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Origin and history of writhe

writhe(v.)

"turn and twist about," Middle English writhen (transitive) "twist or bend in the shape of a wreathe or coil," from Old English wriðan (transitive) "to twist or bend," earlier "to bind or fetter," from Proto-Germanic *writhanan, reconstructed in Watkins to be from PIE *wreit-, from root *wer- (2) "to turn, bend."

The intransitive sense, in reference to the body or limbs, "move or stir in a twisting or tortuous manner," in agony, emotion, or grappling, is attested from c. 1300. Occasionally from Middle English, and especially 16c., "turn, change, tend (toward sin, etc.)." Related: Writhed; writhing.

Germanic cognates include North Frisian wrial, Old High German ridan, Old Norse riða, Middle Swedish vriþa, Middle Danish vride.

Entries linking to writhe

wreath(n.)

Middle English wrethe "round or coiled shape, something coiled up or wound in a circular shape, a twisted band," especially a flowering branch or the like twisted in circular form worn about the head as a chaplet or garland. It is from Old English wræð, wræð, "fillet, bandage, band" (literally "that which is wound around"), which is reconstructed to be from Proto-Germanic *writh-, from PIE *wreit- "to turn, bend" (source also of Old English wriða "band," wriðan "to twist, torture," wraþ "angry"), from root *wer- (2) "to turn, bend."

The meaning "ring or garland of flowers or vines" is recorded by 1560s. In late Old English also of a nose-ring used to lead an animal.

Other Germanic cognates include Old Norse riða, Danish vride, Old High German ridan "to turn, twist," Old Saxon, Old Frisian wreth "angry," Dutch wreed "rough, harsh, cruel," Old High German reid "twisted," Old Norse reiða "angry." Also compare writhe.

wreathe(v.)

1520s (transitive), "form by wreathing, form into a wreath," from Middle English wrethen "twist about," from wreath (n.), perhaps also in part from past participle of writhe.

The intransitive sense of "take the form of a wreath, undergo twisting" is by 1580s. Related: Wreathed; wreathing.

*wer-(2)

Proto-Indo-European root forming words meaning "to turn, bend."

It might form all or part of: adverse; anniversary; avert; awry; controversy; converge; converse (adj.) "exact opposite;" convert; diverge; divert; evert; extroversion; extrovert; gaiter; introrse; introvert; invert; inward; malversation; obverse; peevish; pervert; prose; raphe; reverberate; revert; rhabdomancy; rhapsody; rhombus; ribald; sinistrorse; stalwart; subvert; tergiversate; transverse; universe; verbena; verge (v.1) "tend, incline;" vermeil; vermicelli; vermicular; vermiform; vermin; versatile; verse (n.) "poetry;" version; verst; versus; vertebra; vertex; vertigo; vervain; vortex; -ward; warp; weird; worm; worry; worth (adj.) "significant, valuable, of value;" worth (v.) "to come to be;" wrangle; wrap; wrath; wreath; wrench; wrest; wrestle; wriggle; wring; wrinkle; wrist; writhe; wrong; wroth; wry.

It might also be the source of: Sanskrit vartate "turns round, rolls;" Avestan varet- "to turn;" Hittite hurki- "wheel;" Greek rhatane "stirrer, ladle;" Latin vertere (frequentative versare) "to turn, turn back, be turned; convert, transform, translate; be changed," versus "turned toward or against;" Old Church Slavonic vrŭteti "to turn, roll," Russian vreteno "spindle, distaff;" Lithuanian verčiu, versti "to turn;" German werden, Old English weorðan "to become;" Old English -weard "toward," originally "turned toward," weorthan "to befall," wyrd "fate, destiny," literally "what befalls one;" Welsh gwerthyd "spindle, distaff;" Old Irish frith "against."