wrang

Wrang is a term that appears in English-language sources primarily as a dialect word rather than a standard term. In Scots and northern English dialects, wrang functions as an adjective meaning wrong or incorrect, and as a noun indicating a wrong, injury, or injustice. The verb sense, historically expressed as “to wrang,” covers the act of wronging someone or causing distress. In contemporary standard English, the forms wrang and related words are uncommon outside dialect contexts, with wrangle, wring, and wrung serving more common roles.

Etymology and relations to other forms are debated in linguistic sources. Wrang is generally treated as a dialectal development linked to the broader semantic field around wrong and injury, rather than as a direct ancestor of the modern verb wring or the verb wrangle. While it shares a surface resemblance with those terms, wrang is typically distinguished in usage as a regional or historical variant rather than a contemporary standard form.

Usage and presence in modern language are limited. The word is mainly encountered in historical texts, literature that preserves regional speech, or discussions of Scots vocabulary. It is not widely used in modern formal writing, and glossaries of dialectal English often note wrang as a historical or regional term rather than a current standard expression.

Notable uses and forms: Wrang occasionally appears as a surname or as a component in longer toponyms in localized dialect areas, but no widely recognized places or individuals are associated with the standalone term in mainstream references. See also: wrangle, wrung, wring.