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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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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.

Wrang, Wrong, v. Also: vrang, wronge, uronge. P.p. also wrangt(e, wrangd(e, vorneged. [ME and e.m.E. wrang(e (Manning), wrong(en (Gower); Wrang n.]

1. tr.a. To do (a person) (undeserved) harm, injustice or injury; to treat (a person) badly or unfairly. Also with non-material object. b. specif. In respect of possessions or property. Also reflex. Also const. in or of the property or with the property as object.There is considerable overlap between sense 1 a and senses 1 b and 2.a. (1) pres. 1456 Hay I 121/3.
Gif a man vencus ane othir he suld forgeve him … And than wrangis he him to sla him efter 1460–70 Innes Sketches 505.
The said lard … callyt hym his man for to manteym hyme in seruice … that otheris suld nocht vrang hyme c1536 Lynd. Compl. Bagsche 71.
Euery bouchour dog doun dang me … Than in the court ilk wicht did wrang me 1572 Sat. P. xxxiii 333.
Ȝe alone tuik pryde And thocht that we suld not marche ȝow besyde; Thairfoir we thocht in that point ȝe did wrang vs(b) 1598 James VI Basil. Doron 154/3.
Offende her for nathing, mekle lesse uronge her 1645 Aberd. B. Rec. IV 56.
He … causit burie thame vnder the said stane … quhilk the supplicant did in meir simplicitie and ignorance, not intending to wrong any thairby 1660 Fugitive Poetry I xv 4.
Whom they so by their rude louse tongue … did wrong 1689 Acts XII 48/2.
Cockburne could not wrong … the barrons who chosed him to represent them be any such consentp.t. c1420 Wynt. vii 2497.
Jhon that wes thare kyng … wrangyd [C. wrangit, W. did … wrangis] thame [in] mony wys Agayne thare lawys and thare franchysp.p. 1400 Facs. Nat. MSS II liii.
I am gretly wrangit be the duc of Rothesay the quhilk spousit my douchter and now … spouses ane other wif … of the quhilk wrangis and defowle [etc.] c1420 Wynt. viii 358.
Joys yhe the crown swa, and noucht I, Wrangyd I call me 1460 Hay Alex. 994.
Wranguslie dishereist … Help to restore me, wrangit, fatherles 1540 Lynd. Sat. 37 (Ch.).
It is the iust bidding Of my soveraine lord the king That na man be wrangit c1568 Lauder Minor P. iii 78.
The godlie luffis thair pastours … And will be sorie to se thame want or wrangt a1568 Bann. MS 158a/37.
And he wer to be hung vp this dastard than war wrangit Bot gif he wer hiest of all on the gallowis hangit c1590 Fowler I 192/12.
In vane conceate whils I am wringd and wrangd c1590 Fowler II 113/22.
He having wranged and offended many in purchessing the meanes wharwith to be liberall and benefeiting bot few be the same 1596 Dalr. II 182/3.
I suffirit him nocht in ane iot to be wrangte 1597 Melvill 430.
O kirk and king, whow gratlie ar yie wrangde! 1605 Reg. Privy C. VII 36.
The pairtie wranged hes not … laiser to bring witnessis to … testifie the injurie(b) 1658 Rothesay B. Rec. 271.
Thriescoir punds … to be payit be them … for supply to the pairties wrongit for making upe thair hurt and lose(2) 1637 Rutherford Lett. (1894) 189.
My Lord … did bear with my foolish jealousies; and miskent that ever I wronged His love 1669 Jus Populi 39.
Shall the perfidy of the peoples representatives … wronge their causeb. (1) c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 122/3.
Off benefice … Quha monyast hes makis maist requeist; Get thai not all thai think ȝe wrang thame 1553 Edinb. B. Rec. II 182.
Gif it salhappin ony persone to big or reparelland his landis … and thairby hurtis ony of his nychtbouris landis … and wrangis his nychtbour thairbyreflex. 1667 Aberd. Council Lett. IV 317.
Wher ye doe aquaint me that Alexander Toasch is suspending his taksasion and that ye ar stoping it … the counsell … thanks you … and desyr you … to stop it … for Mr. Toasch is not wrongit onlly he hes wrongit himselfe(2) 1456–70 Liber Aberbr. II 105.
Ewyl myndit personis … wrangis and tribulis ws and our pwr tenentis in peciable possessioun of … our landis 1650 Brechin Presb. 21.
James Clerk … promissed to Barbara Carnegie that he nether his wyff should wrang her in her milknes(b) 1654 Stirling B. Rec. I 211.
That the poore may not be wrongit … of thair maskene 1660 Rothesay B. Rec. 57.
That Niniane Allane haid wrongit him in his meanes and guids and tuik the same from him 1672 Kirkintilloch B. Ct. 44.
That he be not wrongit of his old possessione and middingsted 1679 Aberd. Council Lett. VI 185.
About thrie yeir agoe we were exceedinglie wrongit in our proportione and hichtit half ane marke(3) 1654 Johnston Diary II 288.
The juges … stopping and wronging my bygon fees … The Lord sees how they wrang and persecute me(b) 1659 Aberd. B. Rec. IV 185.
Who might in the nicht tyme wrong and rob the housses, boothes, and goods of the inhabitants

