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First published 2002 (DOST Vol. XII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Wrangwis, -(o)us, adj. (adv.). Also: -wis(s)e, -wys(e, -uis(e, -uish, -vis, -vys, vrangwys, -uis, -vis, wrang(o)use, -u(o)us, -ws, -w(o)us, -eous(s, -os, wranggus, vrangus, urangous, wrangis, vrangys, wraungwis, wrayngis, wrongus, wrongous(e, vrongous. [ME and e.m.E. wrangwise, wrongwise (both a1200), wrangwis (Cursor M.), wrongwis (Rolle), wrongus (1523), wrongeous (Coverdale), MSw. vrangvis. Cf. Richtwis adj.]

A. adj. 1. Of a person: a. Unjust, behaving contrary to what is right or lawful, esp. with regard to the misuse of power, cheating. Also absol. b. False, lying.a. c1420 Ratis R. 364.
Wrangvis men haboundand … in gret riches 1460 Hay Alex. 179.
Quhan he cummis to perfyte age I wald haue dred to mak ane wrangus are, To put my … peopill in dispair a1500 Henr. Fab. 2772.
Extortioneris … wrangous men of fals intent a1500 Colk. Sow ii 187.
Men … That ar nocht wyis bot wrangus in thair deidis 1528 Lynd. Dreme 171.
Wrangous conquerouris, Withouttin rycht, reiffaris of vtheris ryngis 1531 Bell. Boece I 234.
He belevit the Romanis wald nocht be sa wrangus as to invade him with battall 1533 Bell. Livy I 113/10.
Tarquyne was ane wrangwis & iniust king 1535 Stewart 51568.
Of wrangus men … Sextie … war summond … to cum to the law 1549 Compl. 80/18.
The miserabil ruynis that God sendis on vrangus conquestours 1570 Leslie 167.
To bow and abate the hiech and wrangous hartes of the peopill 1606 Rollock's Thess. 19.
Man by nature is a wrangous and vnjust judge 1622-6 Bisset II 162/4.
Princes of Scotland that war … wrangous usurpers of the crown(b) 1564–5 Reg. Privy S. V i 558/2.
Wrongous intromettouris and uptakaris of the saidis teindis a1603 Anc. Prophecies 20.
Thy wrongous aires shall worke thee woeabsol. 1570 Leslie 6.
The lyefis of princeis and noble valyeant men and verteous women are descrivit … as also the liefis of the ungodly wicked wrangus quha leifit with shame and infamieb. 1607 Dundonald Par. Rec. 128.
The sessioun … convict the said Thomas as ane wrangous accuiser

2. Of conduct, actions, attitudes, etc.: Against the principles of morality or right; fostering harm; illegitimate. b. Of war, a cause, etc.: Unjust, immoral. c. Of emotional states: Unjust, unfair. c1400 Troy-bk. i 154.
Of that wrangwise wenyng he Informyt is and felle counselle … Has gert hym do this willany c1420 Wynt. i 626.
Owre gylt and all oure wrangwys [E. wranguise] dede [W. mysdedis] c1420 Wynt. viii 2372.
Na resson Bot wilful wrangwisse [W. wranguis] presumpcion a1500 Henr. Fab. 806.
Off wrangus get cummis wrang successioun c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 190/10.
Halking, hunting … Ar chengit all in wrangus wynnyng 1513 Doug. i Prol. 444.
The command of God obey suld all And vndir his charge na wrangwys deid may fall c1522 Doug. in Doug. (Sm.) I p. cix.
He beyng … in Scotland suld put no goode ordour of justice … thairin bot rathare doo thairto distruction dammage [etc.] … albeyt his intent war nevir so wrangwous, as may be well provit … by his lettres … sent … to foster discorde 1533 Boece 291a.
Loth hevelie weyit that Arthure, begottin by [= outside] iuste matrymonye, suld … be preferrit … attemptit herefore to draw the king fra his wrangos purpois 1567 G. Ball. 174.
Sum makis goddis of thair beidis, … Allace! this is ane wrangous way c1590 Fowler I 102/132.
Cursed Cateline … Successour of a wrongus fame and cruell 1581-1623 James VI Poems II 43/18.
Thaim that uorkis all urangous thing [AV workers of iniquity] 1622-6 Bisset I 8/10.
Pilate beand … vexit in his spreit for his unjust sentence, and utheris his wrangus doingisb. 1456 Hay I 156/22.
Thai that … is accustumyt to juge the weris to be rychtwys or wrangwis 1456 Hay I 168/26.
Gif a man deis in a wrangwis caus … treuly he is condampnyt c1460 Thewis Wysmen 449.
All wrangvys caus … Thai wyll manteme c1475 Wall. ix 919.
Off crystin blud to se it was gret syn, For wrangwis caus a1500 Prestis of Peblis 346 (A).
Eftir this tale … ȝe sall nocht … of our iustice mak a wranguis plant c1490 Porteous Noblenes 176/18 (A).
Ane noble man of nature gif he dois … to his blude deformite or schame, enarmand in ane fals mirk or wrangwis querele for to haue … proffet he is … dampnit 1531 Bell. Boece I 81.
Thair wrangus and injust weris 1533 Bell. Livy I 52/28.
Ane wrangwus [B. wranguis] actioun [L. bellum impium] 1533 Bell. Livy I 226/6.
Victorius … be this maisterful and wrangwus maner [L. pessimi exempli] a1538 Abell 63b.
The thing at wes wnlefull that is wrangus batell aganis thare richtus king c1552 Lynd. Mon. 2847.
Princis, for wrangus conquessing, Doith mak oft tymes ane euyll ending 1567 Anderson Collect. Mary I 143.
His wrangus and ungodlie querrell a1578 Pitsc. I 74/9.
It is nocht for no wrangous quarrell that we haue assembellit our selffis this day to airmur bot rather for our awin defencec. c1450 Cr. Deyng (STS) 121.
Thai thole in thar seknes meruolus dolur … the quhilk thai tak nocht in paciens … sua mony … gangis rammys vthir-sum murmwrys, and thinkis that payne vrangwys c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus i 583.
Lufe is wrangous, and lufe is variable

