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wrecan

  • verb [ strong ]
Dictionary links
Grammar
wrecan, p. wræc, pl. wrǽcon; pp. wrecen
Wright's OE grammar
§505;
To drive, press
Show examples

  • Wraec

    aegit,

      Wrt. Voc. ii. 99, 43.

  • Uuraec

    torquet,

      122, 50.

  • Wræc

    egit, i. ducit, compulit,

      Wülck. Gl. 227, 6.

  • Wrecende, drífende

    agens,

      Wrt. Voc. ii. l, 3.

  • I.

    to drive, force to move

    :-- Hwílum mec mín freá sendeþ under sǽlwonge, and on bid wriceþ,
      Exon. Th. 382, 29 ; Rä. 4, 3.

  • Ýða wrǽcon árleásra feorh of flǽschoman,

      Cd. Th. 83, 25 ; Gen. 1385.

  • Hwá mec on síð wrǽce,

      Exon. Th. 380, 39; Rä. 2, 2.

  • Wearð ecgum sweorda blondenfexa on bíd wrecen,

      Beo. Th. 5917; B. 2962.

  • Mé þurh hrycg wrecen hongaþ under án orþoncpíl. Exon. Th. 403,

      21; Rä. 22, 11.

  • Sume wurdon wrecen of lande. Chr. 1076 ; Erl. 214, 38. I a.

    to drive out, expel

    :-- Wreceþ heó wráðan, weorpeþ út áttor,
      Lchdm. iii. 32, 25.

  • Ferh ellen wræc. Beo. Th. 5406; B. 2706. I b. to drive out words, to express in words,

    utter, recite

    :-- Ic ðis giedd wrece . . . , mínre sylfre síð.
      Exon. Th. 441, 18; Kl. 1.

  • Cleopaþ se alda, wriceþ wordcwedas,

      Cd. Th. 267, 8; Sat. 35.

  • Hí sittaþ set symble, sóðgied wrecaþ,

      Exon. Th. 314, 17 ; Mód. 15.

  • Hé gyd æfter wræc,

      Beo. Th. 4315; B. 2154.

  • Hwæt mid gieddungum guman oft wrecan,

      Exon. Th. 347, 14; Sch. 12.

  • Ðonne hé gyd wrece, sárigne sang,

      Beo. Th. 4884; B. 2446.

  • Monna gehwone ðe ðis gied wrǽce,

      Exon. Th. 285, 25; Jul. 719.

  • Sculan wé martira gemynd áreccan, wrecan wordum forð, wisse gesingan,

      Menol. Fox 139; Men. 70: Beo. Th. 1750; B. 873: 6325; B. 3173: Exon. Th. 306, 2; Seef.
Wæs gid oft wrecen, Beo. Th. 2135 ; B. 1065 : Andr. Kmbl. 3094; An. 1550. I c.
to drive in, impress, inlay [
Show examples

  • Goldwreken spere,

      Chart. Th. 556, 24.
  • Icel. gull-rekinn inlaid with gold]. I d. to drive, practise, carry out or on :-- Sóð líf ys on ðam ðæt man wrece his willan vita in voluntate ejus, Ps. Th. 29, 4. I e. to drive (intrans.),

    press on

    :-- Stápon stíðhýdige, stundum wrǽcon, þrungon þræchearde,
      Elen. Kmbl. 242 ; El. 121.

  • Ðú scealt wídlást wrecan,

      Cd. Th. 62, 28; Gen. 1021.

  • Wrecan on wáðe wíde sended

    sent driving (?) wide on the chase,

      Exon. Th. 381, 14; Rä. 2, 11.
to wreak anger, etc.
Show examples

  • Hí tredaþ ðec, and hyra torn wrecaþ,

      Exon. Th. 119, 24; Gú. 259.

  • Ne wrec ðú ðíne yrre

    ut non irascaris.

      Ps. Th. 84, 5.

  • Wrecaþ Godes yrre on ðám mannum,

      Ex. 32, 27.

  • Ðæt wé magon wrecan Godes yrre on ðám mannum,

      32, 26 : Cd. Th. 152, 34; Gen. 2530.

  • Ðás folc sleán, and his torn wrecan,

      151, 13; Gen. 2508.
to punish,
absolute
Show examples

  • Ǽlc wyrd is nyt ðara ðe áuþer déþ, oððe lǽrþ, oþþe wricþ

    'fortuna, quae aut exercet, aut corrigit, prodest,

      Bt. 40, 2; Fox 236, 16.
to punish a person
(dat.)
Show examples

  • Parcas, ða hí secgaþ, ðæt on nánum men nyton náne are, ac ǽlcum menn wrecan be his gewyrhtum,

      Bt. 35, 6; Fox 168, 26.

  • Ðæt mon wrǽce and wítnode hwone for his yfle,

      41, 3 ; Fox 248, 7.

