▪ I. wreak, n. Now arch. or Obs.
(riːk)
Forms: 4–7 wreke (4, 6 wrek), 6–7 wreake, 6– wreak.
[In early Northern texts a normal variant of wreche n.; in later use prob. substituted for this, or for wrake n., under the influence of the verb.]
1. Pain or punishment inflicted in return for an injury, wrong, offence, etc.; hurt or harm done from vindictive motives; vengeance, revenge.
In frequent use from c 1540 to c 1620.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 22604 (Edin.), Saint peter sal be domb þat dai,.. For doubt of demsteris wrek [Cott. wreke]. c 1340 Hampole Pr. Consc. 5338 Howe suld þai þan in þe tyme of wreke Bestille? Ibid. 6101 Þe day of wreke and of vengeaunce. c 1400 Destr. Troy 12072 Þe sayntis of hell Were wode in hor werkis for wreke of Achilles. c 1420 Prose Life Alex. 76 Þe wrethe & þe wreke of oure goddez..fallez apon vs. ? a 1500 Chester Pl. x. 120 [On] all knaves childer in this Countrey..shall fall the wreake. 1526 Tindale Prol. Romans Wks. (1572) 49/1 He describeth the outward conuersation of Christen men, how they ought..to commit wreake and vengeaunce to God. 1559 Myrr. Mag. 63 But wrath of man his rancour to requite, Forgets all reason... I mean by rancour the parentall wreke. 1587 Turberv. Trag. T. (1837) 158 Such flames of wreake withyn her bowels fride. 1629 Sir W. Mure True Crucifixe 2610 Thee carying headlongs to eternall wreake. 16.. Faithful Friends ii. iii, Nor shall the life or goods Of thee, or any thy assistants, feel The wreak of his just anger. 1865 Reader No. 142. 309/2 Pride and haughty wreak From irreverence begin. 1899 Swinburne Rosamund ii. 32, I would.. the wreak of wrath were wroken, and I Dead. |
b. In the phr. to perform, seek, spend, work, and esp. take ({ddd}) wreak.
| c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. Wace Prol. 202 (Petyt MS.), When god toke wreke of Caym synne. c 1375 Cursor M. 1156 (Fairf.) Þat I sal take wreke on þe. c 1440 J. Capgrave St. Kath. v. 61 God..on the puple tho took ful grete wreke. c 1460 Towneley Myst. xxv. 191, I saide that he shuld..of youre warkys take wreke. 1525 Tindale Wks. (Parker Soc. 1849) 229 No man should avenge himself, or seek wreak, no, not by the law. 1576 Whetstone Rock of Regard i. 72 Sith fortune threates, to woorke our wreake of ioy, By sowsing of our ship in seas of yre. 1582 Batman Barth. De P.R. xviii. xi. 349/1 No creature is more wreakful, nor more feruent to take wreak than is the Bee when he is wrath. 1607 R. C[arew] tr. Estienne's World Wond. 162 A huswife of Millan..wrought her wreake vpon the fruite of her womb. 1613 Chapman Rev. Bussy D'Ambois iii. i. E 4 Dull and drossie in performing Wreake of the deare bloud of my matchless Brother. 1855 Singleton Virgil II. 308 Enough of wreak is spent; A passage hath been made among the foes. 1886 Burton Arab. Nts. (abr. ed.) I. 167 None murdered the damsel but I; take her wreak on me this moment. |
† c. in (or for) wreak of, in revenge of, in return or repayment for. Obs.
| 1599 B. Jonson Ev. Man out of Hum. ii. iv, Would to heaven (In wreak of my misfortunes,) I were turn'd To some faire water-Nymph. 1599 Peele David & B. E ij, They with him conspire, And kill thy sonne in wreake of Thamars wrong. 1606 Chapman Gentl. Usher v. i. 123 Death..he shall indure For wreake of that joyes exile I sustaine. |
d. The avenging of a person.
| 1613 Chapman Rev. Bussy d'Ambois iii. i, Your defect of spirit and valour, First showne in lingring my deare Brothers wreake. |
† 2. An instance of taking vengeance or exacting retribution. Obs.
