Middle English Dictionary Entry
therf adj.
Entry Info
| Forms | therf adj. Also therfe, therve, therw, threfte, tharf(e, (Orm.) þeorrf. |
| Etymology | OE þeorf, þearf. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Unleavened, without leavening; also, fig. uncontaminated; (b) made with unleavened dough; ~ bred; also fig.; ~ cake; ~ lof [OE þeorf-hlāf]; ~ mete;—used fig.; (c) feste (solempnite) of ~ loves, Passover; first dai of ~ loves, the first day of Passover; solempnite of ~ bred, ?a Passover celebration; (d) rye;— ?error for therk(e adj. 'dark'.
Associated quotations
a
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)997 : Þatt follkes lac wess shep & gat..& bulltedd bræd..& oþerr stund tatt lac wass bræd All þeorrf wiþþutenn berrme.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))1 Cor.5.8 : Crist is offrid oure pask..And so ete we, not in olde sourdouȝ..but in therf thingis of clennesse and treuthe.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)819 : Bot þenkkez on hit be þrefte, what þynk so ȝe make, For wyth no sour ne no salt servez hym never.
- a1425(a1400) Paul.Epist.(Corp-C 32)1 Cor.5.7 : Pourge ȝee þe oold sour dough, þat ȝee been a newe sprenklyng, as ȝee ben therfe.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)30b/b : Be he war of tharfe þingez & crude & aquous.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)490 : Therf, wythe owte sowre dowe: Azimus.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)126a : Tharfe: Azimus, nonfermentatus.
b
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Ex.13.7 : Þerf brede [WB(2): therf looues; L Azyma] ȝe schull eten seuen days; þer schall not appeer enentis þee eny þing made soure.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)1 Kings 28.24 : Takynge flour sche mengde it & booc therue loues [WB(2): therf breed].
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)5.9 : Alexander..was pope ten ȝere..and he ordeyned þat þe oyst schulde be of þerf brede [L de azymo pane].
- c1390 PPl.A(1) (Vrn)7.269 : I haue no peny..bote twey grene cheeses And a fewe Cruddes and Craym and a þerf Cake.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)128b/b : Children of þe resurrexioun beþ..fedde nouȝt wiþ olde soure dowe of malice but wiþ þerf mete of swetenesse and of soþenesse.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)635 : Þe burne..Clechez to a clene cloþe and kestez on þe grene, Þrwe þryftyly þeron þo þre þerve kakez.
- ?a1425 Mandev.(2) (Eg 1982)10/5 : Þe Grekes..makes þe sacrement of þe autere of leuaynd breed..And þai say we erre þat makes þe sacrement of tharf breed.
- ?c1425 Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)504/24 : Leue þei also newe fruyte, rapes, rawe and þarf brede..chese and mylk.
- ?a1450 Sel.Rosarium Theol.(Cai 354/581)80/6 : Helyas..in strength of ane aschen or þerf lofe ȝede 40 dayez and 40 niȝtes.
- c1450 Med.Bk.(2) (Add 33996)116 : Let him ete of an hoot þerfe kake, & drinke red wyn warm.
- a1500 Discip.Cler.(Wor F.172)51 : Biware the counsail of therfbrede til it be sowre dowgh.
- a1500 Hal.Gloss.(Eg 829)6 : Panis sine fermento: therfbreed.
c
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)2 Par.8.13 : Salamon offrede brente sacrifises..in þe solempnete of therue loues [L sollemnitate azymorum] & in þe solempnete of wijkes & in þe solempnete of tabernacles.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Mark 14.1 : Pask and the feeste of therf looues withouȝten sourdowȝ was aftir the secunde day.
- c1400 Bible SNT(1) (Selw 108 L.1)prol.17/33 : Þe furste moneþ of þe ȝer, þe fourtenþe day of þe moneþ, Pase of God, þe efetyd..& on þe morewen þei schulden maken a solempnyte of þerf [vr. þerw] bred, and þis day þei schulden resten from alle bodylyche werkes.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Mat.26.17 : In the firste dai of therf looues the disciplis camen to Jhesu.
d
- a1425 Roy.17.C.17 Nominale (Roy 17.C.17)657/30 : Panis siliginius: tharfbred; Panis sigalinus, idem.