 Harpsfield Divorce Hen. VIII (Camden) 136 It pitieth and rueth every good man..to remember the same. 1590 Spenser F.Q. i. ii. 21 Deare dame, your suddein overthrow Much rueth me. |
II. trans. With personal subject.
5. To repent of (wrongdoing); to feel penitence, remorse, or contrition for (sin, etc.).
| c 1200 Trin. Coll. Hom. 95 Armheorted is þe man þe swiðere reoweð his sinne. a 1300 Cursor M. 7965 In takening sare he reud his sake, An orisun sun can he make. a 1450 Myrc 2016 Ȝef þow hyt fynde no wey myȝte, Þrytty dayes þow rewe hyt ryȝte. 1596 Drayton Legends ii. 549 Ruing the spoile done by his fatall hand. 1628 Wither Brit. Rememb. 240 Nor shall I live to view Thy sorrows ended, if thou do not rue Thy sins with speed. 1771 Beattie Minstr. ii. xiv, But now, with pangs of keen remorse, I rue Those years of trouble and debasement vile. 1813 Scott Rokeby i. ii, Conscience, anticipating time, Already rues the enacted crime. 1846 Keble Lyra Innoc. (1873) 139 Lest thou in sevenfold guilt thy heart's back⁓sliding rue. |
6. To repent of (some act or course of action); to regret and wish undone or altered, on account of the consequences.
Frequently with implication of suffering or punishment following upon the act.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 4138 Þat Baret rede i noght yee bru, Þat yow mai euer after ru. c 1375 Sc. Leg. Saints xxvii. (Machor) 972 Bot he in þame ruit his teching, For..þai na tyme for to scorne hym fane. c 1470 Henry Wallace viii. 857 The layff raturnyt..And rwyt full sar that euyr thai furth coud found. a 1548 Hall Chron., Edw. IV, 201 b, Whiche vnmercifull acte, the Welshemen sore ruied the next daie or night. 1611 Sir W. Mure Misc. Poems ii. 51 Too lait, I feir, thow rew thou did espy him. 1726 Pope Odyss. xix. 371 Whoe'er neglects to pay distinction due, The breach of hospitable right may rue. 1828 Scott F.M. Perth ii, Well, my princess.., I will teach you to rue this. 1874 Deutsch Rem. 248 Rome has had to rue many a too hasty step. 1885–94 R. Bridges Eros & Psyche May xxviii, And yet..no sooner was alone, Than she for loneliness her promise rued. |
b. Freq. in phr. to rue it.
| a 1300 Sarmun xxxvii. in E.E.P. (1862) 5 Bot þou nelt þench her apan,..Þou salt hit rew bitter and sore. a 1400–50 Alexander (Dubl.) 1975 Remefe agayn to þi realm or þow sall it rewe. 1593 Shakes. 3 Hen. VI, i. i. 94, I remember it to my griefe, And by his Soule, thou and thy House shall rue it. 1642 Rogers Naaman 160 Examine thy selfe about this now, one day thou wilt else rue it. 1795 Burke Corr. Wks. 1842 II. 459 Admitting..the enormous and unpardonable magnitude of this their crime, they rued it in their persons. 1841 James Brigand xliii, If they hurt a hair of his head they shall rue it. 1871 B. Taylor Faust (1875) I. xxv. 210 If longer here thou stayest, We shall be made to dearly rue it. |
c. In phr. to rue the day, hour, etc.
Differing from 7 b only by referring to some act committed by the party rueing.
| 1595 Shakes. John iii. i. 325 France, thou shalt rue this houre within this houre. 1708 Bickerstaff detected in Swift's Wks. (1751) IV. 205, I am alive..to make him rue the hour he ever affronted a man of Science and Resentment. 1782 E. N. Blower G. Bateman II. 170 Ye shall rue the day ye took it. 1818 Scott Br. Lamm. ii, You'll rue the day that clogs me with this answer. 1881 ‘Rita’ My Lady Coquette ii, It will go hard with me if I don't make you rue the day you wrote or said it. |
7. To regard or think of (an event, fact, etc.) with sorrow or regret; to wish that (something) had never taken place or existed.
