English Explanatory Dictionary

rethe

English dictionary entry

Meanings

adj
  1. (of persons) Fierce; cruel; savage; stern; zealous; ardent; keen.
  2. (of things) Terrible; dreadful; severe.
adv
  1. Furiously; violently; wildly.

Pronunciation

/riːð/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-rethe.wav

Word forms

rethe rether more rethe rethest most rethe reth reithe retht

Etymology

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- (“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”).

Derived words

retheness
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