Writhen

ppl. a. Also 4 writhun, 6 -yne, 4–9 wrythen. [pa. pple. of WRITHE v.¹ Cf. WREATHEN ppl. a.]

  1.  Subjected to writhing, twisting or turning; twisted out of regular shape or form; contorted; † also, closed, clenched (quot. 1377). a. Of things.

13[?].  K. Alis., 5723 (Laud MS.). A griselich best…; Teeþ he had so wreþen wriþen.

1377.  Langl., P. Pl., B. XVII. 174. Þe wrythen fuste, or the werkmanschip of fyngres.

1483.  in Arnold’s Chron. (1811), 116. Item a peir of coral beedis, the gawdies gilt wrythen.

1520.  in Archaeologia, LIII. 14. One playn paten chased yn the foote w^t a wrythen knope.

1564.  Bullein, Dial. agst. Pest., 44 b. A writhen arme of the tree.

1597.  Bp. Hall, Sat., IV. iv. 33. Some smoked beeve, Hang’d on a writhen wythe.

1611.  Cotgr., Grugeons, the … most writhen fruit on a tree.

1668.  Culpepper & Cole, Barthol. Anat., I. xx. 53. In Men this Neck is more long-round, narrow, and a little writhen.

1689.  Moyle, Sea Chyrurg., II. xiii. 61. The Muscles bruised and writhen.

1725.  Pope, Odyss., VIII. 506. Dread Jove (whose arm in vengeance forms The writhen bolt).

1747.  Hooson, Miner’s Dict., U j b. Curl’d Stone … has … writhen Lumps in it.

1850.  Allingham, Poems, Music-master, II. xv. The writhen elder spreads its creamy bloom.

1865.  Swinburne, Poems & Ball., At Eleusis, 72. That lame wisdom that has writhen feet.

  fig.  1894.  Stevenson & L. Osbourne, Ebb Tide, ii. ‘I’ll give my father up,’ returned Herrick, with a writhen smile.

  b.  Of persons, their features, etc.

1579–80.  North, Plutarch (1595), 1111. A bauld writhen man.

1598.  Hakluyt, Voy., I. 21. Their countenances [were] writhen and terrible.

1635.  R. Johnson, Hist. Tom a Lincolne, II. iii. (1682), G 3 b. Her cheeks … now appeared old and writhen.

1708.  J. Philips, Cyder, I. 447. ’Till, with a writhen Mouth,… He tastes the bitter Morsel.

1825.  Scott, Talism., xiv. My choice were rather … that my writhen features should blacken … in this evening’s setting sun.

1888.  Henley, Bk. Verses, 23. Her lip was gray and writhen.

  2.  Combined or made by, subjected to, twining or plaiting; intertwined, entwined or plaited. Cf. WREATHEN ppl. a. 2.

a. 900.  Cynewulf, Elene, 24. Garas lixtan, wriðene wælhlencan; wordum & bordum hofon herecombol.

1382.  Wyclif, 1 Tim. ii. 9. Wymmen … ournynge hem silf, not in writhun heeris, ethir in gold,… but [etc.]. Ibid. (1388), Ecclus. xlv. 12. Writhun reed threed.

c. 1430.  Pilgr. Lyf Manhode, I. v. (1869), 3. A corde wel wrythen, þat bi places was knet.

1523.  Fitzherb., Husb., § 31. Pees and beanes … set … thre sheues together, the toppes vpwarde, and wrythen together.

1535.  Coverdale, Exod. xxxix. 15. Wrythen cheynes of pure golde.

1585.  Higins, Junius’ Nomencl., 113/2. Corona pactilis,… a writhen garland.

1609.  Holland, Amm. Marcell., 221. Many cords of wrythen and twisted sinewes.

1671.  J. Webster, Metallogr., xiii. 212. A capillary or hairy piece … crisped and writhen together.

1733.  T. Gent, Hist. Rippon, 57. Here they built an House of Prayer with Wrythen Wands or Boughs, the first Church in England.

1876.  Whitby Gloss., 224/2. Wrythen, pp. twisted; intertwined.

  3.  Disposed or arranged in coils, folds or windings; formed or fashioned by or as by coiling, convolution, etc.

  Cf. the earlier forwrithen ppl. a. (FOR- pref.¹ 8).

c. 1542.  Test. Ebor. (Surtees), VI. 172. A writhyne rynge of golde.

1559.  Morwyng, Evonym., 77. Destilled in serpentins, or writhen, or crouked vessels.

1585.  Higins, Junius’ Nomencl., 263/2. Linamentum tortile,… a rolled or writhen tent.

a. 1608.  Dee, Relat. Spir., I. (1659), 115. A Serpent … leaned upon her twice writhen taile.

1603.  Knolles, Hist. Turks (1621), 961. The wrythen rolls of the turbant.

1693.  Dryden, Ovid’s Met., I. 454. His writhen Shell he takes.

1868.  Morris, Earthly Par., I. 258. [Full] of intertwining writhen snakes.

  † 4.  fig. Wrested; perverted; deflected. Obs.

1551.  Robinson, trans. More’s Utopia, I. (1895), 91. A wrythen and wrested vnderstandynge of the same.

1561.  T. Norton, Calvin’s Inst., I. xiii. 31 b. To fense themselues againste the crooked writhen suttleties with plaine and simple truthe.

  5.  Comb., as writhen-faced, -formed.

1594.  Nashe, Unfort. Trav., L 4 b. A wearish dwarfish writhen facde cobler.

c. 1861.  J. T. Staton, Rays fro’ Loominary, 115. A thing that’s writhen-formt.

  Hence Writhenness. rare^–0.

1727.  Bailey, Tortness,… writhenness, wrinkledness.