| 释义 |
▪ 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.
a1300Cursor M. 22604 (Edin.), Saint peter sal be domb þat dai,.. For doubt of demsteris wrek [Cott. wreke]. c1340Hampole Pr. Consc. 5338 Howe suld þai þan in þe tyme of wreke Bestille? Ibid. 6101 Þe day of wreke and of vengeaunce. c1400Destr. Troy 12072 Þe sayntis of hell Were wode in hor werkis for wreke of Achilles. c1420Prose Life Alex. 76 Þe wrethe & þe wreke of oure goddez..fallez apon vs. a1500Chester Pl. x. 120 [On] all knaves childer in this Countrey..shall fall the wreake. 1526Tindale Prol. Romans Wks. (1572) 49/1 He describeth the outward conuersation of Christen men, how they ought..to commit wreake and vengeaunce to God. 1559Myrr. Mag. 63 But wrath of man his rancour to requite, Forgets all reason... I mean by rancour the parentall wreke. 1587Turberv. Trag. T. (1837) 158 Such flames of wreake withyn her bowels fride. 1629Sir 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. 1865Reader No. 142. 309/2 Pride and haughty wreak From irreverence begin. 1899Swinburne 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.
c1330R. Brunne Chron. Wace Prol. 202 (Petyt MS.), When god toke wreke of Caym synne. c1375Cursor M. 1156 (Fairf.) Þat I sal take wreke on þe. c1440J. Capgrave St. Kath. v. 61 God..on the puple tho took ful grete wreke. c1460Towneley Myst. xxv. 191, I saide that he shuld..of youre warkys take wreke. 1525Tindale Wks. (Parker Soc. 1849) 229 No man should avenge himself, or seek wreak, no, not by the law. 1576Whetstone Rock of Regard i. 72 Sith fortune threates, to woorke our wreake of ioy, By sowsing of our ship in seas of yre. 1582Batman 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. 1607R. C[arew] tr. Estienne's World Wond. 162 A huswife of Millan..wrought her wreake vpon the fruite of her womb. 1613Chapman Rev. Bussy D'Ambois iii. i. E 4 Dull and drossie in performing Wreake of the deare bloud of my matchless Brother. 1855Singleton Virgil II. 308 Enough of wreak is spent; A passage hath been made among the foes. 1886Burton 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.
1599B. 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. 1599Peele David & B. E ij, They with him conspire, And kill thy sonne in wreake of Thamars wrong. 1606Chapman Gentl. Usher v. i. 123 Death..he shall indure For wreake of that joyes exile I sustaine.
d. The avenging of a person.
1613Chapman 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.
a1300E.E. Psalter xvii. 51 God þat giues wrekes me to. a1547Surrey æneid ii. 750 Of the Grekes the cruel wrekes. c1586C'tess Pembroke Ps. lxxi. xiii, My tongue..[shall] Tell thy wreakes and their disgraces, Who this ill to me procure. 1591Spenser Ruins of Time 397 Where mortall wreakes their blis may not remoue. a1626Bp. 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. a1542Wyatt in Tottel's Misc. (Arb.) 38 Vnkind tongue, to yll hast thou me rendred, For such desert to do me wreke and shame. 1591Spenser Ruins Rome 33 These same olde walls..is that which Rome men call. Behold what wreake, what ruine, and what wast. a1600Montgomerie 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.)
c725Corpus Gloss. (Hessels) T 213 Torquet, uuraec. a1000Riddles 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.
c1250Gen. & 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
a1300Cursor 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.
c1100O.E. Chron. (MS. D.) an. 1076, Sume hi wurdon ᵹeblende, & sume wrecen of lande. a1300Gregory 216 Sche halpe þe pouer and þe lame, þe deuel fram hir for to wreke. 1340Ayenb. 215 Huerout he wrek þo þe zyalde and boȝte ine þe temple.
fig. and transf.1340Ayenb. 189 Huanne he his ssel wreke out of his uelaȝrede. a1400–50Wars 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.
