† ˈwarytre Obs.
Forms: 1 waritroe, 3 waritreo, weritreo, warh treo, 5 warytre.
[OE. *wearᵹ- (węriᵹ-) tréo, f. wearᵹ wary n., wearᵹ, węriᵹ wicked + tréo tree.]
A gallows, gibbet. Often applied to the Cross.
| ? a 1200 Charter of æthelric a.d. 706 in Kemble Cod. Dipl. III. 375 Norð fro Beornedune siðe ðe wowe brondred; siðe to ðe waritroe. c 1205 Lay. 5714 And doð up and [an?] waritreo [c 1275 and doþ vp a wer-itreo] þer on heo scullen winden. a 1225 Ancr. R. 122 Me ledde him amorwen uorte hongen o waritreo & driuen þuruh his four limes irene neiles. Ibid. 190 Þenne dusie worldes men goð bi grene weie, touward te waritreo & to deaðe of helle. a 1240 Wohunge in O.E. Hom. I. 283 A nu raise þai up þe rode. Setis up þe warh treo. c 1290 Beket 2192 in S. Eng. Leg. 169 Heo bi-radden for-to nime þat holi bodi: and with wilde hors to-drawe And sethþe hangen it on a waritreo. c 1425 Engl. Conq. Ireland xiv. 34 Thay ne hadden no wone of warytres. |