Obs. Forms: 1 wawa, 2–4 wawe, 3–4 wowe, 3 wou. [OE. wáwa = OHG. wêwe, ON. vá:—OTeut. *waiwan-, f. the root *wai-, repr. by OE. wá WOE.] Misery, distress, trouble, sorrow.
α. a. 1000. Genesis, 466 (Gr.). Þat þær yldo bearn moste onceosan godes & yfeles,… welan & wawan.
c. 1000. Ælfric, Gram., xlviii. (Z.), 279. On ðære wæron awritene heofunga … and wawa….Se wawa ʓetacnað þone ecan wawan, ðe ða habbað on hellewite.
c. 1175. Lamb. Hom., 73. He wurð idemed to þolien wawe mid douelen in helle.
a. 1200. Moral Ode, 151, in O. E. Hom., I. 169. Eure he walde her inne wawe and ine wene wunien.
c. 1200. Ormin, 13349. Þatt he shollde wurrþenn harrd To þolenn alle wawenn.
β. c. 1200. Trin. Coll. Hom., 165. Here is … smertinge, sorinesse, werinesse, and oðre wowe muchel.
c. 1205. Lay., 27560. Þar was wowe and sorinisse inowe.
a. 1250. Owl & Night., 414. Al þat ho singeþ hit is for wowe.
a. 1300. Fragm. Seven Sins, I. iii. in E. E. P. (1862), 77. Þis worldis wel nis bot wowe.
c. 1315. Shoreham, VII. 858. Þanne falþ ous rewelyche by kende To soffry wowe.
