Middle English Dictionary Entry
theu n.(1)
Entry Info
| Forms | theu n.(1) Also thewe, theuwe, theauwe, thegh, (early) þeau, þæu; pl. theus, thewes, etc. & theawes, (N) thues, yheus & (early) þew(e)as, þæwes, þæuwes, þiues, (SWM) þeo(u)wes & (early gen.) þea(u)wene, (dat.) þeawen, ðeawum, þeæwen. |
| Etymology | OE þēaw, (Nhb.) ðēow. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A way of behaving toward others; deportment, bearing, manners;—usu. pl.; (b) a habitual mode of conduct; a habit, practice [occas. difficult to distinguish from (a)]; (c) proper conduct, good manners, courtesy; (d) a characteristic act; also, ?a courteous act, service [last quot.].
Associated quotations
a
- a1150(OE) Vsp.D.Hom.(Vsp D.14)54/36 : Þreo arlease scylden we gehyrden..Þan þrym þingan us gedafoneð þæt we wiðcweðen on uren þeawen.
- a1150(OE) Vsp.D.Hom.(Vsp D.14)116/5 : On þan time wæs sum þegn Drihtelm gehaten, on Norðhumberlande, bilewite on andgite, gemetegod on þeawen.
- a1225(c1200) Vices & V.(1) (Stw 34)65/12 : Hie ðe takd [read: takð] gode þeawes and god lif to leden, hu ðu scalt fram ðan euele buȝen, a hu ðu scalt gode werkes don.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)1569 : Feor haueden..men ispeken of þan mæidene..of hire mucla fæira wlite..of fæire hire þeæwen.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)79/30 : Hy is ycleped uirtue, uor þet hy worþssipeþ þe zaule myd guode workes and mid guode þewes.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)189 : Ȝong bold barnes..folwe him for his fredom and for his faire þewes.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Cl.(Manly-Rickert)E.409 : For thogh that euere vertuous was she, She was encressed in swich excellence Of thewes goode yset in heigh bountee, And so discreet and fair of eloquence, [etc.].
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)3059 : Ful selde ys synger gode yn thew, But þat yn sum poynt he ys a shrew.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)13275 : Petre and andreu, Bath þai war o mild theu.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)203 : He forȝet alle his fre þewez And wex wod to þe wrache for wrath at his herte.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)916 : Now schal we..se sleȝtez of þewez & þe teccheles termes of talkyng noble.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)6.1309 : Deeme no man gentil, but onli bi his deede..of good men & shrewes, Calle ech man gentil after his good thewes.
- ?c1450 St.Cuth.(Eg 3309)7704 : Of his menȝe, some were schrewys, Þai vsed noȝt all gude thewys.
- c1475 3 Consid.(UC 85)205 : The Prince and the lady shulde..well take heede that theire children ben wel noryshed and well induced in good thewes, in faire langage, in good wyse and faire maners, and in good countenaunces.
- a1500(?a1400) Morte Arth.(2) (Hrl 2252)1081 : Off foo ne frend, the sothe to say, So vn-hend of thewis is ther none..All churlysshe maners he had in wone.
- a1500(c1410) Dives & P.(Htrn 270)1.189 : Þey dispisyn God day and nyȝth with here wyckyd lyuynge and her wickyd thewys.
b
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)16911 : Bitacneþþ he þatt follc Þatt lefeþþ wel o Criste & ledeþþ þohh flæshlike lif I þæwwess & i dedess.
- a1225(c1200) Vices & V.(1) (Stw 34)87/1 : Tu hauest þine sennnen and ðine euele þeawes forlaten, and ðese hali mihtes swa bleðeliche liernest and wel undernimst.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)1074 : Þat wes an leodisc king..vuele weoren his þewes.
- c1330(?c1300) Spec.Guy (Auch)72 : I wole þe teche Faire uertuz for to take And foule þewes to forsake.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Mch.(Manly-Rickert)E.1542 : It oghte ynogh suffise With any wyf if so were that she hadde Mo goode thewes than hir vices badde.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)1947 : To doghty thues lok þou þe gif, To lof leute quils þou mai lif.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)10597 : Godd wold sco greu and clamb on hei Throu dughti theus and liuelad clene.
- a1400(a1325) Glo.Chron.B (Trin-C R.4.26)787/63 : He was fair & eke muche & kene on eche fyt & was ȝeue cousti & þewes hadde gode.
- a1400 Cato(2) (Thott 306)p.324 : Now..I schal the schewe in what manere The thewes of thi thouȝt thou may Conforme wel to vertues verray.