| a 1300 E.E. Psalter xvii. 51 God þat giues wrekes me to. a 1547 Surrey æneid ii. 750 Of the Grekes the cruel wrekes. c 1586 C'tess Pembroke Ps. lxxi. xiii, My tongue..[shall] Tell thy wreakes and their disgraces, Who this ill to me procure. 1591 Spenser Ruins of Time 397 Where mortall wreakes their blis may not remoue. a 1626 Bp. Andrewes 96 Serm., Passion xvi. (1661) 224 To take a wreak or revenge upon sin. |
† 3. Harm, injury; damage. Obs.
| 15.. Parl. Byrdes 24 in Hazl. E.P.P. III. 168 All the byrdes..Said, the Hauke doth vs great wreake. a 1542 Wyatt in Tottel's Misc. (Arb.) 38 Vnkind tongue, to yll hast thou me rendred, For such desert to do me wreke and shame. 1591 Spenser Ruins Rome 33 These same olde walls..is that which Rome men call. Behold what wreake, what ruine, and what wast. a 1600 Montgomerie Mindes Melodie vi. 44 My foes..would rejoise To see my wreak, and would my soule subuert. |
▪ II. wreak, v.
(riːk)
Forms: 1–2 wrecan, 2 wrecon, 2–4 wreken (3 wræken, wærken, wreoken, Orm. wrekenn), 5 wrekene, wrekyn; 3–7 wreke (4 wrekke), 4–5 wrek (4 wreck), wreek, 5 wreeke, wreike, 5–6 Sc. wreik, 6–7 wreake, 6– wreak (7–8 reak); Sc. 5 wryk(e, 6 wrik. pa. tense 1 wræc (uuraec, pl. wræcon), 2–3 wrac, 3 pl. wrake, 4–5 wrake, 5 wrak, 6–7, 8–9 arch. wroke (9 wrok); 4 wrek. weak: 4–5 wreked, 4 -id, 5 -yd, Sc. -yt, 6– wreaked (8 raked, 9 wreak'd, Sc. wreakit). pa. pple. 1 wrecen (ᵹewrecen), 3–4 wreken (iwreken), 3–5 wreke (4 y-, 4–5 iwreke); 3–7, 9 arch. wroken (4–6 y-, 5 iwroken), 4, 5–6 Sc. wrokin, 4–5 wrokyn, 5 -yne, 6 wrokne, Sc. wrokkin, wrockin, 6–7 wrocken; 4–5, 9 arch. wroke (4–5, 6 arch. ywroke, 5 iwroke), 6 wrooke, Sc. wrok. weak: 6, 9 wreaked, 6 wrekte, wreackt, 7 wreakt, 9 U.S. reeked.
[Common Teut.: OE. wrecan strong v. (wræc, wrǽcon, wrecen), = OFris. wreka (WFris. wrekke), OS. wrekan (MLG. and LG., MDu. and Du. wreken; also LG. wräken), OHG. rëchan, rëhhan (MHG. rechen, G. rächen), ON. and Icel. reka (Norw. reka; Sw. vräka), Goth. wrikan (to persecute), f. the Teut. stem wrek-, pre-Teut. *wreg-, cognate with that of L. urgēre. Cf. wrack v.1, wreche v., wreck v.2, also a-, bewreak vbs.]
I. † 1. trans. a. To drive, press, force to move. Obs. (OE. only.)
| c 725 Corpus Gloss. (Hessels) T 213 Torquet, uuraec. a 1000 Riddles i. 1 (Gr.), Hwylc is hæleþa þæs horsc..Þæt þæt mæᵹe asecgan, hwa mec on sið wræce? Ibid. xxi. 11 Me þurh hrycg wrecen hongaþ under an orþonc pil. |
† b. To cast or throw out of a place. Obs.
| c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 3148 Ilc folc is to fode framen,..And noȝt ðor-of [sc. of a kid] vt huse wreken. Ibid. 3191 Ðor he doluen,..and hauen up-broȝt ðe bones ut of ðe erðe wroken. |
† c. transf. With out. To pass or spend (time). Cf. drive v. 21. Obs.—1
| a 1300 Cursor M. 1547 Quen sa fele yeier ar wroken oute, Þe mikel spere es rune aboute. |
† 2. To banish or expel, to drive out or away. Obs.
