'Wreak' definitions:

Definition of 'wreak'

From: WordNet
verb
Cause to happen or to occur as a consequence; "I cannot work a miracle"; "wreak havoc"; "bring comments"; "play a joke"; "The rain brought relief to the drought-stricken area" [syn: bring, work, play, wreak, make for]

Definition of 'Wreak'

From: GCIDE
  • Wreak \Wreak\, n. [Cf. AS. wr[ae]c exile, persecution, misery. See Wreak, v. t.] Revenge; vengeance; furious passion; resentment. [Obs.] --Shak. Spenser. [1913 Webster]

Definition of 'Wreak'

From: GCIDE
  • Wreak \Wreak\ (r[=e]k), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Wreaked (r[=e]kt); p. pr. & vb. n. Wreaking.] [OE. wreken to revenge, punish, drive out, AS. wrecan; akin to OFries. wreka, OS. wrekan to punish, D. wreken to avenge, G. r[aum]chen, OHG. rehhan, Icel. reka to drive, to take vengeance, Goth. wrikan to persecute, Lith. vargas distress, vargti to suffer distress, L. urgere to drive, urge, Gr. e'i`rgein to shut, Skr. v[.r]j to turn away. Cf. Urge, Wreck, Wretch.] [1913 Webster]
  • 1. To revenge; to avenge. [Archaic] [1913 Webster]
  • He should wreake him on his foes. --Chaucer. [1913 Webster]
  • Another's wrongs to wreak upon thyself. --Spenser. [1913 Webster]
  • Come wreak his loss, whom bootless ye complain. --Fairfax. [1913 Webster]
  • 2. To inflict or execute, especially in vengeance or passion; to hurl or drive; as, to wreak vengeance on an enemy; to wreak havoc. [1913 Webster]
  • Note: The word wrought is sometimes assumed to be the past tense of wreak, as the phrases
  • wreak havoc and
  • wrought havoc are both commonly used. In fact,
  • wrought havoc is not as common as
  • wreaked havoc. Whether wrought is considered as the past tense of wreak or of work,
  • wrought havoc has essentially the same meaning. Etymologically, however, wrought is only the past tense of work. [PJC]
  • On me let Death wreak all his rage. --Milton. [1913 Webster]
  • Now was the time to be avenged on his old enemy, to wreak a grudge of seventeen years. --Macaulay. [1913 Webster]
  • But gather all thy powers, And wreak them on the verse that thou dost weave. --Bryant. [1913 Webster]

Definition of 'Wreak'

From: GCIDE
  • Wreak \Wreak\ (r[=e]k), v. i. To reck; to care. [Obs.] --Shak. [1913 Webster]

Synonyms of 'wreak'

From: Moby Thesaurus

Words containing 'Wreak'