- ?a1425(?a1350) Castleford Chron.(Göt Hist 740)19759 : Arthur was..ffair of theues, of cors, of mode.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)9747 : Some of his þewes y wil descrye..Craftily dide he mannes dedes..of myrþe most was in halle..Ageyn þe proude, proud herted was he, Ageyn þe meke, debonere & ese, [etc.].
- c1450 Royal SSecr.(Roy 18.A.7)3/6 : I..haue..travaylid forto gete The book of good thewes to him, whiche is callid the secrete of secretis of the makyng of Aristotille.
- c1475(a1449) Lydg.Test.(Hrl 218)659,666 : A chyld..Loth to correccioun..All good thewes redy to despice..My loke, myn eyen vnsure and vagabound..To all good thewes contrarye I was founde.
- a1500(a1450) Ashmole SSecr.(Ashm 396)92/17 : Heres vnderblak, thynne, shewen good thewes, so þat þei be not to moch depressed.
- a1475 *Sidrak & B.(Lnsd 793)4780 : Good folk..Ȝonge and olde, and pouere of good þewes..shal noon of þise..Ascape þe deeþ.
c
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)3159 : He..toc to þeowwtenn hire anan Wiþþ þæw att alle nede.
- a1275(?c1150) Prov.Alf.(Trin-C B.14.39)112/371 : Loke þat þu him þeine mid alle kennes þiues.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)152 : Þis child leuede & wel iþei & þeweas [Otho: þeuwes] hit luuede.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)1382 : Oðere maidenes, wið hire cumen, Ne wor nogt so forð ðeuwe numen.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)2757 : A gunge man at te welle Ðewe and wursipe hem dede.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)1.273 : Þere is þe faire floure, þe citee of Parys, norice of þewes [L nutrix morum], botiller of lettres.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)4.205 : Þis Caton made a grete sciens of vertues and of þewes.
- c1450(c1400) Emare (Clg A.2)58 : She thawȝth hyt curtesye and thewe, Golde and sylke for to sewe.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)14/185 : Ouer godis forbot, be to the thank or thew to kun me.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)4016 : To þat abundaunse of bewte ho was best norisshed Witte to wale, wantid no thewes.
d
- a1150(OE) Vsp.D.Hom.(Vsp D.14)124/3 : Mycele wæren þysses mannes geearnungen..Ge magen geheren sume his þeawes, swa swa he beo him sylfen awrat.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)985 : All þatt lac was sett þurrh Godd, Forr þatt itt shollde tacnenn Hu Cristess þeoww birrþ lakenn Crist, Gastlike i gode þæwess.
- a1225(OE) Lamb.Hom.VA (Lamb 487)119 : Monie þewas beoð..þe monnen þuncheð rihte ac hi þah ledað to deðe.
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)139 : He ne dorste for godes eie forleten þat he þe king þat þeau ne binome.
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)47/11 : Þet is a muche þeaw, nawt to þeo þe hit schulden smeallen & heatien þet fulðe.
2.
(a) A distinctive habit of a class of men, animals, etc.; a trait, characteristic; (b) a custom of a people, a class of men, etc.; a tradition; ~ of court, court ~, a custom of court; protocol; (c) an established rule, ordinance; also, an injunction.
Associated quotations
a
- a1150(OE) Vsp.D.Hom.(Vsp D.14)5/8 : Ne do þu naðer, ne þe sylfen ne here, ne þe sylfen ne leh; æigðer þære is dysigre manna þeaw, þe swincað æfter idele gelpe.
- a1150(OE) Vsp.D.Hom.(Vsp D.14)5/25 : Ne hlyst þu na unscadwises mannes word, for þan þe manig man hæfð þone þeaw, þæt he ne cann nytt specan & naðelæs ne mæig swigigen.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)7328 : Unnclene & all unncweme I dærne unnclene þohht & þæw.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)8053 : Aȝȝ whil þatt I wass litell child Icc held o childess þæwess, & son summ icc wass waxenn mann Þa flæh I childess cosstess.
- a1225(c1200) Vices & V.(1) (Stw 34)109/34 : 'Ga..ut of ðine kenne.' Þat bieð alle ðine euele ðeawes ðe ðu mide ware iboren and ec ifedd.
- a1250(?c1150) Prov.Alf.(Mdst A.13)96/228 : Wis child is fader Blisse..hwiles it his litel ler hit mannes þewes.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)15113 : Þu ært ihalden kene gume; hauest þu nu quene þeouwes inume?
