Middle English Dictionary Entry
theim pron.
Entry Info
Forms | theim pron. Also theime, them(e, thaim(e, tham(e, (N) thaem, (N or NEM) yem, yam(e, yham & (N, chiefly after t or d) taim, tam & (Orm.) þeȝȝm & (error) þenn. For the spellings þain, thym, yaam, yaiem, yaim(e, yamme, yeim(e, yen see LALME 4.13-14. |
Etymology | ON (cp. OI þeim, dat. of þeir pl. pers. & dem. pron.); cp. OE þǣm, þām, pl. dat. & (in Merc.) acc. of sē̆ pron. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. hem pron. pl., than pron.(2).
1.
As direct obj. of a verb or an inf.: (a) with ref. to persons or personifications: them;—sometimes used pleonastically and occas. with sg. antecedent; also followed by inf. [quot. a1400 (a1325), 1st]; (b) with ref. to birds or things: them.
Associated quotations
a
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)1768 : He forrȝife Cristess hird All þeȝȝre sake & sinne & hellpe þeȝȝm þurrh hiss godleȝȝc To winnenn eche blisse.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)10399 : Ne draȝhe I þatt nohht upponn me Þatt icc þeȝȝm muȝhe lesenn Off hellepine.
- (1357) Gaytr.LFCatech.(Yk-Borth R.I.11)4/39 : Al creatures that loues god almighten..That has thaire saules to kepe..suld teche thame.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)7.103 (2nd occurrence) : If þere be in þaym so much lost of lordschipe..þan let þaym fiȝte allone.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)7120 : A redel þam vndo he badd.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)20120 : Scho..serued taim [Göt: þaim; Frf: ham] till hand and fote.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)23518 : Mare þan þam-seluen luue þai dright, þe angels taim als þam-seluen.
- a1400 Falseness and couetys (Mert 248)7 : Ilke man in lande no[u] leris wyt falsedam to pinchyn and pike; es þer no man þat þem sterys.
- (1418) in Rymer's Foedera (1709-10)9.629 (1st occurrence) : Whan thay have dryve thaim to the utmost Profir that may be had of them in this wise, than be it axed..how thay mow make the King sure of the Pees?
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.1391 : Þei of Troye suede on þe chas..And mercyles slowe þem as þei fle.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)4842 : But men this thenken euermore, That lasse harme is..Deceyve them than deceyued be.
- c1432 Bishop Notes in PMLA 49 (Cmb Dd.14.2)459 : All oþer lordes sette hure comyng to oure kyng to put þenn [read: þeim] in oure kynges grace.
- (1435) Misyn FL (Corp-O 236)62/6 : Hym certayn þat cristis lufe has swaloyd, it makys þame dede als wer to take þis vtward þingis.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)394/391 : Mighill..Ressayue þes saules al vnto þe, And lede þame als I schall þe lere.
- a1450 Myne awen dere sone (Vsp D.13)166 : If þou sall lofe, Þe person fyrste, I rede, þou proue Whether þat thay be fals or lele, Or þat þou fully with thayme dele.
- c1450(c1415) Roy.Serm.(Roy 18.B.23)294/21 : This synne of vaynglorie..makes theym to cost more then they may gete to make grete festes.
- a1475 Siege Troy(1) (Hrl 525)188/1101 : Many a grete lord of grece, He them heuwes al to pecie.
- (a1475) Fortescue Gov.E.(LdMisc 593)136 : For lakke off money, the kyng than rewarded þam with lande.
- c1475 Court Sap.(Trin-C R.3.21)1866 : Dame Dialetica..taught theym [there].
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)20/412 : Stand vp, my good boy, belife, and thaym peasse, both man & [w]ife.
- a1500 GRom.(Glo 42)737/12 : It be-hoves..prelates..to susteyne them with tyches & oblacions.
b
- (1357) Gaytr.LFCatech.(Yk-Borth R.I.11)22/69,71 : This ilk sex thinges..if it be funden that thai kun thaim noght..enȝoygne tham..for to kun tham.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)7.97 : Þe kynges..sent þaire corones to seint Edmond, whiche þey bouȝte agayn..if þey wolde were þaym.
- a1425 Ben.Rule(1) (Lnsd 378)13/33 : Lauerd, I mustird þe myne dedis, I ne hid tam noht and alle my herte.