  • Mid ðý hí wrecan þenceaþ wráðum cynnum

    ad faciendam vindictam in nationibus,

      Ps. Th. 149, 7.
to punish a fault
Show examples

  • Se ðe ungemetlíce wricð ða scylda

    immaniter feriendo quod delinquitur,

      Past. 20; Swt. 149, 23.

  • Suá wé hér hiera synna wrecaþ suíðor

    quanta hic eorum culpas sine vindicta disciplina nostra non deserit,

    17 ;
      Swt. 119, 1.

  • Ic wundrige . . . for hwý God yfel sóna ne wrece (

    mala impunita praetereant),

      Bt. 36, 1; Fox 172, 7.
  • Gif him mon hýran nelle, þonne mót se mæssepreóst hit wrecan, swá hit hér beboden is. Blickl. Homl. 49, 3.
to punish a person (dat.) for a fault (acc. or
clause)
Show examples

  • Ongset gumena aldor hwæt him Waldend wræc wíteswingum,

      Cd. Th. 112, l; Gen. 1864.

  • Títus com mid herige and him wræc ðæt hié heora cyning on róde áhéngon,

      Blickl. Homl. 79, 11.

  • Ðæt sceal wrecan swefyl and sweart líg sáre and grimme hǽðnum folce,

      Cd. Th. 145, 32 ; Gen. 2414.
where hurt is inflicted on account of injury,
to avenge,
absolute
Show examples

  • Se wrecenda brynæ

    vindex ardor,

      Dóm. L. 154.

  • Be ðam wrecendan ǽr hé him rihtes bídde,

      L. In. 9 ; Th. i. 108, 3.

  • Wrecendum lígum

    flammis ullricibus,

      Bd. 5, 14; S. 634, 27.
to avenge a person
Show examples

  • Ic wrece (wræco, Lind.) hig

    vindicabo illam,

      Lk. Skt. 18, 5.

  • Nú hine man wricð

    en sanguis ejus exquiritur,

      Gen. 42, 22.

  • Hé wræc ðone aldormon,

      Chr. 755 ; Erl. 48, 24.

  • Sélre bið ǽghwæm ðæt hé his freónd wrece, ðonne hé fela murne,

      Beo. Th. 2774; B. 1385.

  • Ða ðe þeóf wrecon,

      L. Ath. i. 6; Th. i. 202, 19.

  • Ðæt beorna gehwylc Byrhtnóð wrǽce,

      Byrht. Th. 139, 21 ; By. 257.

  • Se ðe þeóf wrecan wille, and nánne man ne gewundige,

      L. Ath. i. 6 ; Th. i. 202, 20: 20; Th. i. 210, 10: v. 1, 5; Th. i. 230, 10.

  • Gif man ðone twelfhyndan man wrecan sceolde, hé bið fulwrecan on syx ceorlum,

      L. 0. 13; Th. i. 182, 20.

  • Hine nolden his eorðlícan mágas wrecan,

      Chr. 979; Erl. 129, 12.

  • Heora weras wrecan ultionem caesorum conjugum consequi, Ors. 1, 10; Swt. 44, 32: Beo. Th. 2683; B. 1339: 3097; B. 1546. (b l)

    to avenge

    a person on some one :-- Hé his sincgyfan on, ðám sǽmannum wrec,
      Byrht. Th. 139, 64; By. 279.

  • Wrec (wræc, Lind. ) mé wið mínne wiðerwinnan

    uindica me de adversaria meo,

      Lk. Skt. 18, 3.

  • Ðæt mé beam wrǽce on bonan feore,

      Exon. Th. 401, 27; Rä. 21,18.

  • Se ðe wrecan þenceþ freán on folce,

      Byrht. Th. 139, 23; By. 258.
to avenge a wrong
Show examples

  • Se wer hit wreceþ, gif his wíf hié forhealdeþ,

      Blickl. Homl. 185, 26.

  • Ic wræc Wedera níð,

      Beo. Th. 850; B. 423: 3343; B. 1669.

  • Heó ða fǽnde wræc, ðe ðú Grendel cwealdest,

      2671; B. 1333.

  • Wrecaþ ealdne níð,

      Exon. Th. 280, 3; Jul. 623.

  • Swerie hé ðæt hé wítnunge ne wrece,

      L. Eth. vii. 17 ; Th. i. 332, 22.

  • Ða dǽde wrece swíðe deópe se ðe cyning sý on þeóde,

      L. E. G. 12 ; Th. i. 174, 10 : L. Eth. ix. 34; Th. i. 348, 10.
  • Hé sceal Cristes ábilgðe wrecan swíþe georne, 2 ; Th. i. 340, 15 : L. C. S. 40; Th. i. 400, 10.

