▪ I. wretch, n. and a.
(rɛtʃ)
Forms: α. 1 wrecca, wræcca, 2–5 wrecche, 2–3 wræcche, 3–4 wrehche, 3–5 wrechche, 4–5 wrechhe, wrechch, 5 wrecch, 3–6 wreche (5 Sc. werche), 4–5 wrech (5 Sc. werch), 4–6 wretche, 5– wretch (6 wreatch); 4 wroche, 8 dial. wrotch. β. 4–5 wrich, wriche (wirche), wryche, 5 wrycche, 6 wrytche. γ. Sc. 5–6 wrache (5 warche), 6 wratche, Sc. and dial. 9 wratch.
[OE. wrecca, wræcca, = OS. wrekkio, -eo (applied to the Magi), OHG. reccheo, reccho, etc., exile, adventurer, knight errant (MHG. and G. recke warrior, hero):—OTeut. *wrakja(n)-, f. the stem wrak-, wrek-: see wreak v. The contrast in the development of the meaning in Eng. and German is remarkable.]
A. n.
† 1. One driven out of or away from his native country; a banished person; an exile.
The ME. instances are doubtful; they may be contextual uses of sense 2.
| Beowulf 1137 Ða wæs winter scacen, fæᵹer foldan bearm; fundode wrecca, gist of ᵹeardum. c 888 ælfred Boeth. ii, Ða lioð þe ic wrecca ᵹeo lustbærlice song ic sceal nu heofiende singan. a 1122 O.E. Chron. (Laud MS.) an. 722, Ealdbriht wrecca ᵹewat on Suðreᵹe & on Suð Seaxe. c 1386 Chaucer Sec. Nun's Prol. 58 Now help thow..Me flemed wrecche in this desert of galle. c 1450 Ludus Coventriæ 26 Goo naked vngry and bare foot.., as wrecch in werlde þou wende. Ibid. 27, I wende as wrecch in welsom way. |
2. One who is sunk in deep distress, sorrow, misfortune, or poverty; a miserable, unhappy, or unfortunate person; a poor or hapless being.
| α c 1000 Boeth. Metr. x. 38 Ne mæᵹ mon æfre þy eð ænne wræccan his cræftes beniman. a 1023 Wulfstan Hom. vi. (1883) 45 Wræccena reaflac is on heora hamum. c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 109 Ȝif þe cristene mon bið sacful, and ȝif þe wrecche bið modi. a 1225 Ancr. R. 388 So heih ȝeoue nes neuer iȝiuen to so louwe wrecches. c 1275 Sinners beware 103 in O.E. Misc. 75 Nv weneþ ek þes wrecche Þat he ne þurue recche. c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. Wace (Rolls) 13564 Cowardie halp þer no wrecche. 1380 Wyclif Wks. (1880) 385 Mercy or almes is a wille of relevynge of a wreche oute of his mysese. c 1410 Hoccleve Mother of God 15 Modir of mercy,..Benigne confort of vs wrecches all! a 1513 Fabyan Chron. clvi. (1811) 145 He was..mylde and gracious to the poore, and marcyfull to wretchis and nedy. 1577 tr. Bullinger's Decades 125/1 Solomon the..happy king of Juda, bycause of his Idolatrie..is of a soudeine made a wretch of all other. 1623 J. Taylor (Water P.) Discov. by Sea B 3 b, Poore wretches, which (were it not for your charity) would perish in your streetes. 1671 T. Hunt Abeced. Scholast. 140 If money do fail a wretch thou art. a 1721 Prior 24 Songs iii. 8 She scorns to hear, or see, The wretch that lies so low as me. 1754 Gray Pleasure 49 The Wretch, that long has tost On the thorny bed of Pain. 1810 Southey Kehama iv. v, Even in the grave there is no rest for me, Cut off from that last hope, the wretch's joy. 1855 Ld. Granville in Life (1905) I. 106 Being a bed-ridden wretch I do not venture to disobey you. 1868 Morris Earthly Par. I. i. 349 O King, whom all the world henceforth shall know As wretched among wretches. |
| β a 1300 Cursor M. 23104 (Edinb.), Þar sal stand on his left side, Wrichis stad in waful wide. Ibid. 23236 Þe v. [pine of hell] es vndemenes of dint, Þat þa wriches þar sal hint. 1570 Levins Manip. 150 A Wrytche, miser. |
| γ c 1375 Sc. Leg. Saints xxvii. (Machar) 1010 Þan was þat wrache wondir wa. |
b. Without article. (Freq. in apposition to a personal pronoun.)