| c 1100 O.E. Chron. (MS. D.) an. 1076, Sume hi wurdon ᵹeblende, & sume wrecen of lande. ? a 1300 Gregory 216 Sche halpe þe pouer and þe lame, þe deuel fram hir for to wreke. 1340 Ayenb. 215 Huerout he wrek þo þe zyalde and boȝte ine þe temple. |
| fig. and transf. 1340 Ayenb. 189 Huanne he his ssel wreke out of his uelaȝrede. a 1400–50 Wars Alex. 4428 For all ȝoure wisdom, I-wis, is wroken to ȝour tongis. |
II. 3. a. To give vent or expression to, to exercise or gratify (wrath, anger, etc.); to vent.
| a 900 Genesis 2508 Þas folc slean, cynn on ceastrum mid cwealmþrea, & his torn wrecan. c 1000 Ags. Ps. (Thorpe) lxxxiv. 5 Ne wrec þu þine yrre, wraðe mode, of cynne on cynn. c 1200 Ormin 19606 Forrþ i let he takenn himm To wrekenn hise tene. c 1385 Chaucer L.G.W. 324 He schal nat ryghtfully his yre wreke. 1421 26 Pol. Poems 83 Lete not vengeance þy wraþþe wreke. Vengeance is goddis. c 1430 Syr. Gener. (Roxb.) 4674 Darel roode wel wrothe and yll, For he had not wroken his fill. 1530 Palsgr. 785/1, I wreake myne anger. 1577 Holinshed Chron., Hist. Eng. I. 231/1 The more to wreake his wrath, the King spoyled many Religious houses of their goodes. 1596 Spenser F.Q. iv. ix. 23 As when Dan æolus..Sends forth the winds..Vpon the sea to wreake his fell intent. 1600 Holland Livy 323 They were staied..in this sweetnesse of wreaking their anger, and satiating their revenge. 1648 Hunting of Fox 10 [The] heart-breaking stile of Enemies: and such Enemies too, as to wreake their malice. 1819 Shelley Cenci iv. ii. 23 'Tis my hate and the deferred desire To wreak it, which extinguishes their blood. 1870 Bryant Iliad iv. I. 113 So in time to come May Agamemnon wreak his wrath. 1878 Seeley Stein III. 315 Stein wreaked his disappointment in unsparing criticism. |
| transf. 1794 Wordsw. Guilt & Sorrow 103 The only creature..On whom the elements their rage might wreak. 1817 Shelley Rev. Islam iii. vii, Beneath most calm resolve did agony wreak Its whirlwind rage. |
b. More usu. const. on († in, against) or upon a person. (Freq. from c 1560.)
| c 1200 Ormin 19866 Ȝho..þohhte þatt ȝho shollde onn himm Wel wrekenn hire tene. c 1374 Chaucer Troylus v. 589 Wel hastow lord y-wroke on me Þin Ire. c 1375 Sc. Leg. Saints vii. (James Minor) 133 Þar-fore þai wrekyt þar wodnes In þis Iamis, callit þe les. 1470–85 Malory Arthur iii. vii. 107 Leuer I had ye had wroken your angre vpon me. 1556 T. Phaer æneid, iv. (1558) L iij, On my brother fals I wroke my tene. 1588 Greene Pandosto (1607) 9 Pandosto..determined to wreake all his wrath on poore Bellaria. 1627 Drayton Agincourt ccvi, I neuer will retire, Vntill our Teene vpon the French we wreake. 1697 G. Burghope Disc. Relig. Assemb. 180 As tho' they wou'd reak their Malice upon God. 1697 Dryden æneis xii. 1233 The moody Sire, to wreak his Hate On Realms. 1749 Smollett Regicide Pref., I wreaked my Resentment upon the innocent Cause of my Disgraces. 1761 Hume Hist. Eng. lxiv. (1806) IV. 732 The church..persevered in the project of wreaking her own enmity against the nonconformists. 1818 M. W. Shelley Frankenstein viii. (1865) 119 That I might wreak the utmost extent of my anger on his head. 1840 Dickens Old. C. Shop xiii, The dwarf..wanting somebody to wreak his ill-humour upon. 1871 Freeman Norm. Conq. IV. 112 To wreak a coward's spite on the corpse of the dead Harold. |
c. refl. Of a passion, feeling, etc.: To give expression to (itself); to find utterance or free course.
