Etymology

Formed on renysch (adj.); cp. runischly (adv.).

PGmc Ancestor

?*hrewwa-
 

Proposed ON Etymon (OIcel representative)

hrjónn 'rough'
(ONP )

Other Scandinavian Reflexes

Icel hrjón, Norw rjone, rjøne

OE Cognate

hrēoh, hrēow 'rough, fierce, wild, angry; disturbed, troubled, sad; stormy tempestuous'

Phonological and morphological markers

Summary category

DD1c

Attestation

Only from Cl and WA.

Occurrences in the Gersum Corpus

Cl 1724, WA 4931

The sense in context in both poems is somewhat ambiguous, but perhaps best glossed 'strangely, mysteriously', although in either instance 'violently' is also conceivable (see further TPD 387n, Anderson 96n): 'Þe fyste with þe fyngeres þat flayed þi hert/ Þat rasped renyschly þe woʒe with þe roʒ penne' (Cl 1723-4); 'Þe renke within þe redell þan raxsils his armes/ Rymed him full renyschly & rekind þire wordis' (WA 4930-1).

Bibliography

MED rẹ̄nishlī (adv.) , OED3 renishly (adv.) , HTOED ; see further renysch (adj.).