English

Pronunciation
AHD|r�k, IPA|/ɹi�k/, SAMPA|/ri:k/
:Homophones: reek
:Rhymes:English:-i�k|Rhymes: -i�k
audio|en-us-wreak.ogg|Audio (US)

Etymology 1
OE. wrecan, from Germanic *wrek-, from Indo-European *wreg-. Cognate with Dutch wreken, German rächen, Swedish vräka; Latin urgere is from the same Indo-European root.

Verb
en-verb|wreaks|wreaking|wreaked or rarely wroke|wreaked or rarely wroken

1. transitive To cause, inflict or let out

#: The earthquake wreaked havoc in the city.
#: She wreaked her anger on his car.

1. To inflict or take vengeance on

Translations

Finnish: saada tuhoa aikaan
German: verursachen, auslassen
Romanian: a cauza, provoca, varsa nervii

See also
havoc

Etymology 2
A Northern variant of wreche, influenced later by Etymology 1, above.

Noun
en-noun

1. obsolete punishment|Punishment; retribution, revenge.

#*1885: Of a surety none murdered the damsel but I; take her wreak on me this moment � Sir Richard Burton, The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night, Night 19

fr:wreak
io:wreak
it:wreak
pl:wreak
te:wreak
vi:wreak
zh:wreak

• 2007-10-06 01:22 - Interwicket - iwiki +te

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