| 1590 Spenser F.Q. ii. v. 5 Disleall knight, whose coward courage chose To wreake it selfe on beast all innocent. 1839 De Quincey Recoll. Lakes Wks. 1862 II. 186 That the indignation of mankind should have wreaked itself upon the chief monsters. 1850 Hawthorne Scarlet L. xiii, In the education of her child, the mother's enthusiasm of thought had something to wreak itself upon. 1887 R. S. Storrs in Libr. Mag. Aug. 106 The Hellenic spirit..wreaked itself in immortal expressions on the choicest marbles and temples in the world. |
d. To bestow or spend on a person, etc.; to expend.
| a 1586 Sidney Sonn. Wks. 1922 II. 303 She hath no other cause of anguish But Thereus love, on her by strong hand wrokne. 1819 J. H. Wiffen Aonian Hours 107 To wreak Such love upon the task as [etc.]. 1871 Browning Pr. Hohenst. 174 God..Grants each new man..Intercommunication with Himself, Wreaking on finiteness infinitude. 1871 B. Taylor Faust (1875) I. iv. 76 Mephis. Here is the genuine path for you; Yet strict attention must be given. Stud. Body and soul thereon I'll wreak. |
† 4. a. To punish or chastise (a person); to visit with retributive punishment. Also refl. Obs.
| c 888 ælfred Boeth. xli. § 3 Þæt wæs þæt mon wræce & witnode hwone for his yfle. a 1122 O.E. Chron. (Laud MS.) an. 1090, Se cyng wæs smæᵹende hu he mihte wrecon his broðer Rodbeard, swiðost swencean. a 1300 Cursor M. 11773 For to wreke þam was he bun Þat þus did cast þair goddes dun. c 1460 Towneley Myst. xxviii. 186 With the Iues he [sc. Jesus] was so stad, to ded they can hym wreke. a 1626 Bp. Andrewes 96 Serm. (1661) 165 To wreak our⁓selves for so often offering so foul indignities to Heaven. |
| transf. a 1658 Lovelace Poems (1904) 134 The desp'rate Heron..turns his last to wreak The palizadoes of his [sc. a falcon's] Beak. |
† b. To injure, hurt, or harm (a person). Obs.
| c 1440 Bone Florence 104 He was..all to-brokyn, Ferre travelde in harnes, and of warre wrokyn. 1572 Satir. Poems Reform. xxxii. 124 Lat neuer thair micht..Haue strenth or power thame for to hurt or wreik. a 1593 Marlowe tr. Ovid's Elegies ii. xi. 22 What each one speakes Beleeue, no tempest the beleeuer wreakes [L. credenti nulla procella nocet]. 1683 W. Walker Phraseol. Gen. 1351 In labour the stronger wreaks the weaker. In opere firmior (bos) imbecilliorem conficit. |
III. 5. a. To avenge (a person).
In senses 5, 5 b, very frequent c 1200–c 1600. The passive construction, to be wreaked († wroken), freq. implies that the revenge is taken by the injured party, and is thus equivalent to the reflexive use.
| Beowulf 1385 Selre bið æᵹ-hwæm þæt he his freond wrece þonne he fela murne. c 950 Lindisf. Gosp. Luke xviii. 5 Forðon woedo uel hefiᵹ wæs me..ðas widiua ic wræco ða ilco. a 1122 O.E. Chron. (Laud MS.) an. 979, Hine nolden his eorðlican maᵹas wrecan. c 1205 Lay. 27612 Cumeð hidere to me, and wreke we Beduer min æm. c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 1856 Symeon and leui it bi-speken, And hauen here sister ðor i-wreken. c 1320 Sir Tristr. 3295 Mani on slain þer lay... Ful wele wreken er þay. 13.. Sir Beues (A.) 4466 Wrekeþ ȝour fader wiþ ȝour miȝtes. a 1400–50 Wars Alex. 855 Þe wee in his wreth wrekis his modire. c 1450 Merlin xxv. 451 Thei thought well to be wroken whan thei saugh tyme. ? a 1500 Chester Pl. v. 101 Therfore how will I wroken be? 1530 Palsgr. 454/1 He wyll be wroken whan you shall thynke lest. 1586 J. Hooker Hist. Irel. in Holinshed II. 13/1 He counteth it for a sufficient reuenge, that he can reuenge and be wreaked. 1765 in Percy Reliques I. 106 And soon i' the Gordon's foul hartis bluid He's wroken his dear ladie. 1872 Tennyson Gareth & Lynette 355 Grant me some knight to..Kill the foul thief, and wreak me for my son. |
| refl. c 1200 Trin. Coll. Hom. 179 Ne wrec þu þe mid wussinge ne mid warienge. a 1225 Ancr. R. 186 Ne wrekie ȝe nout ou suluen, ne ne grucche ȝe nout. 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. v. 85 To wreke hymself he þouȝte With werkes or with wordes whan he seighe his tyme. c 1407 Lydg. Reson & Sens. 369 Antropos, hir self to wreke, Doth ful many thredes breke. c 1470 Henry Wallace i. 310 Will God I leiffe, we sall ws wreke on part. ? a 1500 Chester Pl. xiv. 267, I am as wroth as I may be, And some way I will wreak me. 1530 Palsgr. 785/1 If thou cannest nat wreake the, byte the poste. 1596 Spenser F.Q. v. viii. 44 How worthily..Iustice that day of wrong her selfe had wroken. 1606 L. Bryskett Civ. Life 70 They that by combat seeke to wreake themselues. 1659 Somner Dict. s.v. Wræcan, Vulgo dicimus: to wreke ones selfe, or take revenge. |
b. Const. of, on († o, in), or upon († up) one who has done harm, etc.
