thruff

English

Etymology

Reflecting a dialectal pronunciation where the sound of <gh> (/x/) in English thurgh altered to /f/, as in standard English rough, tough, etc.

Preposition

thruff

1. (UK, dialectal, dated) Pronunciation spelling of through.
   • 1864, Alfred Tennyson, “Northern Farmer”, in Enoch Arden, &c., London: Edward Moxon & Co., […], →OCLC, page 133:

     Nobbut a bit on it's left, an' I meän'd to 'a stubb'd it at fall, / Done it ta-year I meän'd, an' runn'd plow thruff it an' all, […]

   • 1891 June, “Legends of the Cars”, in Folk-lore: A Quarterly Review, volume II, number II, London: David Nutt, page 150:

     […] voices o' deed folks, an' hands wi'outen airms, that came i' tha darklins, moanin' an' cryin an' beckonin' all night thruff; […]

   • 1897, Bram Stoker, “Mina Murray’s Journal”, in Dracula, New York, N.Y.: Modern Library, →OCLC, chapter VI, pages 73–74:

     He pointed to a stone at our feet which had been laid down as a slab, on which the seat was rested, close to the edge of the cliff. "Read the lies on that thruff-stean," he said.