▪ I. † wothe, n. and a. Obs.
Forms: α. 4 waþe (quaþe), 4–5 wathe (5 waghe, ? wauhte, Sc. vathe); 4 wath (quat, 5 Sc. vath); 4 wayth, 5 Sc. waith. β. 4–5 wothe, 5 woth.
[a. ON. *wāðe (ONorw. and Icel. váðe, váði, Norw. vaade, vaae; MSw. vaþe, vadhe, Sw. våde, Da. vaade), perh. f. *wā (ONorw. and Icel. vá), harm, disaster.]
A. n. The condition of being exposed to or liable to injury or harm; danger, peril; hurt or harm; a cause of harm or injury. Also const. of.
| α a 1300 E.E. Psalter cxiv. 3 Sorwes ofe dede vmgafe me ai, And wathes ofe helle me fand þai. a 1300 Cursor M. 1846 Þe stormes starked wit þe wind, Wath vas bifor and sua bihind. Ibid. 29362 Quen man es in wath o ded. 1338 R. Brunne Chron. (1725) 293 If him com any scaþe, tinselle of seignorie, Tille ȝow it wille be waþe. c 1440 York Myst. v. 65 Nay, certis it is no wathe, Ete it safely ye maye. c 1470 Henry Wallace ix. 1737 Fast south thai went; to bid it was gret waith. |
| β 13.. E.E. Allit. P. A. 375 Bot much þe bygger ȝet was my mon, Fro þou was wroken fro vch a woþe. 13.. S. Erkenwolde 233 in Horstm. Altengl. Leg. (1881) 271 Bot for wothe ne wele, ne wrathe ne drede..I remewit neuer fro þe riȝt. c 1400 Destr. Troy 6050 For to wacche and to wake for wothis of harme. c 1400 26 Pol. Poems xx. 143 She seyþ, þey go to helle woþes. c 1460 Towneley Myst. iii. 416 Ye shuld not be so spitus standyng in sich a woth. |
B. adj. Dangerous.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 4213 Alla! þat i him [Joseph] ouþer oute-sent, þat wai þat was so wath to wend. Ibid. 28687 To fall in syn hu gret foly,—hu quat [Cotton Galba wathe] it es þar-in to ly. |
Hence † wothely adv. [Icel. váðaliga, MSw. vadhelika, vadelige], dangerously, perilously.
| ? a 1400 Morte Arth. 2090 This gentille..wondes alle wathely, that in the waye stondez! Ibid. 2186, I am wathely woundide, waresche mone I neuer! c 1400 Destr. Troy 8827 Achilles woundit full wothely in were of his lyffe. c 1420 Anturs of Arth. 303 (Thornton) Arthure..Salle be wondede, I wysse, fulle wathely [Douce woþely; Irel. wothelik], I wene. |
▪ II. wothe
var. of woghe wough n.2