3. Of actions: Against the law of the land or burghal, etc. regulations, illegal, chiefly in use in actions brought before a court.This usage is very common.(a) 1419 Wemyss Chart. 45.
He denyit the wrangwys ressavyn of the malys, saiand at he did nathyr schatht, schame na reprufe 14.. Burgh Laws c. 113b (B).
He … sal be restoryt agayne … qwhedir he be in rychtwys possession or in wrangwys possession 1431–2 Ayr B. Ct. 10 Feb.
The said Henry chalansit the said Wil that he wrangwisly & agans the law held fra hym that kow … the qwylk wrangwys haldyn the said Wil denyit … 1442 Stirlings of Keir 216.
To compere befor … the kyng and his consale … for the wrangwyse occupacioun of the said landis 1469 Glasgow Chart. I ii 55.
The lordis auditouris of complaintis decretis … that the … prouost [etc.] … has wrangit and iniurit the said reuerend fader [etc.] … in the stoppin of thaim in the bying of the said wyne and thairin has brokin thair priuiliges … and ordanis the said prouost [etc.] to desist … of sic wrangwise stoppin and impediment makin 1475 Perth Guildry 11 Nov.
Thaj ar oblist to mak na wrangwis extorsions on the pur commouns by the cours of law 1481 Acts II 133/2.
Anent the halding of a court … wrangwisly … and the wrangwis calling of the saide Jonete 1483–4 Mill Mediæv. Plays 117.
John … & Andro … convict be ane assise ar … in amerciament for the wrangwis absenting of thaim fra the offerand 1495 Paisley B. Rec. 51.
To ansuer … for the wrangwis detention … of the saidis custumez 1499 Dunferm. B. Rec. I 99.
Wilyame Stewart … fande a borcht … apone Nannis of Fentone tveching the vrangvis deferryne to kep him wattertycht 1527 Wigtown B. Ct. 196a (see *Hac n.).
Vranguis 1547–8 Ayr Chart. 41.
For the wranguis eiectioun of him furth of the landis(b) 1464 Kennedy Aberd. Ann. II 472/3.
Wraungwis(c) 1451 (c1580) Edinb. B. Rec. I 13.
For wrangous vsing the fredome, as is fundin be ane assyse 1467 Newburgh B. Ct. 31a.
The vrangus accusyn off the ballȝe 1456–70 Acts XII 27/1.
Vrangus 1496 Acta Conc. II 8.
The wrangus failyeing … to find ane preist to haf song in the saide kirk for the saule of the saide umquhile Jhone 1497 Acta Conc. II 77.
Wranguse 1497–8 Dunferm. B. Rec. I 79.
Wrangws 1521–2 Dundee B. Ct. I 67b (2 Jan.).
Daue Wedderburn is maid quyt be the said assis of the wrangous casting down of the laid of malt [etc.] 1521–2 Wemyss Chart. 149.
For the wranguus, violent, and maisterfull distructioun [etc.] 1523 Reg. Cambuskenneth 181.
Wranggus 1543 Blackfriars Perth 230.
The wranguous … away-taking … [of] ane grete kettil c1552 Lynd. Mon. 5763.
Thare salbe sene the fraudfull failȝeis Off schireffis [etc.] … Officiallis … Sall mak compt of thare wrangus werkis 1557 Inverness Rec. I 9.
Wranguse 1561 Reg. Privy C. I 177.
Albeit the ressait [of goods] wes lefull, yit … the withhalding thairof is wrangus 1561 Reg. Privy S. V i 200/2.
To be punist … for the wranguus and partiale geving of tua decretes … aganis the said Agnes 1597 Skene Verb. S. s.v. Purpresture.
Ane wrangeous vsurpation, taking, or occupation of ane vther mans landes 1622-6 Bisset I 315/2.
That wranguslie and aganist the lauch … he had manured and laboured his erd … The wrangus manuire maid in the said lord erlis land [etc.] 1630 Kirkcaldy Presb. 6.
The alledgit wrangeouss slandering of Mr. William Nairn, parson(d) 1461 Newburgh B. Ct. 6a.
Vrangys 1594 Breadalbane Ct. Bk. 51.
The wrangis … casting doun of sevin scheillis(e) 1459 Rep. Hist. MSS, Var. Coll. V 82.
Andro Besat is in a pan of viij s. … for the wrayngis eryn of is land aganys the lordis byddyng(f) 1617 James VI in Halliwell Lett. Kings Eng. II 143.
Every wrong must be judged by the first violent and wrongous ground whereupon it proceeds 1666 Inverness Rec. II 231.
Ther vrongous intromission vith the excyse ?1678 Culross II 178.
Hir unworthie, wrongous, rebellious act

