WRETCH

wretch

(noun) performs some wicked deed

Source: WordNet® 3.1


Etymology 1

Noun

wretch (plural wretches)

An unhappy, unfortunate, or miserable person.

An unpleasant, annoying, worthless, or despicable person.

(archaic) An exile.

Etymology 2

Verb

wretch (third-person singular simple present wretches, present participle wretching, simple past and past participle wretched)

Misspelling of retch.

Source: Wiktionary


Wretch, n. Etym: [OE. wrecche, AS. wrecca, wræcca, an exile, a wretch, fr. wrecan to drive out, punish; properly, an exile, one driven out, akin to AS. wræc an exile, OS. wrekkio a stranger, OHG. reccheo an exile. See Wreak, v. t.]

1. A miserable person; one profoundly unhappy. "The wretch that lies in woe." 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. "Poor wretch was never frighted so." Drayton.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition



RESET




Word of the Day

26 February 2025

ACRIMONIOUS

(adjective) marked by strong resentment or cynicism; “an acrimonious dispute”; “bitter about the divorce”


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Coffee Trivia

The world’s most expensive coffee costs more than US$700 per kilogram. Asian palm civet – a cat-like creature in Indonesia, eats fruits, including select coffee cherries. It excretes partially digested seeds that produce a smooth, less acidic brew of coffee called kopi luwak.

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