  • Wé úrne teónan wrecan, and ðone þeóf lecgean,

      L. Ath. v. 8, 3 , Th. i. 236, 18.
  • Se ðe úre ealra teónan wrǽce, v. 7; Th. i. 234, 21.

  • Nán man ðæt ne wrǽce, ne bóte ne bidde, L. Eth. ii. 6; Th. i. 288, 3. (c 1)

    to avenge

    a wrong on some one :-- Ðá wræc hé his æfþancas on his feóndum,
      Guthl. 2; Gdwin. 14, 4.

  • Ðæt hig wrecon mihton heora teónrǽdenne mid tintergum on him

    ut reddamus ei, quae in nos operatus est,

      Jud. 15, 11.

  • Ic sceal on ðære grimmestan godscyld wrecan,

      Exon. Th. 254, 29; Jul. 204.

  • Nó ic wrecan meahte on wigan feore wonnsceaft mine,

      499, 14; Rä. 88, 15.
to take vengeance (on)
Show examples

  • Ic wreocu in him

    vindicator in eis,

      Ps. Surt. 117, 12.

  • Ic wræc on him

    ultus sum in eos,

      Ps. Spl. 117, 11.

  • Wreocende ic earn hié

    ultus sum eos, Ps. Surt. 117, 10, 11. ¶ of the action of the Deity :-- Dryhte. i cwæð : 'Ic wrice on eów (visitabo super vos )

    æfter eówruni geðeahte.' Ðý ne wricð Dryhten nó gelíce ða gesiredan synne and ða fǽrlíce ðurhtogenan,
      Past. 56; Swt. 435, 12.

  • Ic wrece fædera unrihtwísnysse on bearnurn

    ego sum Deus visitans iniquitatem in filios.

      Ex. 20, 5 : Deut. 5, 9.

  • Ic hit wrece on eów

    ego ultor existam,

      18, 19.

  • Ðú wrices

    vin[di]cas, Ps.

      Surt. 50, 6.

  • Héwricð his þeówas

    sanguinem servorum suorum ulciscetur,

      Deut. 32, 43.

  • Drihten wreceþ þearfendra

    faciet Dominus vindictam pauperum,

      Ps. Th. 139, 12.

  • God hit suíðe hrædlíce wræc

    vox illius irae vindictam aperte pertulit,

      Past. 4 ; Swt. 39, 20.

  • Hygeteónan wræc Metod on monnum,

      Cd. Th. 83, 16; Gen. 1380.

  • Wrec ágen blód esna ðínra vindica sanguinem servorum tuorum, Ps. Th. 78, II. Hú ne wrǽce hit God?

    nonne Deus requiret ista ?

      43, 22.

  • Ðú miht wrecan ǽghwylcne mann

    Deus ultionum,

      93, 1.

  • Wrecende

    (ulciscens)

    on eallum wiðmétednyssa heora,
      Ps. Spl. 98, 9.

  • Tó wreoganne bine hí gecýgdon

    ad aemulationem eum provocavenmt,

      77, 64.

  • Wreocende

    vindicans,

      Ps. Surt. 98, 8.

  • Dryhten wreocende wes

    Dominus zelatus est,

    ii. p.
      193, 27.
Etymology
[ 1. Ðe bones ut of ðe erðe wroken, Gen. and Ex. 3191. Þon watȝ wroken fro uch a woþe, Allit. Pms. 12, 375. He his ssel wreke out of his uelaȝrede, Ayenb. 189, 33. Huerout he wrek þo þe zyalde and boȝte ine þe temple, 215, 7. Þe deuel fram hir for to wreke, Greg. 216. 2. Heo hine wreken wolden, wreken hine of his unwines, Laym. 1627. Heo wreken heore cun, 13749. Godd wollde nimm wrekenn o þe preost, Orm. 914. For te wreken þe, A. R. 286, 13. On him for to ben wreken, Gen. and Ex. 2028. Leste þu wreoke mine sunnen on me, O. E. Homl. i. 209, 30. Þat micte hire bale wreken, Havel. 327. Goth. wrikan to persecute: O. Sax. wrecan to punish, avenge: O. Frs. wreka: O. H. Ger. rechan ulcisci, vindicare, retribuere, punire: Icel. reka to drive; to take vengeance.]
Similar entries
v. á-, be-, for-, ge-, ofer-, on-, tó-, þeód-, þurh-wrecan; uu-wrecen, scyld-wreccende.
Linked entries
v.  wracian a-wrecan wreogan.
Entry information
Citation

Bosworth, Joseph. “wrecan.” In An Anglo-Saxon Dictionary Online, edited by Thomas Northcote Toller, Christ Sean, and Ondřej Tichy. Prague: Faculty of Arts, Charles University, 2014. https://bosworthtoller.com/36617.

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  • wrecan, v.

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