sorwe

Middle English

Etymology 1

From the oblique cases of Old English sorg, from Proto-West Germanic *sorgu, from Proto-Germanic *surgō.

Forms with /ɛ/, /œ/ are influenced by Old English *sergian, *seorgian, variants of sorgian (“to commiserate”), while forms with /a/ and the "physical pain" sense are probably due to influence from sory (“sad”).

Alternative forms

• sorewe, sorȝe, sorou, sorow, sorowe, soru, sorue, sorw
• sorege, soreȝe, sorwȝe (Early Middle English); sorhe (AB language); serrȝhe (Ormulum)
• sarow, sarowe, sorew, soro, sorogh, sorough, sorrow, sorrowe, sowrro, sowrrou (Late Middle English)
• sorouȝ (Essex); zorȝe (Kent); sorugh, soruwe (Southeastern)
• serewe, serow, serwe (mostly Southwest Midland); seorewe, seorwe, seoruwe (early Southwest Midland)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈsɔrwə/, /ˈsɔrɔu̯(ə)/, /ˈsɔruː/
• IPA^(key): /ˈzɛrwə/, /ˈzɛriu̯(ə)/, /ˈzœr-/ (Southwest Midland)

Noun

sorwe (plural sorwes or (less common) sorwen)

1. Sorrow, sadness, or anxiety:
   1. Regret, contrition, or repentance.
   2. An instance or outbreak of sorrow.
      • Chaucer, Troilus and Criseyde Book III, ll.950

        […] ech of yow see others sorwes smerte.

   3. A cause of sorrow; a hardship.
2. Iniquity, wrongdoing, evil:
   1. Disquiet or resentment; a lack of satisfaction.
   2. Damage; the infliction of harm.
3. Hardship, misfortune, suffering:
   1. A calamitous event; a trouble.
   2. Physical pain (especially as torture or disease).
   3. The ache of love; lovesickness.

Related terms

• sorweful
• sorwefully
• sorwefulnesse
• sorweles
• sorwen
• sorwenesse

Descendants

• English: sorrow
• Middle Scots: sorow, sorrow
  • Scots: sorra

Etymology 2

Verb

sorwe

1. alternative form of sorwen