wretch
Definitions
- An unhappy, unfortunate, or miserable person.
- An unpleasant, annoying, worthless, or despicable person.
- An exile.
Equivalents
Examples
“The poor wretch, who lay⟳ motionless a long time, just began to recover⟳ his senses as a stage-coach came by.”
“The four unhappy wretches labouring under sentence of banishment were freed from their fetters, to rejoin their former society; and three days given as holidays to every convict in the colony.”
“And his subjects wrung all they could wring⟳ / Out of temple and palace and store. / But when there seemed no more to bring⟳, / His captors convicted the king / Of once having started a war, / And strangled the wretch with a string.”
“Swear⟳ to me but, thou bold wretch! said she, swear⟳ to me, that Pamela Andrews is really and truly thy lawful wife, without sham, without deceit, without double-meaning; and I know⟳ what I have⟳ to say⟳!”
“I asked that selfish wretch, Winterblossom, to walk⟳ down with me to view⟳ her distress, and the heartless beast told me he was afraid of infection!”
“[…]Alaeddin ate and drank and was cheered and after he had rested and had recovered spirits he cried, "Ah, O my mother, I have⟳ a sore grievance against thee for leaving me to that accursed wight who strave to compass my destruction and designed to take⟳ my life. Know⟳ that I beheld Death with mine own⟳ eyes at the hand of this damned wretch, whom thou didst certify to be my uncle;[…]”
“How I cursed my selfishness and the folly that had kept me lingering by Ayesha's side while my dear boy lay⟳ dying! Alas and alas! how easily the best of us are lighted down to evil by the gleam of a woman's eyes! What a wicked wretch was I!”
CEFR level
C1
Advanced
This word is part of the CEFR C1 vocabulary — advanced level.
This word is part of the CEFR C1 vocabulary — advanced level.
Know this word better than we do? Language is a living thing — help us keep it growing. Collaborate with Babel Free