rethe

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See also: reþe

English

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Alternative forms

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Etymology

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From Middle English reth, rethe, from Old English rēþe (fierce, cruel, savage, severe, stern, austere, zealous, wild, dire), from Proto-West Germanic *rōþī, from Proto-Germanic *rōþijaz (wild), from Proto-Indo-European *rey-, *rēy- (to scream, shout, roar, bellow, bark, growl). Cognate with Scots reithe, reythe, reth (rethe), Old High German ruod (a roar), Middle High German rüeden (to be noisy), Bavarian rüeden (to be noisy, roar, be in heat).

Pronunciation

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Adjective

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rethe (comparative rether or more rethe, superlative rethest or most rethe)

  1. (Now chiefly dialectal) (of persons) Fierce; cruel; savage; stern; zealous; ardent; keen.
  2. (Now chiefly dialectal) (of things) Terrible; dreadful; severe.

Derived terms

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Adverb

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rethe (comparative rether or more rethe, superlative rethest or most rethe)

  1. (Now chiefly dialectal) Furiously; violently; wildly.

Anagrams

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Middle English

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Adjective

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rethe

  1. Alternative form of reth