| c 1200 Ormin 10140 Þatt te birrþ forr þe lufe off Godd Wiþþ usell wrecche dælenn. 13.. Guy Warw. (A.) 294 Allas, wreche, hou may i duelle? c 1350 in Relig. Lyrics 14th C. (1924) 63 God & man my spouse is—Wele aght me, wryche, to luf him dere. c 1400 26 Pol. Poems 112/163, I, wreche, whyder shal y fle. 1509 Hawes Past. Pleas. xvi. (Percy Soc.) 65 Alas! I wretche and yet unhappy peke Into..trouble. 1526 Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 2 Fynally I beseche all..to praye for me wretche. 1653 H. Cogan tr. Pinto's Trav. i. 2 For myself, poor wretch, I went..in my misery to Setuval. 1743 Young Nt. Th. iv. 14 Imagination's fool, and error's wretch, Man makes a death, which nature never made. 1790 Cowper On Receipt Mother's Picture 24 Hover'd thy spirit o'er thy sorrowing son, Wretch even then? 1821 Shelley Hellas 909 Fond wretch! He leans upon his crutch, and talks of years To come. 1886 W. J. Tucker E. Europe 36, I, poor wretch, in possession of nothing. |
c. Used as a term of address.
| c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 29 Weilawei wrecche,..al swa eða þu mihtest..smiten of þin aȝen heaueð. a 1225 Leg. Kath. 2049 Hu wrakeliche, wenestu, wule he, al o wraððe, wreken on þe, wrecche! c 1230 Hali Meid. 37 Ah, wrecche! Þe care aȝain þi pinunge þrahen binimeð þe nihtes slepes. c 1400 Destr. Troy 7178 A! wrecches vnwar, woo ys in our hond! a 1550 Image Hypocr. iii. 331 in Skelton's Wks. (1843) II. 437 Ye call that poore man wretch, As thoughe ye hadd no retche. 1615 Chapman Odyss. xiv. 503 O wretch of Guests..thy Tale hath stirr'd My minde to much ruth. 1819 Shelley Cenci v. ii. 34 Poor wretch, I pity thee. |
d. Applied to animals, birds, or insects.
| a 1300 Fox & Wolf in Hazl. E.P.P. I. 66 The wrecche binethe nothing ne vind, Bote cold water. c 1480 Henryson Swallow 1908 Thir hungrie birdis wretchis we may call. 1600 Surflet Countrie Farme 628 Vpon them shall be fastened manie boordes or hurdles..for to pleasure this small wretch [sc. a silkworm] withall. 1602 Ld. Cromwell iv. i. 47 Who sees the Cob-web intangle the poore Flie, May boldlie say the wretches death is nigh. 1627 Drayton Nymphidia xxvii, Soone away the Waspe doth goe, Poore wretch was neuer frighted so. 1742 Fielding J. Andrews iii. iv, This was the second time this squire had endeavoured to kill the little wretch [= a favourite dog]. Ibid. vi, The hare was no sooner on shore than it..listened to the sound of the pursuers. Fanny was wonderfully pleased with the little wretch. 1744 Thomson Summer 273 The villain Spider.., fixing in the Wretch his cruel Fangs, Strikes backward. 1802 G. V. Sampson Statist. Surv. Londonderry 210 As to the rearing of calves, there is a [cruel] superstition... As soon as the wretch is produced,..two persons..pull it most forcibly. |
e. A person or little creature. (Used as a term of playful depreciation, or to denote slight commiseration or pity.)
| c 1450 Merlin xxxiii. 683 He that was full fierce and prowde hadde shame to iuste with so litill a wrecche. 1592 Shakes. Rom. & Jul. i. iii. 44 The pretty wretch lefte crying, & said I. 1599 Breton Miseries Mauillia ii, With these last words, Farewell good mistresse, the good poore wretch..gave up the ghost. ― Scholler & Souldiour 30 Oh 'tis a heavenly noise to heare the sweete wretch [= the nightingale]. 1604 Shakes. Oth. iii. iii. 90 Excellent wretch: Perdition catch my Soule But I do loue thee. 1663 Pepys Diary 25 May, She being a good-natured and painful wretch. 1749 Fielding Tom Jones i. vii, Had you exposed the little wretch in the manner of some inhuman mothers. 1784 Cowper Task iv. 12 He whistles as he goes, light-hearted wretch, Cold and yet cheerful. 1821 Shelley Hellas 227 Swift as the radiant shapes of sleep From one whose dreams are Paradise Fly, when the fond wretch wakes to weep. 1850 Kingsley A. Locke xxviii, Two little boys hailed us..—two little wretches with blue noses and white cheeks. 1891 ‘S. Mostyn’ Curatica 85, I see my wife wants me. The poor wretch is terribly jealous. |
3. A vile, sorry, or despicable person; one of opprobrious or reprehensible character; a mean or contemptible creature. Also without article.