2. a. To harm (a person or animal) physically; to cause (him) to suffer physical harm or injury. b. To damage (a thing). c. To harm (a person) morally; ? to violate (a woman). d. reflex. To commit suicide.a. a1570-86 Maitland in Maitl. F. 43/1.
Blind man be blythe thocht that thow be wrangit(b) 1612 Inverness Rec. II 88.
Of any person being thretned and fearing to be vorneged 1650 Dumfr. & Galloway Soc. LI l56.
Johne Turner taking ane sweit and groaning … feirit he was wrongit 1659 Cramond Kirk S. I 15 May.
Shee is under proces … for her taking some drinke to wrong … the childe in her bellye 1660 Cramond Kirk S. I 5 May.
That the Laird of Houstoune unto whom shee is nowrishing a childe intreated that shee might be delayed till the childe wer fostered in regarde that the childe being weak might be wronged quhen shee should be satisfying 1669 Red Bk. Grandtully II 190.
Which [sc. exercises] I wold haue you to doe moderatlie, lest it wrong yourselfe c1660 Sel. Biog. I 331.
He dyed, not without suspicion of being wronged by a witch 1673 Haddington B. Rec. (Robb) 17 Feb.
The pairties hyreing not wronging their horsesb. 1670 Craven Ch. in Orkney 45.
[Persons] wranging [the pillars by affixing memorial stones to them](b) 1632 Aberd. B. Rec. III 47.
Quhan any stair … salhappin to fall or decay … it sall nawayis be lesume … to big wp … the same … againe becaus the kingis hie streitis is greatlie nidderit and wrongit thairby 1655 Lamont Diary 95.
Tries … broken by the violence of this storme; also seuerall salt panns wronged 1662 Glasgow B. Rec. II 482.
The … steiple, quhilk is now wronged with the stormie wether 1667 Robertson Cullen Ch. Ann. 70.
Granted leave to … set up a pew … providing he should wrong no other man's seat 1671 Forbes Baron Ct. 282.
Incais eather muscat pick or suord be away or wrongit they sall … pey £10c. 1682 Kingarth Par. Rec. 133.
Patrik M^c Pherson did several times attempt to wrong her, did kiss her divers times and used an unseemly cariage towards her, offring to force her, but she flatly denyd all carnal dealingd. 1649 Lamont Diary 12.
[She] was founde dead. It was thought … that she wronged her selfe, ether by strangling, or by poyson

3. intr. To do wrong, to commit a crime or misdemeanour. 1540 Elgin Rec. I 49.
The assise deliuerit that Angnes Baldon wrangit in the … breking of Katerine Falconeris heid 1541 Elgin Rec. I 61.
William Malcome wrangit calland William Ȝoung … glangorit 1542 Elgin Rec. I 72.
Vrangit 1556 Aberd. Trades 200.
That the said James [Huntar] had wrangit in holding of the saidis courtis 1557 Inverness Rec. I 9.
The inquest hes funding that Merting Vaus hes wrongit in the breking of inhibetione