- c1450(?a1400) Parl.3 Ages (Add 31042)236 : He..Than henttis thaym one honde and hodes thaym ther-aftire.
- (1451) Lin.DDoc.49/33 : I will..my newew Hugh Percy haue..a pare bedes to hym; & A nodyr pare to my nese his wife..I wol Sche haue yame or the mony.
- c1475 Body Pol.(Cmb Kk.1.5)79/31 : Like as fortune hylpe him to conquer and gete realmes..in like wyse she noyed and condited him for to lose theim by grevous discomfetours.
- (1477) Paston (Gairdner)5.296 : He hathe greet nede of gownys and odyr gere..I wulde ze xulde remembyrt and purvey them.
- a1500(c1477) Norton OAlch.(Add 10302)1216 : The mastirs of this arte..discloside but a parte..yet ye can not ordre & Ioyn theyme as ye shuld.
- a1500 GRom.(Glo 42)769/24 : He schuld aske iij petycyons of þe Emperour..And he schulde graunte hym them.
2.
As indirect obj. or dat. of interest or reference: them, to or for them.
Associated quotations
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)1142 : He þeȝȝm þurrh hiss mildherrtleȝȝc Forrȝæfe þeȝȝre gilltess.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)7467 : Þa þreo kingess..bonedd Þatt he þeȝȝm ȝæfe raþ þatt nahht Þurrh Haliȝ Gastess rune.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)667 : Witte and wisdam he þam gaue.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)752 : Thoru skil on þar auen dede Suld be mettam al þair mede.
- (1415) Doc.Conspir.Hen.V in D.K.R.43591 : Y..schewid thaim as fer as y coude quat foly ther was.
- c1450(c1440) Scrope Othea (StJ-C H.5)6/2 : I rede theme lessons in chaiere.
- c1450 Bk.GGrace (Eg 2006)373/10 : I preyede my fadere ande gate þaame forgyfnes.
- c1450 Ponthus (Dgb 185)7/5 : Thei schall be worschipped with vs, and we schall yeve theym of oures.
- c1460 Tree & Fruits HG (McC 132)70/3 : Such þat han trespased to hem ben glad to offre þeym pees.
- c1475 Mankind (Folg V.a.354)299 : Gyff them non audyence; þei wyll tell yow many a lye.
- a1500 GRom.(Glo 42)763/5 : The kynge callyd to hym his Counsell And tolde them what þe Emperour sayde.
- a1500 3rd Fran.Rule (Seton)49/25 : They shall not also geue enything to Joglers or mynstrellis..and they shall forbid to their seruauntes that they gyue theim no thing.
3.
As obj. of a prep.: (a) with ref. to persons or false gods: them; from ~ ward, in a direction away from them; nouther o ~, neither of theirs; to ~ ward, toward them; also, to them; (b) with ref. to things: them; also, used with sg. antecedent: such swords [quot. c1440(a1400)].
Associated quotations
a
- c1330 Harrow.H.(Auch)29 : Crist loked þaim vnto, as man auȝt to prisouns do.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)7.93 : He gedered þere monkes..some of þaym..made festes on nyȝtes.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)7.151 : Gregorie..bygan for to do softely wiþ þaym.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)47 : A saumpul her be þaem I say, þat rages in þare riot ay.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)8703 : Þe barn þat ded es, es noþer o þaim.
- (1418) in Rymer's Foedera (1709-10)9.629 (2nd occurrence) : Aftir it hath be clerely shewed them..that the King's Seurte to themward is both parfait and sufficeant..lat them see what othir Wey resonable thay can fynde.
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)7281 : Þe ded Þat here es strang and hard Salle ay þan fle fra þam-ward.
- ?a1425(?a1350) Castleford Chron.Lear (Göt Hist 740)262 : They..partyd Bryttaine þame betuene.
- c1440 PLAlex.(Thrn)83/33 : False goddes ȝe wirchipe..and to thaym ȝe make sacrafice.
- c1450 Ponthus (Dgb 185)1/6 : So thei had betwen theym a sonne that was called Ponthus.
- (1470) Will York in Sur.Soc.45179 : To the chawntor, to the segirston, and to hym that dose the highe messe, to ever ilk on of thame three viij d.
- (1472-3) RParl.6.44b (2nd occurrence) : The seid William, John, and Robert graunted to the seid Thomas and Philip the same Maners and Bourght..and thaym to theym yold in the same Courte.