In very frequent use from c 1300.
| α a 1000 Juliana 351 Hyre se feond oncwæð, wræcca wær⁓leas wordum mælde. c 1230 Hali Meid. 47 Þu prokest me to forgulten,..& waldes warpe me as wrecche i þi leirwite. c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 1074 Ðat folc vn-seli,..ðo sori wrecches of yuel blod. 1340 Ayenb. 25 Þus him ioisseþ and him glorifieþ þe wreche ine his herte. 1362 Langl. P. Pl. A. ii. 169, I wolde be wreken on þis wrecches þat worchen so ille. 1402 Hoccleve Let. Cupid 310 The feythles wrechch how hath he him for-swore. a 1450 Medit. Life & Pass. Christ 1139 Wiþ rugged nayles þe wrecches wode Nailed him hard to þe rode. 1555 Philpot in Coverdale Lett. Martyrs (1564) 230 Vnto me moste vile, sinnefull, wicked and vnworthy wretch. 1568 Grafton Chron. II. 337 These wretches entred into the Princesse Chamber, and brake her head. 1617 J. Taylor (Water P.) Observ. & Trav. fr. London to Hamburgh C 4 b, [They] were amazed at the ingratitude of the wretch. 1687 A. Lovell tr. Thevenot's Trav. I. 104 The perfidious wretch Theseus abandoned the poor Ariadne. 1715 De Foe Fam. Instruct. i. i, Wretch that I am, how have I lived, as without God in the world. 1781 Cowper Table-T. 30 Let eternal infamy pursue The wretch to nought but his ambition true. 1805 J. Turnbull Voy. xvii. (1813) 212 The wickedness of the wretch who would import a cargo of spirituous liquors into the..Society Islands. 1855 Kingsley Westw. Ho! xxix, If I be wretch enough to give place to the devil. 1883 D. C. Murray Hearts xi, What wretches men were, to be sure! |
| β 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. x. 78 Þe wrecches [Camb. MS. wrycches] of þis worlde is none ywar bi other. c 1440 York Myst. xxxi. 360 If any wight with þis wriche any werse wate werkis. c 1450 Mirk's Festial i. 2 He ys not but a wryche and slyme of erth. |
| γ 1572 Satir. Poems Reform. xxxii. 118 Consume this wratche with Brinstane. 1866– in Scottish glossaries, etc. |
b. Used as a term of opprobrious address.
| 13.. Sir Beues (A.) 1033 Brademond, olde wreche,..Ertow come Iosiane to feche? a 1400–50 Wars Alex. 4005 ‘A! wriches!’ quod þe wale kyng,..‘Eftir þe deth of ȝour duke quat deynes ȝowe to stryue?’ c 1430 Chev. Assigne 71 A, kowarde of kynde,..& combred wrecche! 1540 Palsgr. Acolastus iv. v. V j b, Thou wretched person,..thou wretche that thou art. 1605 Shakes. Lear iii. ii. 53 Tremble thou Wretch. 1719 De Foe Crusoe i. (Globe) 93 Wretch!..look back upon a mis-spent Life. 1810 Crabbe Borough xxii. 248 Wretch, dost thou repent? 1819 Shelley Cenci i. iii. 90 Thou wretch! Will none among this noble company Check the abandoned villain? |
c. Used without serious imputation of bad qualities.
| 1688 Prior Ode vii, Levelling at God his wand'ring Guess..Laws to his Maker the learn'd Wretch can give. 1834 Dickens Sk. Boz, Boarding-ho. i, Her ‘wretch of a husband’, as she inwardly called him. 1847 Helps Friends in C. i. viii. 159 A wretch of a pedant who knows all about tetrameters. |
† 4. A niggardly or parsimonious person; a miser. Obs. (In later use chiefly Sc.)
