Difference between revisions of "Reck - wreck"
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PeterWilson (Talk | contribs) (Created page with "'''Reck''' and '''wreck''' {{Bridges}} *'''Reck''', now rather a rare word, can be a verb or, less commonly, a noun. Both are now comparatively obsolete **The verb...") |
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*'''Wreck''' is common both as [[noun]] and [[verb]]. | *'''Wreck''' is common both as [[noun]] and [[verb]]. | ||
**The [[noun]] '[a] '''wreck'''<nowiki>'</nowiki> originally [[denote]]d things that were cast ashore [on tidal coasts] from damaged or destroyed vessels. It was later used as well to mean such a vessel, which had earlier been called a '''shipwreck''': one that had run aground, struck rocks or reefs or other obstacles, or been in some way damaged beyond control. | **The [[noun]] '[a] '''wreck'''<nowiki>'</nowiki> originally [[denote]]d things that were cast ashore [on tidal coasts] from damaged or destroyed vessels. It was later used as well to mean such a vessel, which had earlier been called a '''shipwreck''': one that had run aground, struck rocks or reefs or other obstacles, or been in some way damaged beyond control. | ||
| − | ***The extension 'a pile of confused and disorderly fragments', originally "a drifted or tossed-up mass" (''[[OED]], 1928; meaning '''5.''') is not common nowadays, except in the spelling '''[[wrack - rack|wrack]]''', where it is used for seaweed such as bladderwrack.. | + | ***The extension 'a pile of confused and disorderly fragments', originally "a drifted or tossed-up mass" (''[[OED]]'', 1928; meaning '''5.''') is not common nowadays, except in the spelling '''[[wrack - rack|wrack]]''', where it is used for seaweed such as bladderwrack.. |
**The [[verb]] 'to '''wreck'''<nowiki>'</nowiki> | **The [[verb]] 'to '''wreck'''<nowiki>'</nowiki> | ||
Revision as of 00:31, 9 January 2019
Reck and wreck form one of the sets of homophones listed by the then Poet Laureate Robert Bridges.
(For more, see Bridges homophones). AWE has a category listing our articles on each of these.
- Reck, now rather a rare word, can be a verb or, less commonly, a noun. Both are now comparatively obsolete
- The verb 'to reck' means 'to think [about]', 'to be troubled by', 'to care [that]'. The archaic "What reck I?" is the same as the more current 'What do I care?'.
- The noun, usually used with some negative qualification, is the equivalent: "He took little reck of the consequences of his lie" means 'He had no consideration for the consequences', 'he was little bothered by the thought of the consequences.'
- Wreck is common both as noun and verb.
- The noun '[a] wreck' originally denoted things that were cast ashore [on tidal coasts] from damaged or destroyed vessels. It was later used as well to mean such a vessel, which had earlier been called a shipwreck: one that had run aground, struck rocks or reefs or other obstacles, or been in some way damaged beyond control.
- The verb 'to wreck'