- ?a1475 Banester Guiscardo (Add 12524)49 : Passing Penolepe and lucres off face, Ypolita and Emyles..No more lyke to theme than gete to cristall.
- c1475 Brm.Abraham (Brm)450 : Whan that hyr chyldryn dey them froo, As nater woll.
- a1500 GRom.(Glo 42)763/19 : When þei were in þe schyppe saylynge, þer Roos on them a gret tempest.
- c1616(?1441) Coucher Bk.Plumptonp.lvi : He, with officers of the said forest, rode to themward in all that they might pricke, to thintent to..treate with them, [etc.].
- -?-(1473) Will in Som.RS 16226 : Upon the condicion that John..pay..to my sonnes..and to my doughters..12 li. in money, that is to say, every of thaim 40 s.
b
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)1 Kings 6.14 : Þei heewyn þe trees of þe wayn, & þe keen þei puttyn vp on þem.
- (1424) EEWills60/32 : Make astate of þeim to Roberd my son a-fore-said for terme of the lyf of his moder Cecile.
- c1440(a1400) Eglam.(Thrn)267 : A gud swerd I sall gyff the, Was fonden in the Grekkes see—Of þam [vr. soche] knawe I no moo.
- c1450(c1440) Scrope Othea (StJ-C H.5)95/13 : Because þat dremes is a troubelous þing ..þer is noon so wise þat may propirly speke liche as þe expositours seiþ of theim.
- ?c1450(a1388) Wallingford Exafrenon (Dgb 67)211 : The 4 Chapitre is of strenghtes of planetis that fallis to thame of dyversite of stedis and movynge of thame in thare epiciclis.
- (1456) Let.Bekynton in RS 56.2142 : Lyke it yow to here and receyve the seyde matiers and writyng, and to certefie me of theym..by youre harauld youre answere.
- (1466) in Cox Churches Derb.4.85 : Imprimis iij chaleses, one of them ye sylver and gylte.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)7.151 : Thei come to the churches and toke awey goodes offrede in þeim.
- a1500(c1477) Norton OAlch.(Add 10302)437 : One metalle transmutide..vnto a metalle of an nother kynde, For propinquyte of mater that in theyme was.
- a1500 Weights in RHS ser.3.41 (Vsp E.9)14 : Dyuers places in this land thai mete grownd by the Polys, Goodys, and Roddys, and sum of thame be of xviij fote, [etc.].
4.
(a) As reflexive: themselves;—used as direct obj., indirect obj., obj. of prep., etc.; with sg. antecedent [quot. 1415]; (b) as reciprocal pron.: each other.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)1 Kings 5.9 : Gethei wentyn in to cownseil & maadyn to þem lederene seetys.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)2 Esd.8.16 : Al þe puple wente out & broȝten & maden tabernaclis to þem, eche in his hous.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)7.177 : Þe knyȝtes of Godwyn wiþdrawynge þaym for drede of þe kynges hooste, it was..cried..Godwyn schulde presente hym self to þe kynges court.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)1713 : Ȝee sal alsua tak ȝow with Beist and fouxul..þe meke be þam [Frf: to-geder] ai tua and tua; þe wild do be þam-self al-sua.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)15757 : Iudas and his felauscip..on bak þai ran; þai fell þaim don vn-to þe grund..all vp þai siþen wan.
- (1415) Reg.Chichele in Cant.Yk.S.42 (Lamb 69)49 : Þat ich of myn executors þat takis charge opon þaim have v marc for his travaill.
- a1425 Ben.Rule(1) (Lnsd 378)43/13 : Ofte timis it happins þat..þer be sum..thinkis thame-selfe als gude os thayre abbes And takis a-pon thame tyranry, and nurischis sclaunders.
- a1425 NPass.(Cmb Gg.5.31)5/17 : Þai gedird þaime to gedir full styll Of ihesu forto wyrke þare wyll.
- c1440(?a1400) Perceval (Thrn)1608 : Þat day was þer no more dede With those worthily in wede Bot buskede þam and to bedde ȝede, The more and the mynn.
- (1457) LRed Bk.Bristol2.185 : That all men of the seid craft go togidere..and chese theym a Maistur of the craft.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)24/1 : They wente home and unarmed them, and so to evynsonge and souper.
- (a1475) Fortescue Gov.E.(LdMisc 593)114 : Thai..ben feble, not able to fight..nor thai haue wepen, nor money to bie thaim wepen with all.
