Middle English Dictionary Entry

thiggen v.
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Entry Info

Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)

Note: Cp. ithiggen v.
1.
(a) To ingest, drink; consume (food, drink); ~ of, to drink from (pools of water); ~ on et and on wet, consume (too much) in eating and drinking; also, in construction with infl. inf. having passive sense: forbeden blod to ~, forbid blood to be drunk [quot. c1175]; (b) to take (a medicinal herb, medical preparation, etc.) by mouth, consume (sth., a curative food or drink); sellen ~, administer (an herb or herbal preparation, a medicine) to be taken or chewed.
2.
(a) To beg, ask for charity; beg for (food), get (one's food) by begging; ~ after, make supplication for (sth.); ~ bred, beg (one's) bread, live by begging; ppl. thiggande, begging; also, beggarly, needy [quot. a1400, 1st]; (b) with inf.: ~ of, to ask or beseech a favor of (God's grace to do sth.).