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wretched

views updated Jun 08 2018

wretch·ed / ˈrechid/ • adj. (-ed·er, -ed·est) (of a person) in a very unhappy or unfortunate state: I felt so wretched because I thought I might never see you again. ∎  of poor quality; very bad: the wretched conditions of the slums. ∎  used to express anger or annoyance: she disliked the wretched man intensely.DERIVATIVES: wretch·ed·ly adv. a wretchedly poor country.wretch·ed·ness n.

The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English

wretch

views updated May 14 2018

wretch / rech/ • n. an unfortunate or unhappy person: can the poor wretch's corpse tell us anything? ∎ inf. a despicable or contemptible person: ungrateful wretches.

The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English

wretch

views updated Jun 11 2018

wretch †exile; miserable being; despicable person OE.; †niggard, miser XIV. OE. wreċċa = OS. wrekkio (applied to the Magi), OHG. (w)recch(e)o exile, adventurer, knight errant (G. recke warrior, hero):- WGmc. *wrakjan-, f. *wrak- (see WREAK).

The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology T. F. HOAD

wretched

views updated May 23 2018

wretched marked by distress or misery XII; contemptible XIII. f. WRETCH + -ED2; for the unusual formation cf. WICKED.

The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology T. F. HOAD

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