- a1486 Jousts of Peace (Mrg M 775)39 : When the harrawdis cri 'a lostell, a lostell,' then schall all þe vj Gentill men within un helme them be fore the sayde ladyys.
- a1500(?c1400) Triam.(Cmb Ff.2.38)770-71 : The knyghtys gysed them full gay And proued them full preste.
b
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Tob.9.8 : Whan he was coomen in to þe hous of raguel, he fond tobie sittynge, & stertinge þei kisten þem togidere.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Job 20.2 : My thoȝtis dyuerse comen after oþer to þem [L succedunt sibi], & my mynde in to dyuerse thingis is raueshid.
5.
(a) As direct or indirect obj. of impers. verb: them; to them; (b) as subj. of verb: they [a few quots. may belong to (a)].
Associated quotations
a
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)ded.49 : To sen & tunnderrstanndenn All þess te bettre, hu þeȝȝm birrþ Þe Goddspell unnderrstanndenn.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)5407 : Þan went þei here way whider þaim god liked.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)26 : To rede and here Ilkon is prest, þe thynges þat þam likes best.
- ?a1425 Mandev.(2) (Eg 1982)88/1 : Riȝt so think þaim it a grete wirschepe, when any of þer cusyns or of þer frendes slaez þam self for lufe of þer mawmet.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)564 : There sall appon Godarde a garette be rerede..And a bekyn abouenn to brynne, when þem lykys.
- a1450 Ben.Rule(2) (Vsp A.25)2510 : If þeir lifyng be vnlele, Þam think dedeyn with it to dele.
- a1500(?a1400) Morte Arth.(2) (Hrl 2252)2517 : The knyghtis answeryd..that so them thought That syr mordred the sekereste was.
- a1500 Chartier Treat.Hope (Rwl A.338)76/30 : Wherfor them semed that suche as slough them by magnanymyte lyveden by lawde of mennes memoryes and by the reders of storyes.
b
- a1400 Cursor (Göt Theol 107)14726 : Þar he mani chapman fand Serkin marchandis chepand; þair ox, þair kij, þair chepe þaim [Vsp: þai] sald.
- a1400 Cursor (Phys-E)21632 : Bot mani of trouþe es sa unselie Þame trou noȝte bot þai se wiþ eie.
- (1418) in Rymer's Foedera (1709-10)9.629 : Wherfor be it said that, of Resoune, thaim ought to be departed in Tretye, and the Matier of Trewe to be treated afore.
- (1422) MSS PRO in App.Bk.Lond.E.303 (2nd occurrence) : Considre how me owȝt noȝt to have kepyng of þaim, for þaim owghte to be keped in þe kynggys comene gaiole & noȝt in my poer prison.
- (1423) Pet.Sutton in Fenland NQ 7308 : The dereigne and issues of ffresh waters to the See of certen townes..er not sufficiantly repareld as yem oght to be.
- ?a1425(?a1350) Castleford Chron.(Göt Hist 740)19991 : Welfon knightes þam lefte to his schelde On duk cheldrik to win þe felde.
- c1475(?c1451) Worcester Bk.Noblesse (Roy 18.B.22)26 : But the worthy Romains..left not the hope and trust of recovering on another day, whan God lust, onnere and fortune; theyme so exercised daily armes..that..they..charged theym so moche..to the gret..destruccion of Haniballe.
6.
Used determinatively: them: (a) with rel. clause following: ~ (..) that, ~ which;—occas. used pleonastically; also without that in following rel. clause; (b) with prep. phrase following: ~ of athenes (orkenei).
Associated quotations
a
- c1350 Apoc.(1) in LuSE (Hrl 874)p.68 : By þem þat ne mowen nouȝth fleiȝen heiȝe ben bitokned Antecristes deciples.
- (1357) Gaytr.LFCatech.(Yk-Borth R.I.11)70/354 : The first is to fede tham that er hungry.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Judg.20.38 : Þe sones..off Israel haddyn ȝifyn a tokne to þem þat weren sett in busschementis.
- a1400 Dice(2) (Boston 100)p.31 : Sink, tray, deux tellis me yat wa is yham at is seker of ye.
- a1400 Dice(2) (Boston 100)p.32 : Synk, deux, ace you castyn hace..will is yam yi loue may wyn.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)148 : Philippe is in Neptenabus londe, And haueþ ydon to þe swerde Þem þat nolden myd hym acorde.
