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De - Pt| English Dictionary: wretch | by the DICT Development Group |
| 2 results for wretch | |
| From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]: | |
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| From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: | |
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Wretch \Wretch\, n. [OE. wrecche, AS. wrecca, wr[91]cca, an exile, a wretch, fr. wrecan to drive out, punish; properly, an exile, one driven out, akin to AS. wr[91]c an exile, OS. wrekkio a stranger, OHG. reccheo an exile. See {Wreak}, v. t.] 1. A miserable person; one profoundly unhappy. [bd]The wretch that lies in woe.[b8] --Shak. Hovered thy spirit o'er thy sorrowing son, Wretch even then, life's journey just begun? --Cowper. 2. One sunk in vice or degradation; a base, despicable person; a vile knave; as, a profligate wretch. Note: Wretch is sometimes used by way of slight or ironical pity or contempt, and sometimes to express tenderness; as we say, poor thing. [bd]Poor wretch was never frighted so.[b8] --Drayton. | |