| c 950 Lindisf. Gosp. Luke xviii. 3 Widiua..cuoeð wræc ðu mec of wiðerworde minum. 993 Battle of Maldon 279 He his sincᵹyfan on þam sæmannum wurðlice wrec. a 1200 Vices & Virtues 5 Ðanne ᵹelpð he ðat he is wel iwreken of his unwine. c 1205 Lay. 12210 [To] wreken uppen [c 1275 vppe] Maximien Valentin & Gratien. c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 2028 Ȝhe ðhenkeð on him for to ben wreken. c 1330 Arth. & Merl. 5962 (Kölbing), Þe king..Wele him wrake of his foman. 1362 Langl. P. Pl. A. ii. 169, I wolde be wreken on þis [B. ii. 194 wroke of þo] wrecches. a 1400 Prymer (1891) 31 In oure lordes name, y am wroken in hem. c 1450 Mirk's Festial i. 88 Lorde,..þou wreke me apon þis man. 1480 Caxton Trevisa's Higden (1482) 358 b, He wold be wroken vpon kyng rychard. 1575 Gascoigne Dan Barth., Dol. Disc. 50 The Goddesse of revenge devisde So to bee wreackt on my rebelling wyll. 1596 Spenser F.Q. iv. ii. 21 Both greedie fiers on other to be wroken. Ibid. iv. vi. 23 She..vpheld her wrathfull hand, With fell intent, on him to bene ywroke. |
| transf. 1390 Gower Conf. II. 148 Be war forthi thou be noght sik Of thilke fievere [sc. jealousy]..For it wol in him⁓self be wroke. c 1520 Skelton Magnyf. 1566 That on suche a female my flesshe wolde be wroken. 1561 Norton & Sackv. Gorboduc iv. i, Canst thou hope..that these handes will not be wrooke on thee? 1592 Shakes. Rom. & Jul. iii. v. 102 To wreake the Loue I bore my Cozin, Vpon his body that hath slaughter'd him. |
| refl. c 1200 Ormin 914 God wollde himm wrekenn o þe preost. c 1205 Lay. 15052 Wrekeð eow ȝif ȝe cunnen of Sexisce monnen. a 1300 Cursor M. 11963 Vr neghburs mai þam on vs wreke. 1338 R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 46 Of fals Edrik fayn wild he him wreke. c 1385 Chaucer L.G.W. 395 Balade, Hym deynyth nat to wreke hym on a flye. c 1450 Crt. of Love 702 She saw an egle wreke him on a fly. a 1542 Wyatt Poet. Wks. (1913) I. 131 Comfort thy self my wofull hert, Or shortly on thy self the wreke. 1561 Norton & Sackv. Gorboduc ii. i, Attempt redresse by armes, and wreake your-self Upon his life. 1604 Parsons 3rd Pt. Three Convers. Eng. 192 The Duke thought best to vse this mans meanes, to wreake himselfe of the said Bishops. 1611 Chapman Widowes T. iii. i, That I may wreake my selfe vpon my selfe. 1730 T. Boston Mem. x. (1899) 292 They usually wreaking themselves on the ministers as the cause of all public evils. c 1830 in Child Ball III. 438/1 He micht hae spared my lady's life, And wreakit himsell on me! 1872 Tennyson Gareth & Lynette 800 Well that ye came, or else these caitiff rogues Had wreak'd themselves on me. |
† c. To revenge (a person) of (on) a wrong, injury, etc. Obs.