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)202 : Ilk cristen man..Suld be bughsom..To here and lere of þam, namely, Þat understands and knawes by skille, Wilk es gude way and wilk es ille.
- ?a1425 Mandev.(2) (Eg 1982)2/11 : For þe whilk land ilke a gude Cristen man..suld..chace oute þerof þaim þat er mistrowand.
- c1440(a1400) Eglam.(Thrn)4 : Giff þam ioye þat will here Of eldirs þat byfore vs were.
- a1450 Who-so rememors (Add 37049)p.14 : This affermes the boke Horologium Sapiencie cald To thaim that deuoutely Cristes passion in mynde wil halde.
- c1475 Wisd.(Folg V.a.354)810-11 : Thow þey curs, nther [read: never] þe wers I fare. Thys day I endyght them I herde of neuer are; To-morow I wyll aqwyt them, yff nede were.
- a1500(c1477) Norton OAlch.(Add 10302)346 : Wherfore avise yow and be wise Of theym which profre such seruyce.
- a1500 Bod.EMisc.Lapid.(BodEMisc e.558)32/254 : The pouder of geete is goode for to fasten tethe, them that be loce, & streynith a womannes nature benethe whenne she is brennyd.
- a1525(?1472) Cov.Leet Bk.383 : The Mair Resceyved a letter..to putt in Correccion theyme þat disobeyn the kynges Officeres.
b
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)734/32 : The grene knyght hathe done mervaylously and beatyn all them of Orkeney.
- c1475 Body Pol.(Cmb Kk.1.5)135/15 : He subdued and putt in seruage theim of Athenes.
7.
(a) Accompanying an indef. pron. or adj. or a num.: ~ alle, alle ~, all of them; ~ bothe, the two of them, them;—also refl. [quot. c1440]; ~ feue (two, five, etc.), those few (two, five, etc.); (b) as dem. adj.: those.
Associated quotations
a
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)20069 : Quen ihesus crist was don on rode..He cald til him..saint iohan..And his aun modir; bot tam tua Ne cald he men til him nama.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)23.110 : Fortune gan flaterie þenne thaym fewe þat were a-lyue.
- a1425 Ben.Rule(1) (Lnsd 378)38/23 : In þe Kirke bi-fore þame alle sal sho haite stabilnes and buxumnes.
- ?a1425 SLeg.Nich.(CmbAdd 3039)63/27 : Þaire fadre hade none oþer wone, bot ordaynd þaim al thre To þe bordel forto gange.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)3716 : Sir Arthure and Gawayne avyede them bothen To sexty thosandez of men.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)255/38 : Itt is to here grete wondering, How þat he helis þame all on rawe, And all thurgh his false happenyng.
- c1450(a1425) MOTest.(SeldSup 52)773 : Be twyx them two be gan grett stryfe with in hyr wom.
- c1450 Bk.GGrace (Eg 2006)410/5 : Also in þat feste I was both þe harpe ande organes to gladde þaame alle þat were atte þat feeste.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)23/33 : Whan the fyve knyghtes wyst that sir Kay had a falle they were wroth oute of mesure and therewithall ech of them fyve bare downe a knyght.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)1185/31 : They beare none armys ayenst hym, neyther of them bothe.
- 1485(a1470) Malory Wks.(Caxton:Vinaver)17/27 : It was grete shame to all them to see suche a boye to have a rule of soo noble a reaume.
- c1490(1471) LRed Bk.Bristol2.131 : We charge you straitly vpon youre ligeaunce that ye sease the persones of thaim alle as ferforthly as ye may sette hand vpon thaim.
- a1500(c1465) SEChron.(Lamb 306:Everett)9 : Aurylambos and Uter were but yonge children..and none of them bothe were not of age to ber the crowne.
- a1500 PNoster R.Hermit (Trin-C O.1.29)p.158 : Gode looue betwix þeme two wex all-waye more & more.
b
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Esth.9.30 : Þei senten to þem Jewis þat in an hundrid & seuene & twenti prouyncis of king assuer dwelleden þat þei shulden han pes.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)6282 : Þus him wreked, þe lauerd o might, On þam wreches o-gain him fight.
- (1429) Reg.Langley in Sur.Soc.169165 : I wylle thei iij singe for me, takyng every prest of thaim two seculers viij marcz.