a900Genesis 2508 Þas folc slean, cynn on ceastrum mid cwealmþrea, & his torn wrecan. c1000Ags. Ps. (Thorpe) lxxxiv. 5 Ne wrec þu þine yrre, wraðe mode, of cynne on cynn. c1200Ormin 19606 Forrþ i let he takenn himm To wrekenn hise tene. c1385Chaucer L.G.W. 324 He schal nat ryghtfully his yre wreke. 142126 Pol. Poems 83 Lete not vengeance þy wraþþe wreke. Vengeance is goddis. c1430Syr. Gener. (Roxb.) 4674 Darel roode wel wrothe and yll, For he had not wroken his fill. 1530Palsgr. 785/1, I wreake myne anger. 1577Holinshed Chron., Hist. Eng. I. 231/1 The more to wreake his wrath, the King spoyled many Religious houses of their goodes. 1596Spenser F.Q. iv. ix. 23 As when Dan æolus..Sends forth the winds..Vpon the sea to wreake his fell intent. 1600Holland Livy 323 They were staied..in this sweetnesse of wreaking their anger, and satiating their revenge. 1648Hunting of Fox 10 [The] heart-breaking stile of Enemies: and such Enemies too, as to wreake their malice. 1819Shelley Cenci iv. ii. 23 'Tis my hate and the deferred desire To wreak it, which extinguishes their blood. 1870Bryant Iliad iv. I. 113 So in time to come May Agamemnon wreak his wrath. 1878Seeley Stein III. 315 Stein wreaked his disappointment in unsparing criticism.
transf.1794Wordsw. Guilt & Sorrow 103 The only creature..On whom the elements their rage might wreak. 1817Shelley 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.)
c1200Ormin 19866 Ȝho..þohhte þatt ȝho shollde onn himm Wel wrekenn hire tene. c1374Chaucer Troylus v. 589 Wel hastow lord y-wroke on me Þin Ire. c1375Sc. Leg. Saints vii. (James Minor) 133 Þar-fore þai wrekyt þar wodnes In þis Iamis, callit þe les. 1470–85Malory Arthur iii. vii. 107 Leuer I had ye had wroken your angre vpon me. 1556T. Phaer æneid, iv. (1558) L iij, On my brother fals I wroke my tene. 1588Greene Pandosto (1607) 9 Pandosto..determined to wreake all his wrath on poore Bellaria. 1627Drayton Agincourt ccvi, I neuer will retire, Vntill our Teene vpon the French we wreake. 1697G. Burghope Disc. Relig. Assemb. 180 As tho' they wou'd reak their Malice upon God. 1697Dryden æneis xii. 1233 The moody Sire, to wreak his Hate On Realms. 1749Smollett Regicide Pref., I wreaked my Resentment upon the innocent Cause of my Disgraces. 1761Hume Hist. Eng. lxiv. (1806) IV. 732 The church..persevered in the project of wreaking her own enmity against the nonconformists. 1818M. W. Shelley Frankenstein viii. (1865) 119 That I might wreak the utmost extent of my anger on his head. 1840Dickens Old. C. Shop xiii, The dwarf..wanting somebody to wreak his ill-humour upon. 1871Freeman 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.
1590Spenser F.Q. ii. v. 5 Disleall knight, whose coward courage chose To wreake it selfe on beast all innocent. 1839De Quincey Recoll. Lakes Wks. 1862 II. 186 That the indignation of mankind should have wreaked itself upon the chief monsters. 1850Hawthorne Scarlet L. xiii, In the education of her child, the mother's enthusiasm of thought had something to wreak itself upon. 1887R. 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.
a1586Sidney Sonn. Wks. 1922 II. 303 She hath no other cause of anguish But Thereus love, on her by strong hand wrokne. 1819J. H. Wiffen Aonian Hours 107 To wreak Such love upon the task as [etc.]. 1871Browning Pr. Hohenst. 174 God..Grants each new man..Intercommunication with Himself, Wreaking on finiteness infinitude. 1871B. 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.
c888ælfred Boeth. xli. § 3 Þæt wæs þæt mon wræce & witnode hwone for his yfle. a1122O.E. Chron. (Laud MS.) an. 1090, Se cyng wæs smæᵹende hu he mihte wrecon his broðer Rodbeard, swiðost swencean. a1300Cursor M. 11773 For to wreke þam was he bun Þat þus did cast þair goddes dun. c1460Towneley Myst. xxviii. 186 With the Iues he [sc. Jesus] was so stad, to ded they can hym wreke. a1626Bp. Andrewes 96 Serm. (1661) 165 To wreak our⁓selves for so often offering so foul indignities to Heaven.
transf.a1658Lovelace 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.
