Middle English Dictionary Entry

theim pron.
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Entry Info

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.
2.
As indirect obj. or dat. of interest or reference: them, to or for them.
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)].
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.
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)].
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).
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.