different between froward vs wayward

English

Etymology

From Middle English froward, fraward, equivalent to fro +? -ward. Compare Old English fromweard, framweard (“turned away, having the back turned”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /?f???.(w)?d/
• (US) IPA^(key): /?f?o?.?d/

Adjective

froward (comparative more froward, superlative most froward)

1. (archaic, literary) Disobedient, contrary, unmanageable; difficult to deal with; with an evil disposition.
   • 1553 (posth.), Thomas More, A Dialogue of Comfort against Tribulation, Book I, Chapter 14:

     But in the meanwhile, for fear lest if he would wax never the better he would wax much the worse; and from gentle, smooth, sweet, and courteous, might wax angry, rough, froward, and sour, and thereupon be troublous and tedious to the world to make fair weather with; they give him fair words for the while and put him in good comfort, and let him for the rest take his own chance.

   • c. 1592, William Shakespeare, The Taming of the Shrew, Act I, Scene 2,^[1]

     Her only fault,—and that is faults enough,—

     Is, that she is intolerable curst

     And shrewd and froward, so beyond all measure,

     That, were my state far worser than it is,

     I would not wed her for a mine of gold.

   • 1611, King James Version of the Bible, Proverbs 21:8,^[2]

     The way of man is froward and strange: but as for the pure, his work is right.

   • 1625, Francis Bacon, "Of Innovation"

     All this is true, if time stood still; which contrariwise moveth so round, that a froward retention of custom, is as turbulent a thing as an innovation […]

   • 1816, George Crabb, English Synonymes Explained, London: Baldwin, Cradock and Joy, p. 133,^[3]

     A froward child becomes an untoward youth, who turns a deaf ear to all the admonitions of an afflicted parent.

   • 1885, Richard F. Burton, The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night:

     So I took a great dry gourd and, cutting open the head, scooped out the inside and cleaned it; after which I gathered grapes from a vine which grew hard by and squeezed them into the gourd, till it was full of the juice. Then I stopped up the mouth and set in the sun, where I left it for some days, until it became strong wine; and every day I used to drink of it, to comfort and sustain me under my fatigues with that from froward and obstinate fiend; and as often as I drank myself drunk, I forgot my troubles and took new heart.

   • 1954, J. R. R. Tolkien, "The Two Towers":

     'I owe much to Eomer,' said Theoden. 'Faithful heart may have froward tongue.'

Synonyms

• untoward

Derived terms

• enfroward

Translations

Preposition

froward

1. (obsolete) Away from.

   • Whan Sir Galahad herde hir sey so, he was adrad to be knowyn; and therewith he smote hys horse with his sporys and rode a grete pace froward them.

Anagrams

• Forward, Warford, forward

English

Etymology

shortening of away +? -ward

Pronunciation

• enPR: w?'w?rd, IPA^(key): /?we?w?d/

Adjective

wayward (comparative more wayward, superlative most wayward)

1. given to wilful, perverse deviation from the expected norm; tending to stray
2. obstinate, contrary and unpredictable
3. (sports) not on target

Synonyms

• willful, headstrong, perverse, obstinate, obdurate, contrary, disobedient, insubordinate, undisciplined, capricious, witherward, froward
• See also Thesaurus:obstinate

Translations