| 1303 R. Brunne Handl. Synne 6203 Þe wrecche saw hys tresoure sperd, And sette hym up yn hys bedde. 1340 Ayenb. 188 Uor to ssette þe porses of þe wrechchen þet hi ne ssolle by open to do elmesse. c 1386 Chaucer Melib. ¶634 Vse..thy richesses..that men haue no..cause to calle thee neiþer wrecche ne chynche. 1500–20 Dunbar Poems xli. 5 Be nocht a wreche, nor skerche in ȝour spending. 1513 Douglas æneid viii. Prol. 53 The wrache walis and wringis for this warldis wrak. 1540 Palsgr. Acolastus ii. i. H iij b, Snayles..all the wynter season kepe theym within their shelles, lyuynge lyke a wretche. a 1578 Lindesay (Pitscottie) Chron. Scot. (S.T.S.) II. 318 All wratchis may tak example be this man nocht to hurd vp thair siluir. 1673 Wedderburn Voc. 23 (Jam.), Est valde avarus, he is a great wretch. |
† 5. A poor or paltry thing. Obs. rare—1.
| ? a 1300 Prov. Hendyng 202 Þis worldes loue ys a wrecche. |
6. Comb., as wretch-like.
| 1615 Chapman Odyss. iv. 961 Th' abiect threshold [she] chose Of her faire chamber, for her loth'd repose; And mournd most wretch-like. |
B. adj.
† 1. Of persons: Poor; miserable; deeply afflicted; = wretched a. 1. Obs.
| a 1122 O.E. Chron. an. 1083, Þa wreccan munecas laᵹon onbuton þam weofode. 1154 Ibid. an. 1137, Wrecce men sturuen of hungær. c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 125 Alswa baldeliche mei þe wrechesta mon clepian drihtan him to federe. c 1205 Lay. 6556 Wha se hæfde richedom, he hine makede wræcche mon. 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 4187 Alas þou wrecche mon, woch mesaunture Aþ þe ybroȝt in to þis stede. 13.. Guy Warw. (A.) 4811 Sche was a wriche wiman Þat michel sorwe so was an. 1398 Trevisa Barth De P.R. vi. xiii. (Addit. MS.), No man is more wrecche noþir haþ more woo..þan he þat hath an yuel wif. 1412–20 Lydg. Chron. Troy iii. 4151 Allas! I, woful creature,..I, wreche woman. c 1450 Mirk's Festial i. 47 Þenke how febull and how wrecche he ys, when he ys bore. 1556 Olde Antichrist 158 The wretche people thinks they haue holpen a soule. 1596 Spenser F.Q. vi. ix. 30 It is the mynd..That maketh wretch or happie. |
† 2. Of conditions, etc.: = wretched a. 2. Obs.
| 1131 O.E. Chron. an. 1131, Crist ræde for þa wrecce muneces of Burch & for þæt wrecce stede. a 1200 in Fragm. ælfric's Gram., etc. (1838) 5 Þonne biþ þet wræcche lif iended. 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 4094 Þat we after hor wrecche deþ hor londes auonge. c 1375 Cursor M. 949 (Fairf.), Wende out of þis louesom lande, in-to þe wrecche werlde þou gange. 1583 G. Babington Commandm. (1590) 60 Yet see, ah wretch, and woful plight,..Thy goodnesse to mee farre passeth all masters to their seruants. |
† 3. Despicable; vile; reprehensible. Obs.
| a 1200 Vices & Virtues 103 Kiel mine wreche herte, þe is iattred of his manifealde fondinges. c 1290 Beket 1406 in S. Eng. Leg. I. 146 Ich drede for mine wrechche gultes þat worse worth þe ende. 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 9913 Þe wrecche luþer giwes. c 1350 in Relig. Lyrics 14th C. (1924) 50 To holi chirche..pes þou sende, And to vs wreche sinful, lif wyt-outen ende. 1387 Trevisa Higden III. 33 Sardanapallus was a man more wrecche þan eny womman. |
† 4. Of a paltry character; = wretched a. 3 b.
| a 1250 Owl & Night. 335 Euer croweþ þi wrecche crey Þat he ne swikeþ nyht ne day. |
▪ II. † wretch, v. Obs.
Also 5 wrecche, Sc. 7 wreche, 8–9 wratch.
[f. the n.]
1. trans. To render miserable.
| a 1513 Fabyan Chron. vii. (1811) 302 Y⊇ fore namyd bisshop..contynuynge his tyrannyes,..greued y⊇ bisshop of Wynchester, and wretchyd nygh all y⊇ londe. |
2. intr. To be or become niggardly or parsimonious. Sc.
| a 1598 D. Ferguson Sc. Prov. (S.T.S.) 10 As the carle riches he wretches [Kelly (1721) wratches]. 1633 W. Struther True Happiness 139 As the wretch wretcheth, the more he is enriched. [1853 Trench Proverbs 104 The more the carle riches he wretches.] |