b. Of (the operation of) legal or regulatory processes, documents, etc.: Erroneous, flawed, incorrect; false, intended to cheat or mislead. Also wrongouse imprisonment, imprisonment without due form of law, false imprisonment, also in the later dial., see SND Wrangous adj. 1.(1) 1459 Ayr Chart. 31.
As we ar informit ye mak you til excers … the keping of the said new fare with wrangwis custumis c1460 Regim. Princ. 263 (Maitl.).
To thrale the iuge be fors of thair intent To gif ane wrangous sentence for reddour a1500 Henr. Fab. 1250.
The volff chargit the scheip … The soume … to pay … this sentence … dampnit hes the selie innocent, And iustifyit the wrangous iugement 1478 Acta Conc. I 6/2.
The summondis … for errour & wrangwis determinacion in the seruing of the said breife 1482–3 Acta Conc. II cix (see Inordinat(e adj. 1). 1497 Acta Conc. II 92.
Thare errour … in the serving of the sade breif and wrangus ansuering to the punctis and making of the retoure 1521 (1569–70) Inverness Rec. I 184.
His intrusing of him be haldin of wrangus chartyr in defraude of the said Alexander 1531 Acta Conc. Publ. Aff. 365.
His narratioun is all wrangwis and feynȝeit 1533 Bell. Livy II 81/2.
He tuke litil fere how beit he war honorit with wrangwis stile [L. falsi tituli] 1558-66 Knox II 325.
The mysreporttis and wrangouse judgementis of men 1584–5 Reg. Privy C. III 720.
Officiaris … quhilkis resaving letters to be put to executioun … fraudfullie and wilfullie abusis thair offices be the informale and wrangus execution thairof 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. ii 53b.
Gif anie of the kings lieges findis him self excomunicat be ane vnjust and wrangous proces(b) 1615 Douglas Corr. 196.
The sinister and vrongous misreporte of me(2) 1677 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. MS 20 June.
The tolbooth quher the said William … was prisoner without any command of the magistrats … the said wrongouse imprisonment [etc.]

c. Of a place: Not right, inappropriate. c1475 Wall. viii 649.
Sum bad Wallace … tak the croun Wys men said ‘Nay [etc.] … ' Othir sum said, it was the wrangwis place

4. Of things, possessions: Ill-gotten, unjustly or illegally acquired. b. Of animals: Allowed to graze illegally.See also Win n.¹ 2 for a further example. 1460 Hay Alex. 2067.
Wrangus tribute takin of the pure a1500 Henr. Fab. 832 (Bann.).
O fuliche man! … To conquest wrangwis guidis … To put thy saule in pane c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 19/122. 1513 Doug. viii Prol. 24.
Wrangwys 1533 Gau 16/29.
Thay that haldis wrangus guidis of thair nichtburs or takis wp wrangus rentis 1562-3 Winȝet I 106/25.
That thai hef failȝeit … cumand to the communioun, but restitutioun of wrangous geris 1567 Sat. P. v 82.
Keip clene your handis fra wrangus geir a1568 Bann. MS 53b/7.
Mend thy lyfe and restoir wrangus geir 1572 Sempill in Sat. P. xxx 184.
Haue we sic wrangous geir … As crowats, sensours, or ane challeis 1581 Hamilton Facile Tr. in Cath. Tr. (STS) 234/26.
The Ministers dar not teache this restitution of wrangous geirb. 1477 Prestwick B. Rec. 27.
Johne Sincler accusit … Johne Prowdy that wrangwisli he held a swyne on his corn. … Richart Cristoll … haldis wrangwis swyne in grete distroctioun to the toun

B. adv. Wrongly, in a manner contrary to the law. 1534–5 Wigtownshire Chart. 213.
To gar tak, put and hald them in prisoune wranguish 1537–8 Dunferm. Reg. Ct. 151.
To hef wrangus occupeit … certaine … rigis