c1440Bone Florence 104 He was..all to-brokyn, Ferre travelde in harnes, and of warre wrokyn. 1572Satir. Poems Reform. xxxii. 124 Lat neuer thair micht..Haue strenth or power thame for to hurt or wreik. a1593Marlowe tr. Ovid's Elegies ii. xi. 22 What each one speakes Beleeue, no tempest the beleeuer wreakes [L. credenti nulla procella nocet]. 1683W. 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. c950Lindisf. Gosp. Luke xviii. 5 Forðon woedo uel hefiᵹ wæs me..ðas widiua ic wræco ða ilco. a1122O.E. Chron. (Laud MS.) an. 979, Hine nolden his eorðlican maᵹas wrecan. c1205Lay. 27612 Cumeð hidere to me, and wreke we Beduer min æm. c1250Gen. & Ex. 1856 Symeon and leui it bi-speken, And hauen here sister ðor i-wreken. c1320Sir Tristr. 3295 Mani on slain þer lay... Ful wele wreken er þay. 13..Sir Beues (A.) 4466 Wrekeþ ȝour fader wiþ ȝour miȝtes. a1400–50Wars Alex. 855 Þe wee in his wreth wrekis his modire. c1450Merlin xxv. 451 Thei thought well to be wroken whan thei saugh tyme. a1500Chester Pl. v. 101 Therfore how will I wroken be? 1530Palsgr. 454/1 He wyll be wroken whan you shall thynke lest. 1586J. Hooker Hist. Irel. in Holinshed II. 13/1 He counteth it for a sufficient reuenge, that he can reuenge and be wreaked. 1765in Percy Reliques I. 106 And soon i' the Gordon's foul hartis bluid He's wroken his dear ladie. 1872Tennyson Gareth & Lynette 355 Grant me some knight to..Kill the foul thief, and wreak me for my son.
refl.c1200Trin. Coll. Hom. 179 Ne wrec þu þe mid wussinge ne mid warienge. a1225Ancr. R. 186 Ne wrekie ȝe nout ou suluen, ne ne grucche ȝe nout. 1377Langl. P. Pl. B. v. 85 To wreke hymself he þouȝte With werkes or with wordes whan he seighe his tyme. c1407Lydg. Reson & Sens. 369 Antropos, hir self to wreke, Doth ful many thredes breke. c1470Henry Wallace i. 310 Will God I leiffe, we sall ws wreke on part. a1500Chester Pl. xiv. 267, I am as wroth as I may be, And some way I will wreak me. 1530Palsgr. 785/1 If thou cannest nat wreake the, byte the poste. 1596Spenser F.Q. v. viii. 44 How worthily..Iustice that day of wrong her selfe had wroken. 1606L. Bryskett Civ. Life 70 They that by combat seeke to wreake themselues. 1659Somner 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.
c950Lindisf. Gosp. Luke xviii. 3 Widiua..cuoeð wræc ðu mec of wiðerworde minum. 993Battle of Maldon 279 He his sincᵹyfan on þam sæmannum wurðlice wrec. a1200Vices & Virtues 5 Ðanne ᵹelpð he ðat he is wel iwreken of his unwine. c1205Lay. 12210 [To] wreken uppen [c 1275 vppe] Maximien Valentin & Gratien. c1250Gen. & Ex. 2028 Ȝhe ðhenkeð on him for to ben wreken. c1330Arth. & Merl. 5962 (Kölbing), Þe king..Wele him wrake of his foman. 1362Langl. P. Pl. A. ii. 169, I wolde be wreken on þis [B. ii. 194 wroke of þo] wrecches. a1400Prymer (1891) 31 In oure lordes name, y am wroken in hem. c1450Mirk's Festial i. 88 Lorde,..þou wreke me apon þis man. 1480Caxton Trevisa's Higden (1482) 358 b, He wold be wroken vpon kyng rychard. 1575Gascoigne Dan Barth., Dol. Disc. 50 The Goddesse of revenge devisde So to bee wreackt on my rebelling wyll. 1596Spenser 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.1390Gower Conf. II. 148 Be war forthi thou be noght sik Of thilke fievere [sc. jealousy]..For it wol in him⁓self be wroke. c1520Skelton Magnyf. 1566 That on suche a female my flesshe wolde be wroken. 1561Norton & Sackv. Gorboduc iv. i, Canst thou hope..that these handes will not be wrooke on thee? 1592Shakes. Rom. & Jul. iii. v. 102 To wreake the Loue I bore my Cozin, Vpon his body that hath slaughter'd him.
refl.c1200Ormin 914 God wollde himm wrekenn o þe preost. c1205Lay. 15052 Wrekeð eow ȝif ȝe cunnen of Sexisce monnen. a1300Cursor M. 11963 Vr neghburs mai þam on vs wreke. 1338R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 46 Of fals Edrik fayn wild he him wreke. c1385Chaucer L.G.W. 395 Balade, Hym deynyth nat to wreke hym on a flye. c1450Crt. of Love 702 She saw an egle wreke him on a fly. a1542Wyatt Poet. Wks. (1913) I. 131 Comfort thy self my wofull hert, Or shortly on thy self the wreke. 1561Norton & Sackv. Gorboduc ii. i, Attempt redresse by armes, and wreake your-self Upon his life. 1604Parsons 3rd Pt. Three Convers. Eng. 192 The Duke thought best to vse this mans meanes, to wreake himselfe of the said Bishops. 1611Chapman Widowes T. iii. i, That I may wreake my selfe vpon my selfe. 1730T. Boston Mem. x. (1899) 292 They usually wreaking themselves on the ministers as the cause of all public evils. c1830in Child Ball III. 438/1 He micht hae spared my lady's life, And wreakit himsell on me! 1872Tennyson 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.
