wrecan

See also: ƿrecan

Old English

Alternative forms

• ƿrecan — wynn spelling

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *wrekaną (“to pursue, to drive out”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈwre.kɑn/

Verb

wrecan

1. to drive, press

   (a) to drive out, expel

   (b) to drive words out, express

   (c) to drive in, impress, inlay; goldwrecan

2. to wreak anger
3. to punish a person or fault
4. to avenge a person or wrong, to take vengeance on

Conjugation

Conjugation of wrecan (strong class 5)

infinitive	wrecan	wrecenne
indicative mood	present tense	past tense
first person singular	wrece	wræc
second person singular	wricst	wrǣce
third person singular	wricþ	wræc
plural	wrecaþ	wrǣcon
subjunctive	present tense	past tense
singular	wrece	wrǣce
plural	wrecen	wrǣcen
imperative
singular	wrec
plural	wrecaþ
participle	present	past
	wrecende	(ġe)wrecen

Derived terms

• ǣrendwreca
• bewrecan
• forwrecan
• goldwrecan
• oferwrecan
• onwrecan
• scyldwreccende
• tōwrecan
• þeōdwrecan
• þurhwrecan
• wracian
• wreogan
• āwrecan
• ġewrecan

 

Related terms

• wræc
• wrecend

Descendants

• Middle English: wreken
  • English: wreak
  • Scots: wreke, wrek, wreik

References

• Joseph Bosworth and T. Northcote Toller (1898) “wrecan”, in An Anglo-Saxon Dictionary‎^[1], 2nd edition, Oxford: Oxford University Press.