Middle English Dictionary Entry

thā̆re def. art. & adj.(1)
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Entry Info

Forms thā̆re def. art. & adj.(1) Also (chiefly early) þer & (early) þære, þara, þaræ, þarre, (chiefly SWM) þere & (in early name, assimilated to a preceding t) tare.
Etymology OE þǣre, þā̆re, þǣr, þā̆ra, þā̆ræ, þē̆re, sg. gen. fem. of sē̆. ME thare almost always occurs with descendants of OE fem. nouns, but there are occasional instances with descendants of OE masc. nouns, e.g., quot. a1121 in 2.(a).

Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)

1a.
Referring to a specific member of a class and used anaphorically, pointing to a person or thing previously mentioned: the, that, this: (a) with noun; (b) with noun, now further specified by an adj. or a rel. clause.
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1b.
With noun, referring to a specific member of a class and pointing to a thing not previously mentioned, but instead understood from the context or already known: the.
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1c.
With noun, referring to a specific member of a class and pointing to a thing neither previously mentioned nor understood from the context nor already known: (a) pointing to a thing particularized by a descriptive adj. or a gen. phrase: the; (b) pointing to a thing particularized by a rel. clause: the, that; (c) with a noun of place particularized by a locative clause: the.
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2.
Having unique reference: (a) ~ erthe (sonne, etc.); ~ mount, the Alps; (b) with noun or noun phrase referring to God; (c) with abstract noun; (d) with noun denoting a period of time; (e) with a title in apposition to a personal name: the; (f) used before an adj. preceding a personal name: the; (g) with the name of a valley.
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3.
Having generic reference: (a) with noun, pointing to a species, class, or type, or to a representative of a type: the, a; ~ sinne, sin; (b) with noun denoting the heart, the soul, etc.: the; (c) with noun denoting a period of time: the.
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4.
In surname.
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