1340–70Alisaunder 76 Þe King was carefull in hert, Till hee were wroken of þe wrong. c1386Chaucer Frankl. T. 56 On euery wrong a man may nat be wreken. a1400–50Wars Alex. 3199 He will me wreke on ȝoure werke wers þan of thefes. c1430Syr Gener. (Roxb.) 4634 Be wroke he wold of sum thing. c1450Erle Tolous 1028 Syth hyt ys soo, Cryste wreke hur of hur woo. a1529Skelton Col. Cloute 600 Then ye wyll be wroken Of euery lyght quarell. 1535Stewart Cron. Scot. (Rolls) I. 34 To find ane way of Pechtis to be wrok Of thair injure. 1590Spenser F.Q. ii. v. 21 Stirring to be wroke Of his late wrongs. 15912nd Pt. Troub. Raigne K. John (1611) 73 Tis Gods decree to wreake us of these harmes.
refl.c1386Chaucer Can. Yeom. Prol. & T. 620 On his falshede fayn wolde I me wreke, If I wiste how. c1470Henry Wallace v. 22 About the park thai set..With vi hundreth.., All likly men, to wrek thaim of thar harmes. 1577Holinshed Chron. II. 606/2 The man..wanted nothing but faithful subiectes to haue wroken himselfe of such wrongs. 1578T. 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. c1450Cov. 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
1377Langl. 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. c825Vesp. Psalter lxxviii. 10 Wrec blod ðiowa ðinra ðæt agoten is. c1205Lay. 19365 He þohten hider wenden & wræken his fader wunden. a1300Cursor M. 17332 Mi⁓self es sett to wrek þe wrang. c1300Havelok 327 Þat non ne mihte comen hire to..with hir to speken, Þat euere mihte hire bale wreken. 1382Wyclif Deut. xxxii. 43 For the blood of his seruauntis he shal wreek. c1400Destr. Troy 1750 Now [is] tyme..To mene vs with manhode & our mys wreke. 1471Ripley 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. a1525Vergilius in Thoms E.E. Prose Rom. (1858) II. 23 When wyll you wreke your faders dethe? 1581A. Hall Iliad ix. 169 Yet list he not their wretched woe to wreake. 1587Turberv. Trag. T. (1837) 141 The dome divine..Yet strikes at last, and surely wreakes the wrong. 1596Spenser F.Q. iv. xi. 5 For of a womans hand it was ywroke, That of the wound he yet in languor lyes. c1622Fletcher Prophetess ii. ii, Lend me your helping hands To wreak the Parricide. 1700Dryden Ovid's Met. xii. 338 Arms, Arms, the double-form'd with Fury call; To wreak their Brother's Death. 1813Scott 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. 1887Swinburne 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).
a900Juliana 204 Þonne ic nyde sceal..on þære grimmestan godscyld wrecan. a1300Cursor M. 2586 Wroken on þaim sal be þat wrang. 1375Barbour Bruce xii. 227 Wreik on thame the mekill ill That thai and tharis has done vs till. 1423Jas. I Kingis Q. lxix, On my-self bene al my harmys wrokin. 1577Holinshed Chron., Hist. Scot. I. 390/1 That he might haue wroken his grief vpon him. 1590Spenser F.Q. iii. xi. 15 Perhaps this hand may..wreake your sorrow on your cruell foe. 1717Pope Iliad ix. 684 She..call'd the powers beneath On her own son to wreak her brother's death. 1882Tennyson Promise of May i. 507 Why then the crowd May wreak my wrongs upon my wrongers. 1883R. W. Dixon Mano i. xii. 37 On him, [I] beseech thee, wreak my wrongs amain.
