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wretch


  2  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Wretch  \Wretch\,  n.  [OE.  wrecche,  AS  wrecca  wr[ae]cca,  an 
  exile,  a  wretch,  fr  wrecan  to  drive  out  punish;  properly, 
  an  exile,  one  driven  out  akin  to  AS  wr[ae]c  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. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  wretch 
  n  1:  performs  some  wicked  deed 
  2:  someone  you  feel  sorry  for  [syn:  {poor  devil}] 




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