a. Obs. Forms: 1 wierðe, wyrðe, wyrþe, wirðe, 1–4 wurðe, wurþe (3 wrþe), 3–4 worþe. [OE. wierðe, wyrðe, etc., a derivative from weorþ WORTH sb.1 or a. In OE. and early southern ME. texts distinguishable from WORTH a., but subsequently merged with it.]
1. Worthy. (Freq. const. with inf.)
c. 897. K. Ælfred, Gregory’s Past. C., xxxiii. 227. He … bit ðære tide hwonne he ðæs wierðe sie ðæt he hine besuican mote.
971. Blickl. Hom., 47. Þa lareowas beoþ syþþan domes wyrþe.
c. 1000. Ags. Gosp., Matt. iii. 11. He ys strengra þonne ic, ðæs ʓescy, ne eom ic wyrþe to beranne.
a. 1122. O. E. Chron. (Laud MS.), an. 1046. Behet man him þæt he moste wurðe beon ælc ðæra þinga þe he ær ahte.
a. 1200. Vices & Virtues, 59. Ic am wel wurðe ðat and more to þolien.
c. 1205. Lay., 13445. Swa þat heo al speken … Þat Uortiger weoren wurðe to walden þas þeode.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 38. Ȝif ich nam wurðe for to beon iblesced.
c. 1275. Passion of our Lord, 320, in O. E. Misc., 46. Alle hi onswerede, he is wrþe to beo ded.
1297. R. Glouc. (Rolls), 890. Þe stude … me clupeþ … after him, vor he was so worþe man. Ibid., 3466. Wel aȝte þat be a wurþe stude wanne þer such sepulture ys.
c. 1325. Chron. Eng., 741, in Ritson, Metr. Rom., II. 301. Afterward, ase he wes wurthe,… An abbot him remue wolde.
2. Deserved, merited.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 138. We moten þauh don him wo, ase hit is ofte wel wurðe.
