wreak

Etymology

Definitions

1. 1

   To cause harm

   To cause harm; to afflict; to inflict; to harm or injure; to let out harm.

   • The earthquake wreaked havoc in the city.
   • She wreaked her anger on his car.
   • On the Saturday, October 1, the torrential rains began to wreak damage east of Exeter.
2. 2

   To chasten, or chastise/chastize, or castigate, or punish, or smite.

   • The police abused their authority to wreak an innocent.
   • The criminal has been wreaked by the Judge to spend a year in prison.
   • Now was the time to be avenged on his old enemy, to wreak a grudge of seventeen years.
3. 3

   To inflict or take vengeance on.

   • their woe / Broods maddening inwardly and scorns to wreak / Itself abroad;
   • So tho' I scarce can ask it thee for hate, / Grant me some knight to do the battle for me, / Kill the foul thief, and wreak me for my son.
   • At heart they hate their horrid fates, and so wreak their poor spite on me who stand for everything they have not, and for all they most crave and never can attain.
4. ›+ 4 more definitionsshow fewer

   1. 4

      To take vengeance for.

      • Come wreak his loss, whom bootless ye complain.
   2. 5

      Misspelling of reek.

      • She wreaked of liquor. She also wreaked of anger, despair and unsatisfied sexuality, all mixed together.
   3. 6

      Revenge

      Revenge; vengeance; furious passion; resentment.

      • VVhat barbarous mindes for grieuance more than needs, Vnnaturallie ſeeks wreake vpon their Lord, Their true annointed Prince, their lawfull king:
      • Would that before my death I might but see my son The empery in my stead over the people hold And rush upon his foes and take on them his wreak, At push of sword and pike, in fury uncontrolled.
      • However, no thought touch'd Minerva's mind, That any one should escape his wreak design'd.
   4. 7

      Punishment

      Punishment; retribution; payback.

      • Of a surety none murdered the damsel but I; take her wreak on me this moment; for, an thou do not thus, I will require it of thee before Almighty Allah.

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