| 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 10127 So þat hii ne com nammore To þe croune of engelond, and þat was to rewe sore. 1390 Gower Conf. Prol. 164 To make of thilke werre an ende, Which every day now groweth newe, And that is gretly forto rewe. c 1430 Hymns Virgin (1867) 47 Oonys he bad me ‘go, foule sathan!’ Euere-more þat repreef y rewe. 1557 Tottel's Misc. (Arb.) 230 It was the day on which the sunne..To rew Christ's death amid his course gaue place vnto ye night. 1648 J. Beaumont Psyche xii. cxlviii, Both Sence and Reason rue that tyranny. 1796 Burke Regic. Peace iii. Wks. VIII. 223 The world will have cause to rue this iniquitous measure. 1813 Scott Rokeby iv. xiv, Redmond now alone must rue The love he never can subdue. 1826 Hood Last Man xii, I promis'd myself an hour should come To make him rue his birth. |
b. In phr. to rue the day, hour, etc. (Cf. 6 c.)
| 1593 Shakes. 3 Hen. VI, v. vi. 43 Orphans, for their Parents timeles death, Shall rue the houre that euer thou was't borne. 1714 Gay Sheph. Week Thursday 5, I rue the day, a rueful day I trow,..When Lubberkin to Town his cattle drove. 1807 J. Barlow Columb. iv. 389 Nor think the native tribes shall rue the day That leads our heroes o'er the watery way. 1887 Hall Caine Son of Hagar iii. vi, Take him away, before I rue the day I saw him. |
† 8. To regard with pity or compassion; to feel sorry for (a person, etc.). Obs.
| c 1200 Trin. Coll. Hom. 95 Mildheorted beð þe man þe reouð his nehgebures unselðe. 1375 Barbour Bruce xvi. 280, I trow thar is na man That he ne will rew a woman than. c 1400 Pilgr. Sowle (Caxton, 1483) iv. xx. 68 That ye ne reweth hym myn herte it sleeth. 1555 T. Phaer æneid ii. 43 Mine own hand shall my deth obteyn, my foo will rue my plight. 1590 Spenser F.Q. i. i. 51 Die is my dew; yet rew my wretched state. c 1611 Chapman Iliad xxi. 72, I kiss thy knees, divine æacides! Respect me, and my fortunes rue. |
III. intr.
9. To be penitent or contrite; to feel repentance or remorse. Also const. for.
| [c 950 Lindisf. Gosp. Mark i. 15 Hreowiᵹas & ᵹelefes to godspell.] |
| 13.. Cursor M. 19014 (Gött.), Þair hert gan tru, And als for þair misdedis þai ru. c 1430 Hymns Virgin (1867) 69, I wole biþinke me on my werkis biforn, Do almes dede, praie, & rewe. 1500–20 Dunbar Poems lxxiii. 5 O wreche, be war!.. Remeid in tyme, and rew nocht all to lait. 1580 Gifford Poems (1870) 75 Ah! Jesus! how then my heart did rue Because I had folowed them, as true! 1768–74 Tucker Lt. Nat. (1834) I. 219, I shall find perpetual cause, if not to repent, at least to rue sufficiently for my misconduct. 1871 R. Ellis tr. Catullus xxx. 12 Hereafter again honour awakes, causeth a wretch to rue. |
10. To be repentant, or full of regret and dissatisfaction, in respect of some act (in mod. Sc. use esp. of a bargain or promise, and freq. with implication of consequent withdrawing from it).
| c 1374 Chaucer Troylus v. 1070 (Harl.), Syn I se..þat to late is now for me to rewe To dyomede algate I wol be trewe. 1390 Gower Conf. I. 334 Men sen alday that rape reweth. 1426 Audelay Poems 42 After here werkus worche ȝe never a dele, Ellus schul ȝe reue. a 1586 Sidney Ps. xviii. xii, They do faile, and in their mazed corners rue. 1603 J. Davies (Heref.) Microcosmos Wks. (Grosart) I. 41/1 Thus when our Teares doe testifie our ruth, We neede not rue, or of them be asham'd. c 1706 in Calderwood Dying Testimonies (1806) 186 That none may think..I am rueing. 1790 Shirrefs Poems 87 Aft has he promis'd, that he wad be true; But, now, I find my lad begins to rue. 1830 Gen. P. Thompson Exerc. (1842) I. 235 The caution of the nurse is, ‘Avoid green gooseberries, or you will have cause to rue’. 1884 Harper's Mag. Mar. 655/1 B— issued a license for the marriage of John Murphy and Mary Manning... But the intended bride ‘rued’. |
† b. Const. of (the act). Obs. rare.
