pl. dreccaþ, drecceaþ; p. [drechede = drehde = ] drehte, dreahte, pl. drehton, dreahton; pp. [dreched = drehed = dreht, dreaht] dreht, dreaht To vex, afflict, trouble, torture, torment; vexāre, affligĕre, tribulāre, turbāre, cruciāre :-- Mec sorg dreceþ sorrow vexeth me, Cd. 99; Th. 131, 21; Gen. 2179. Drecþ se deófol mancynn mid mislícum costnungum the devil vexes mankind with various temptations, Boutr. Scrd. 19, 44. Me Agar drehte dógora gehwam Hagar hath vexed me each day, Cd. 102; Th. 135, 27; Gen. 2249. Yrfweardnysse ðíne hí drehton hæreditātem tuam vexavērunt, Ps. Spl. 93, 5: Chr. 897; Erl. 95, 7. Ic drece vexo, Ælfc. Gr. 24; Som. 25, 44. Ðeáh hine se ymbhoga ðyssa woruldsǽlþa wráðe drecce though the anxious care of these worldly goods severely afflicts him, Bt. Met. Fox 7, 108; Met. 7, 54: Homl. Th. i. 156, 21. Ne wendaþ hine wyrda, ne hine wiht dreceþ fates change him not, nor doth aught afflict him, Exon. 88 b; Th. 334, 1; Gn. Ex. 9: Bt. Met. Fox 7, 50, Met. 7, 25. Ðonne míne fýnd me drecceaþ dum afflīgit me inimīcus, Ps. Th. 42, 2. Ic ðé bebeóde ðæt ðú nánum men ne drece I command thee that thou afflict no man, Homl. Th. ii. 296, 5. On ðam écan lífe ðǽr ne cymþ nán deófol ne nán yfel mann, ðe us mǽge dreccan in the eternal life there will come no devil nor evil man who may trouble us, i. 272, 10. Hwí drecst ðú leng ðone láreów why troublest thou the master longer? Mk. Bos. 5, 35. Hí hine dreccaþ they trouble him, Ps. Th. arg. 25: Homl. Th. ii. 540, 34. To hwon dreahtest ðú me for what [why] hast thou tortured me? Exon. 98 a; Th. 368, 6 Seel. 17. Gif hine dreccean mót ðissa yfla hwæðer if either of these evils can torment it, Bt. Met. Fox 5, 80; Met. 5, 40. [Piers P. drecchen to vex: Chauc. drecche: Laym. i-dræcched, -dracched, -drecched, pp. injured, disturbed.] DER. ge-dreccan. dreccan