Citations:thew
English citations of thew
Etymology 1
editThe adjective is derived from Middle English theu, thewe (“in a state of slavery or serfdom, not free; (figuratively) under the influence of evil, sin, etc.”) [and other forms], from:[1]
- from an attributive use of theu, thewe (noun) (see above); or
- from Old English þēow (“servile”), from þēow (noun) (see above).
Adjective
editthew (comparative more thew, superlative most thew)
- (obsolete) Bond; servile.
- According to the OED, this sense did not survive out of Middle English into modern English. Thus, a separate Middle English entry should be created.
Etymology 2
editFrom Middle English thewen, from Old English þēowan, þȳwan (“to press, impress, force, press on, urge on, drive, press with a weapon, thrust, pierce, stab, threaten, rebuke, subjugate, crush, push, oppress, check”), from Proto-Germanic *þewjaną (“to enslave, oppress”), from Proto-Indo-European *tekʷ- (“to run, flow”). Cognate with Middle Dutch douwen, Middle Low German duwen, Middle High German diuhen, dūhen, diuwen (“to oppress”).
[See “theuen, v.(2)”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.]
Verb
editthew (third-person singular simple present thews, present participle thewing, simple past and past participle thewed)
- (transitive, obsolete) To oppress (someone).
- According to the OED, this sense did not survive out of Middle English into modern English. Thus, a separate Middle English entry should be created.
Etymology 3
edit[See “theuien, v.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007; “† theow | thew, v.”, in OED Online , Oxford, Oxfordshire: Oxford University Press, December 2020.]
Verb
editthew (third-person singular simple present thews, present participle thewing, simple past and past participle thewed)
- (transitive, obsolete) To act as a serf or slave to (someone); to minister, to serve.
- According to the OED, this sense did not survive out of Middle English into modern English. Thus, a separate Middle English entry should be created.
- ^ “theu, adj.(2)”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.
- English citations
- English terms inherited from Middle English
- English terms derived from Middle English
- English terms inherited from Old English
- English terms derived from Old English
- English lemmas
- English adjectives
- English terms with obsolete senses
- English terms inherited from Proto-Germanic
- English terms derived from Proto-Germanic
- English terms derived from Proto-Indo-European
- English verbs
- English transitive verbs