| 1340–70 Alisaunder 76 Þe King was carefull in hert, Till hee were wroken of þe wrong. c 1386 Chaucer Frankl. T. 56 On euery wrong a man may nat be wreken. a 1400–50 Wars Alex. 3199 He will me wreke on ȝoure werke wers þan of thefes. c 1430 Syr Gener. (Roxb.) 4634 Be wroke he wold of sum thing. c 1450 Erle Tolous 1028 Syth hyt ys soo, Cryste wreke hur of hur woo. a 1529 Skelton Col. Cloute 600 Then ye wyll be wroken Of euery lyght quarell. 1535 Stewart Cron. Scot. (Rolls) I. 34 To find ane way of Pechtis to be wrok Of thair injure. 1590 Spenser F.Q. ii. v. 21 Stirring to be wroke Of his late wrongs. 1591 2nd Pt. Troub. Raigne K. John (1611) 73 Tis Gods decree to wreake us of these harmes. |
| refl. c 1386 Chaucer Can. Yeom. Prol. & T. 620 On his falshede fayn wolde I me wreke, If I wiste how. c 1470 Henry Wallace v. 22 About the park thai set..With vi hundreth.., All likly men, to wrek thaim of thar harmes. 1577 Holinshed Chron. II. 606/2 The man..wanted nothing but faithful subiectes to haue wroken himselfe of such wrongs. 1578 T. Procter Gorg. Gallery B iv, That thou and I shall ioyne in ioy, and wreake vs of our wrong. |
† d. To deliver or rescue (a person) from or out of woe, etc. Obs. rare.
| 13.. E.E. Allit. P. A. 375 Much þe bygger ȝet was my mon, Fro þou was wroken fro vch a woþe. c 1450 Cov. Myst. (Shaks. Soc.) 29 Out of whoo ȝet art not wrokyn, In helle logge þou xalt be lokyn. Ibid. 330, I xal delyvere mannys kynne,—From wo I wole hem wreke! |
† e. refl. To satisfy or gratify (oneself). Obs.—1
| 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. ix. 181 Whiles þow art ȝonge, and þi wepne kene, Wreke þe with wyuynge, ȝif þow wilt ben excused. |
6. a. To take vengeance or inflict retributive punishment for, to avenge or revenge (some wrong, harm, or injury).
| Beowulf 1670 Ic..fyren-dæda wræc, deað-cwealm deniᵹea. c 825 Vesp. Psalter lxxviii. 10 Wrec blod ðiowa ðinra ðæt agoten is. c 1205 Lay. 19365 He þohten hider wenden & wræken his fader wunden. a 1300 Cursor M. 17332 Mi⁓self es sett to wrek þe wrang. c 1300 Havelok 327 Þat non ne mihte comen hire to..with hir to speken, Þat euere mihte hire bale wreken. 1382 Wyclif Deut. xxxii. 43 For the blood of his seruauntis he shal wreek. c 1400 Destr. Troy 1750 Now [is] tyme..To mene vs with manhode & our mys wreke. 1471 Ripley Comp. Alch. Ep. ii. in Ashm. (1652) 109 Of your great fortune ye be not presumptuous, Nor vengeable of my rode to wreke every wrong. a 1525 Vergilius in Thoms E.E. Prose Rom. (1858) II. 23 When wyll you wreke your faders dethe? 1581 A. Hall Iliad ix. 169 Yet list he not their wretched woe to wreake. 1587 Turberv. Trag. T. (1837) 141 The dome divine..Yet strikes at last, and surely wreakes the wrong. 1596 Spenser F.Q. iv. xi. 5 For of a womans hand it was ywroke, That of the wound he yet in languor lyes. c 1622 Fletcher Prophetess ii. ii, Lend me your helping hands To wreak the Parricide. 1700 Dryden Ovid's Met. xii. 338 Arms, Arms, the double-form'd with Fury call; To wreak their Brother's Death. 1813 Scott Trierm. ii. xxvii, Vanoc's death must now be wroken. 1814– Ld. of Isles iv. xxx, O Scotland! shall it e'er be mine To wreak thy wrongs in battle-line. 1887 Swinburne Locrine iv. ii. 56 My will It is that holds me yet alive..Till all my wrong be wroken. |
b. Const. on or upon (a person or persons).
