Obs. Forms: α. 2 wandrede, wondrede, 3 wandreðe, wondraðe, -reaðe, red(e), -reðe, wontreaðe, -rede, -reðe, 3–4 wandret, 3–7 wandreth, 4 wandred, wandreht, wandretht, wanderet, wanedrethe, 4–5 wandrethe, 6 Sc. wandrecht. β. 2–3 wanred(e, 4 wonryde. γ. 6 Sc. wander. [a. ON. vandrǽði neut., difficulty, trouble, f. vand-r, difficult + rǽði management, related to ráð neut. = OE. rǽd counsel, REDE sb. With this use of rǽði cf. the cognate OE. rǽden, -rǽden, -RED, though the ON. word did not lose its meaning and become a mere suffix.
The β forms seem to be merely phonetic variants due to the dropping of d between n and r; that wanrede is an etymologizing perversion (as if f. WAN- + REDE) is less probable. The 16th-c. Sc. wander is similarly of phonetic origin, though confusion with WANDER sb. may have assisted the development.]
Misery, distress, hardship; adversity, poverty.
Often alliteratively coupled with woe or contrasted with weal.
α. c. 1175. Lamb. Hom., 157. Þe halie Men scedden hate teres … hwenne ho iseȝen hore emcristene wandrede þolie oðer in seknesse bifalle.
c. 1200. Ormin, 4846. He shall Þe gifenn eche blisse, Onngæn all þatt wanndraþ & wa.
c. 1205. Lay., 12511. We beoð ofte hider ifaren mid wandreðe & mid fare.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 156. Godes þreatunge is wondreðe & weane ine licome & ine soule, world a buten ende!
c. 1230. Hali Meid., 9. Worldliche wunne þat tu wendes to biȝeten, & hauest ifunden weane þrin, & wondraðe [v.r. wontreðe] riue.
a. 1240. Lofsong, in O. E. Hom., I. 213. Louerd ich … wulle luuien þe more … þurh þis wondred þen er in al mine weole.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 5787. Þai ar in wandret and in waa.
c. 1325. Metr. Hom., 23. For it [hali kirk] and pouer men hauis bathe Of wer and wandreht al the schathe. Ibid., 73. Fore worldes wandretht and pouerte Haldes meknes in many mans herte.
1357. Lay Folks Catech. (T.), 433. Euenly to sofir the wele and the wa, Welthe or wandreth, whethir so betides.
a. 1400[?]. Morte Arth., 384. Now he wylnez the were, hys wanedrethe begynnys.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 11514. For bettur is a buerne by hym sum pes, þan in wandreth & woo to wepe all his lyue.
c. 1460. Towneley Myst., xv. 127. Greatt god, as he well may, That shope both nyght and day, ffrom wandreth he vs were, And shame.
1500–20. Dunbar, Poems, lxxi. 33. Grit wer and wandrecht hes bene ws amang, Sin thy departing.
1570. Satir. Poems Reform., xxii. 41. Bludie tirranie, Wandreth, wanrest, feirfull ambitioun.
1680. in Proc. Soc. Antiq. Scot., XLV. 242. That … reproacht party … which can hardly get leave to live on earth for a pack of ministers and professers, mickle wo and wandreth com on them.
β. c. 1200. Trin. Coll. Hom., 43. Woreldes richeise wecheð orgel on mannes heorte … wanrede wecheð on mannes heorte ortruwe.
a. 1400[?]. Morte Arth., 707. Thy wonrydez and thy wepynge woundez myne herte.
γ. 1535. Stewart, Chron. Scot. (Rolls), III. 334. And all hir cair scho hes maid to him kend; How scho wes put to sic wander and wo. Hir lord wes slane, hir self seigit also.
1535. Lyndesay, Satyre, 2068 (Bannatyne MS.). Ilk man hes me now at dispyte, That reidis the New Testment: Wander be to thame [ed. 1601 Duill to the braine] that it wrocht.
1557. Satir. Poems Reform., xxv. 41. God … Provydet and guyded Hir to ane vncouth land, Whair wander & sclander With enemeis none sho fand.
