(a) Straw, reeds, or similar material used in covering a roof, thatch; also, such material put to other uses; lode ~; (b) a covering of thatch or of lead, tiles, etc. over a roof; also, a roof; (c) in cpds. & combs.: ~ bende ful, the amount of straw that could be held by the tie about a bundle of thatch; ~ bord, a board fastened to the roof on which thatch or other covering material was laid;—also coll.; ~ nail (prig), a nail used in securing roofing thatch, slates, or tiles;—also coll.; ~ nedle, a support beam used in thatching; ~ red, reeds used in wattling; ~ rodde, wooden rods used to hold the thatch in place on the roof; ~ silver, a money payment in commutation of the service of thatching; ~ ston, ston ~, roofing slates; ~ tile [OE þæc-tigele], a roofing tile;—also coll.; double ~ nail, some sort of nails used in thatching; fen ~ [OE fen-þæc], rushes used for thatching; medwe ~, hay used for thatching; plum ~, a lead covering for a wall; red ~, reeds used for thatching; (d) in surnames; (e) in place names [see Smith PNElem.2.202].