| a 900 Juliana 204 Þonne ic nyde sceal..on þære grimmestan godscyld wrecan. a 1300 Cursor M. 2586 Wroken on þaim sal be þat wrang. 1375 Barbour Bruce xii. 227 Wreik on thame the mekill ill That thai and tharis has done vs till. 1423 Jas. I Kingis Q. lxix, On my-self bene al my harmys wrokin. 1577 Holinshed Chron., Hist. Scot. I. 390/1 That he might haue wroken his grief vpon him. 1590 Spenser F.Q. iii. xi. 15 Perhaps this hand may..wreake your sorrow on your cruell foe. 1717 Pope Iliad ix. 684 She..call'd the powers beneath On her own son to wreak her brother's death. 1882 Tennyson Promise of May i. 507 Why then the crowd May wreak my wrongs upon my wrongers. 1883 R. W. Dixon Mano i. xii. 37 On him, [I] beseech thee, wreak my wrongs amain. |
† c. To vindicate (something). Obs.
| c 1400 26 Pol. Poems 18 God biddeþ vengeaunce hiȝe, And helpe trouþe be wel wroken. 1589 R. Robinson Gold. Mirr. (1851) 10 Poore clout-shooes gate their clubs, and willingly attend, To wreke there mistris cause. |
† 7. To visit (a fault, misdeed, evil action) with punishment; to punish (wrong-doing). Obs.
| c 888 ælfred Boeth. xxxviii. §7 Þæt is þonne hiora mildsung þæt mon wrece hiora unðeawas be hiora ᵹewyrhtum. c 897 ― Gregory's Past. C. xlix. 383 Ðæt he ða gyltas..wrece on scyldeᵹum monnum. 971 Blickl. Hom. 185 Swa se wer hit wreceþ ᵹif his wif hie forhealdeþ. c 1200 Trin. Coll. Hom. 161 Godes wrake cumeð on þis woreld to wrekende on sun⁓fulle men here gultes. a 1240 Lofsong in O.E. Hom. I. 209 Ne bi-hold þu ham [sc. sins] nout leste þu wreoke ham on me. c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 3067 So sal ðin hardnesse ben wreken, ðat men sulen longe ðor-after speken. 1338 R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 77 Þat wikkednes, þat men suld haf wroken. a 1375 Lay Folks Mass Bk. App. iv. 395 Þat god may wreke Euerich a word þat we speke. 1481 Caxton Reynard xix. (Arb.) 46 A! reynart that ye now al thus haue your wyl I pray god to wreke it. 1596 Spenser F.Q. vi. ii. 22 There gan he..with bitter wracke To wreake on me the guilt of his owne wrong. 1610 Beaum. & Fl. Faithf. Sheph. v. i, Else Pan wreak, With double vengeance, my disloyalty. |
8. a. To inflict or take (vengeance, etc.) on or upon a person; to execute or carry out by way of punishment or revenge.
In frequent use from c 1830.
| c 1489 Caxton Sonnes of Aymon i. 30 That ye make punyssyon thereof and wrek on hym grete vengaunce. 1700 Dryden Sigism. & Guisc. 589 He left the Dame, Resolv'd..To wreak his Vengeance, and to cure her Love. 1758 P. Williamson Life & Adventures (1812) 39 So desirous was every man to have a share in wreaking his revenge on them [sc. dead Indians]. 1772 Priestley Inst. Relig. (1782) I. 412 Xerxes..wreaked his vengeance upon Babylon. 1809 W. Irving Knickerb. iv. vii, An historian springs up, who wreaks ample chastisement on it [sc. a nation] in return. 1855 Paley æschylus Pref. (1861) p. xxv, Till vengeance had been wreaked for the wrongs suffered in life. 1872 Tennyson Gareth & Lynette 1236 Thou hast wreak'd his justice on his foes. 1899 Swinburne Rosamund ii. 32/2, I would the deed Were done, the wreak of wrath were wroken, and I Dead. |
b. To cause or effect (harm, damage, etc.), esp. in phr. to wreak havoc. (For wrought havoc see work v. 10.)
