So "wrought iron" is "worked iron" (true) and "wrecked iron" is what happens when an automobile doesn't make it past the crossing in time, in which case there is also some havoc involved ... wreaked or wrought or wrooked or whatever.
   
  .brad.01feb08. 

"Spruiell, William C" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
   
  "Wrought" is an old past participle of "work"; According to the OED, "wrought havoc" is actually the past tense of "work havoc," not "wreak havoc." I'm not sure "wreak" has a surviving past or past  participle form. Wreaked? Wrook?

Bill Spruiell
Dept. of English
Central Michigan University


       
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