†c. To vindicate (something). Obs.
c140026 Pol. Poems 18 God biddeþ vengeaunce hiȝe, And helpe trouþe be wel wroken. 1589R. 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.
c888ælfred Boeth. xxxviii. §7 Þæt is þonne hiora mildsung þæt mon wrece hiora unðeawas be hiora ᵹewyrhtum. c897― Gregory's Past. C. xlix. 383 Ðæt he ða gyltas..wrece on scyldeᵹum monnum. 971Blickl. Hom. 185 Swa se wer hit wreceþ ᵹif his wif hie forhealdeþ. c1200Trin. Coll. Hom. 161 Godes wrake cumeð on þis woreld to wrekende on sun⁓fulle men here gultes. a1240Lofsong in O.E. Hom. I. 209 Ne bi-hold þu ham [sc. sins] nout leste þu wreoke ham on me. c1250Gen. & Ex. 3067 So sal ðin hardnesse ben wreken, ðat men sulen longe ðor-after speken. 1338R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 77 Þat wikkednes, þat men suld haf wroken. a1375Lay Folks Mass Bk. App. iv. 395 Þat god may wreke Euerich a word þat we speke. 1481Caxton Reynard xix. (Arb.) 46 A! reynart that ye now al thus haue your wyl I pray god to wreke it. 1596Spenser F.Q. vi. ii. 22 There gan he..with bitter wracke To wreake on me the guilt of his owne wrong. 1610Beaum. & 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.
c1489Caxton Sonnes of Aymon i. 30 That ye make punyssyon thereof and wrek on hym grete vengaunce. 1700Dryden Sigism. & Guisc. 589 He left the Dame, Resolv'd..To wreak his Vengeance, and to cure her Love. 1758P. Williamson Life & Adventures (1812) 39 So desirous was every man to have a share in wreaking his revenge on them [sc. dead Indians]. 1772Priestley Inst. Relig. (1782) I. 412 Xerxes..wreaked his vengeance upon Babylon. 1809W. Irving Knickerb. iv. vii, An historian springs up, who wreaks ample chastisement on it [sc. a nation] in return. 1855Paley æschylus Pref. (1861) p. xxv, Till vengeance had been wreaked for the wrongs suffered in life. 1872Tennyson Gareth & Lynette 1236 Thou hast wreak'd his justice on his foes. 1899Swinburne 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.)
1817Shelley 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. 1865Dickens Mut. Fr. iii. ii, [In] the fog..the unpopular steamer..always was..wreaking destruction upon somebody or something. 1880Daily News 22 Sept., Landslips..are looked for and wreak but little harm. 1926A. Christie Murder of R. Ackroyd xx. 239 Annie is not allowed to wreak havoc with a dustpan and brush. 1976B. 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. 1978C. 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. 1983Times 21 Nov. 7/7 Moko, the banana disease, has already wreaked havoc on the trade. 1984Daily 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.
1817Shelley Rev. Islam i. x, The wreathed Serpent..did ever seek Upon his enemy's heart a mortal wound to wreak. 1849Meredith in Chambers' Edin. Mag. July 16/2 There the murder-mouthed artillery..Wrok the thunder of its treachery On the skeleton brigade. 1897F. Thompson New Poems 55 Though they wreak Upon me stroke and again stroke.
9. With out. To exact by way of punishment.
1879A. 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.
c825Vesp. Psalter cxvii. 12 In noman dryhtnes ic wreocu in him. c897ælfred Gregory's Past. C. lvi. 435 Ic wrice on eow æfter eowrum ᵹeðeahte. c1000Ags. Ps. (Thorpe) cxlix. 7 Mid þy hi wrecan þenceað wraðum cynnum. a1200Vices & Virtues 77 Lat him wreke ðe is riht deme ouer ðe liuiende. a1225Leg. Kath. 2049 Hu wrakeliche, wenestu, wule he, al o wraððe, wreken on þe, wrecche! a1325Prose 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. a1500Ratis Raving 2786 Thai here glaidly, and lytill spekis, Laith for to crab and seldin wrekis. c1614Sir W. Mure Dido & æneas iii. 252 Fy, now ȝowr oares employ, Sack, wreak, revenge, demolish and destroy!
Hence ˈwreaking vbl. n.
a1300Cursor M. 19336 (Edin.), Queþir ȝie wil driue on us þe blame Of ani wreking of [Fairf. on] þis name. c1374Chaucer Boeth. iv. met. vii. (1868) 147 Agamenon..purged in wrekyng by þe destruccioun of troie þe loste chambres of mariage of hys broþer. c1440York Myst. xxix. 323 Thy wordis and werkis will haue a wrekyng. a1638Mede Wks. (1672) 298 When our hearts..tell us it is but the wreaking of our Malice. 1692R. 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.
1579Spenser Sheph. Cal. Dec. 29 What wreaked I of wintrye ages waste. 1592R. Johnson Nine Worthies F j, He layde him downe like one that wreaked no guerdon to this grace. 1594Selimus 200, I wreake not of their foolish ceremonies. 1600[see reck v. 3 a]. 1683G. 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 |