| 1817 Shelley Rev. Islam ii. xxxix, With thee..will I seek Through their array of banded slaves to wreak Ruin upon the tyrants. 1818 ― Rosal. & Helen 670 That poor and hungry men should break The laws which wreak them toil and scorn, We understand. 1865 Dickens Mut. Fr. iii. ii, [In] the fog..the unpopular steamer..always was..wreaking destruction upon somebody or something. 1880 Daily News 22 Sept., Landslips..are looked for and wreak but little harm. 1926 A. Christie Murder of R. Ackroyd xx. 239 Annie is not allowed to wreak havoc with a dustpan and brush. 1976 B. Fell America B.C. viii. 101 The storm waves could surely wreak more havoc upon the timbered hulls of Phoenician galleys than on the steel plates of modern ships. 1978 C. Rayner Long Acre vii. 70 Fenton, well aware of the havoc he was wreaking in poor Miss Emma's heart, wickedly fed her passion for him. 1983 Times 21 Nov. 7/7 Moko, the banana disease, has already wreaked havoc on the trade. 1984 Daily Tel. 5 Nov. 20/2 The feared shake-out in microcomputer manufacturing..will wreak havoc in the industry. |
c. To inflict or deliver (a blow, etc.); to deal.
| 1817 Shelley Rev. Islam i. x, The wreathed Serpent..did ever seek Upon his enemy's heart a mortal wound to wreak. 1849 Meredith in Chambers' Edin. Mag. July 16/2 There the murder-mouthed artillery..Wrok the thunder of its treachery On the skeleton brigade. 1897 F. Thompson New Poems 55 Though they wreak Upon me stroke and again stroke. |
9. With out. To exact by way of punishment.
| 1879 A. W. Momerie Origin Evil i. 16 Justice, which can only be appeased by wreaking out a certain quantity of agony as an equivalent for a certain quantity of sin. |
IV. † 10. intr. To take vengeance; to inflict punishment. Also const. on. Obs.
| c 825 Vesp. Psalter cxvii. 12 In noman dryhtnes ic wreocu in him. c 897 ælfred Gregory's Past. C. lvi. 435 Ic wrice on eow æfter eowrum ᵹeðeahte. c 1000 Ags. Ps. (Thorpe) cxlix. 7 Mid þy hi wrecan þenceað wraðum cynnum. a 1200 Vices & Virtues 77 Lat him wreke ðe is riht deme ouer ðe liuiende. a 1225 Leg. Kath. 2049 Hu wrakeliche, wenestu, wule he, al o wraððe, wreken on þe, wrecche! a 1325 Prose Psalter xcviii. 9 Our God, þou herd hem; þou, God, was mercyful to hem and byginnand to wreke in alle her fyndeynges. 13.. E.E. Allit. P. B. 198 Bot neuer ȝet..I herde Þat euer he wrek so wyþerly on werk þat he made. a 1500 Ratis Raving 2786 Thai here glaidly, and lytill spekis, Laith for to crab and seldin wrekis. c 1614 Sir W. Mure Dido & æneas iii. 252 Fy, now ȝowr oares employ, Sack, wreak, revenge, demolish and destroy! |
Hence ˈwreaking vbl. n.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 19336 (Edin.), Queþir ȝie wil driue on us þe blame Of ani wreking of [Fairf. on] þis name. c 1374 Chaucer Boeth. iv. met. vii. (1868) 147 Agamenon..purged in wrekyng by þe destruccioun of troie þe loste chambres of mariage of hys broþer. c 1440 York Myst. xxix. 323 Thy wordis and werkis will haue a wrekyng. a 1638 Mede Wks. (1672) 298 When our hearts..tell us it is but the wreaking of our Malice. 1692 R. L'Estrange Fables xxxviii. 41 The Wreaking of a Malice, and..the gratifying of a Revenge. |
▪ III. wreak
erron. f. reak, obs. var. reck v.
| 1579 Spenser Sheph. Cal. Dec. 29 What wreaked I of wintrye ages waste. 1592 R. Johnson Nine Worthies F j, He layde him downe like one that wreaked no guerdon to this grace. 1594 Selimus 200, I wreake not of their foolish ceremonies. 1600 [see reck v. 3 a]. 1683 G. Meriton Yorks. Dialogue 661 Better's a comming; pray thee, do not wreak [rime break]. |
▪ IV. wreak
obs. erron. f. reek n.1 and v.1