| a 1400–50 Alexander (Dubl. MS.) 871 Then rewys hym þe riche kyng of hys vnrode werkez. Ibid. (Ashm. MS.) 1975 Remowe agayne to þi rewme, & rew of þi werkis. 1631 Rutherford Lett. (1862) I. xix. 79 Do ye believe that our Lord will..rue of the bargain and change His mind? |
11. To feel sorrow or grief, esp. by reason of suffering from some fact or event; to lament.
| 13.. K. Alis. 3944 (Laud MS.), Þer miȝth man in herte rewe, Hou noble kniȝttes ouer þrewe. c 1400 Melayne 197 Bot þe peris take a concelle newe That made alle fraunce ful sore to rewe. a 1548 Hall Chron., Rich. III, 9 b, I remembred an olde prouerbe.., that often ruithe the realme, where chyldren rule, and woman gouerne. 1643 Trapp Comm. Gen. ix. 22 The whole race of Religious persons must rue for it. 1663 Butler Hud. i. i. 252 Like Sampson's Heart-breakers, it grew In time to make a Nation rue. |
† b. To be sorry, feel reluctant, to do something.
| 1583 Babington Commandm. To Gentl., I rew to thinke it, there are witnesses moe, than I would there were, that know it. 1607 in Harington's Nugæ Ant. (1804) II. 138 This church, the ruins whereof I rue to behold even in wryting theis lynes. 1630 R. Johnson's Kingd. & Commw. 559 How long every particular Prince reigned..I rue to record, and meane not to relate. |
12. To have, take, or feel pity or compassion: † a. With of.
| c 1200 Ormin 14782 Moysæs ræw off þatt follc Þatt swa wass haldenn harrde. 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 6747 Louerd, wiþ draw þin hond,..and reu of engelond. c 1374 Chaucer Anel. & Arc. 287 God so wissely of my soule ruwe As verrayly ye slen me with þe peyne. c 1475 Babees Bk. 54 (1868) 3 Off myn vnkunnynge, swete lady, now Rewe. 1578 Whetstone Promos & Cass. ii. v. iii, Rue of my teares from true intent which flowe. |
b. With on or upon. Now arch.
| 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 9229 He wep & cride on is men, þat hii ssolde on him rewe. 13.. Cursor M. 4738 (Gött.), To ioseph went þai criand þan, ‘þu reu on vs, þu blisful man’. 1423 Jas. I Kingis Q. ci, Haue pitee now..Off ȝour pure man, and rew on his distresse. a 1547 Surrey æneid iv. 410 Rue on this realme, whoes ruine is at hand. 1579 W. Wilkinson Confut. Fam. Love 53 b, As many as rue upon the state of the poore seduced soules. 1632 Rutherford Lett. (1862) I. xxi. 85 Till your Dear Lord come and loose the pawn, and rue upon you. 1788 Burns Turn again i, Rue on thy despairing lover! Canst thou break his faithfu' heart? 1865 Swinburne Poems & Ball., Masque of Q. Bersabe 365 Lord, thou rue on me. |
† c. Without const. Also with inf., to spare.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 6784 Qua þat anurs godds neu, Him to sla sal naman reu. a 1300 E.E. Ps. xxxvi. 27 Alle daie he rewes, and lenes his þinge. c 1430 Pol., Rel., & L. Poems (1903) 177 Þouȝ he me wraþþe in diuerse wise,..Ȝit muste y rue til þat he rise. 1530 Palsgr. 690/2, I rewe, I pytie or have compassion of one. c 1560 A. Scott Poems (S.T.S.) ix. 30 It is ane hairt..set in to sabill, Ane wofull hairt, bot gif ȝe rew. |
▪ VI. † rue, v.2 Obs. rare.
Also 6 rewe.
[ad. L. ruĕre.]
intr. To fall, decline. Hence rueing ppl. a.2
| 1557 Tottel's Misc. (Arb.) 256 Of lofty ruing towers the fals the feller be. 1576 Gascoigne Steele Gl. (Arb.) 54 This is the cause (beleve me now, my Lorde) That Realmes do rewe from high prosperity. a 1591 H. Smith Wks. (1867) II. 477 So, lowly rest; so, lofty rues. |
▪ VII. rue
to sift: see ree v.