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)6.105 : It is no wonder If thou be drunke of love..It is no schame of such a thew A yong man to be dronkelew.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)151a/a : Þe turtur is a chast bridde and haþ þat name of þewes, for he foleweþ chastite.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)4.715 : Their thewis is to se that they be meke, Quyk, and aferd of clamour and of gode.
- a1500(1422) Yonge SSecr.(Rwl B.490)211/38 : A man may not fynde in no beste custume ne thegh whyche is noght in a man.
b
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)70/31 : We ne ðurfon na leng lichamlice haldæn, ac on ure lifes ðeawum on gastlice andȝite, & on gode weorcum.
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)47 : Hie..offredde loc for him..Swich þeu wes bi þan dagen, and þis þeu folgede þe heuenliche quen ure lafdi, Seinte Marie, on childbedde, and on offringe, and on chirche gonge.
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)181 : Ilch man of his wise noteð his swinhc swilch se he is to iteied: Clerc on his wise, Cniht on his wise, Tilie on his wise, And ilches craftes þeau swo he beð to iteied.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)3165 : He bi-lefde tweie sunen þa tuwen þes fader þæuwes.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)3570 : Cassibellaunus..sette feire þeauwes in þissen þeoden.
- ?a1300(c1250) Prov.Hend.(Dgb 86)st.3 : Also fele þedes, Also fele þewes.
- c1330(?a1300) Guy(2) (Auch)p.406 : Pray Herhaud..He teche mi sone as he wele can Al þe þewes of gentil man.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)342 : My fader..knew of kourt þe þewes for kourteour was he long.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)185b/b : No prouynce is worþi to be sette to for Narbone in araye of men in worþines of maners and thewes.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)3122 : He lered him first drightin do dred, And siþen all gode theus o lede.
- (a1402) Trev.DCur.(Hrl 1900)81/20 : The forseide heeste is cerymonial..For hit is verrey moral, longynge to good þewes.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)21 : Bathe ware..Kynde men and courtays and couthe of courte thewes.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)3747 : Sche lengis in oure burȝe And is oure thewis of oure thede thryfandly enfourmed.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)374/229 : Thou can of cowrte thew.
c
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)544 : Þat he chysly hade cherisched he chastysed ful hardee In devoydynge þe vylanye þat venkquyst his þewes.
- a1425(?c1375) NHom.(3) Leg.(Hrl 4196)55/196 : Þe scribes and þe phariseus Thoght no-thing gude of þir thews For he prechid þaire lawes to lett.
3.
(a) Moral character; pl. a set of moral principles, morals [sometimes difficult to distinguish from sense 1.(a) & (b)]; (b) a moral quality; a virtue or vice; also, one of the cardinal virtues; hed ~, a cardinal virtue; hed god ~, the cardinal virtue of charity; (c) in aphorisms and prov. expressions.
Associated quotations
a
- a1150(OE) Vsp.D.Hom.(Vsp D.14)6/8 : Ne beo þu na oferspæce, ac hlyst ælces mannes wordan swyðe georne, for þan þa word geopenigeð ælces mannes wille & his þeawes, þeh he heo hwilen behelige.
- c1175(OE) Bod.Aelfric OT (Bod 343)27/295 : Ac ðe gungere broðor, þe Jacob wæs ihaten, wearð Gode leofræ for his gode ðeawum & for his bilewitnysse he wearð ibletsod.
- a1225(c1200) Vices & V.(1) (Stw 34)95/29 : Wepeð, wepeð forð mid me alle ðe healdeð ȝeu seluen forȝelte, and waschen ðe spottes of ure euele ðeawes!
- a1225 Lamb.Hom.Creed (Lamb 487)77 : Þe fader is ine þe sune..On þewe, for he is ful of alle godnesse.
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)155/1 : Schrift lo is gunfanunur, & bereð þe banere binoren al godes ferd, þet beoð gode þeawes.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)3439 : Of alre godnesse þe gume wes ilæred, he hæfde gode þæwes.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)4895 : Þine þeawes beoð gode; þu hauest mucle treow-scipe.
- c1350(a1333) Shoreham Poems (Add 17376)2/49 : Þis ilke laddre is charite, Þe stales gode þeawis.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)131/32 : Ech of þise zeuen uirtues..of [?read: heþ] his stapes huer-by profiteþ an clifþ and wext ine þe herte and his dedes and his guode þeauwes.
- 1372 It is nouth (Adv 18.7.21)p.59 : It is nouth worth to a child his frendis g[oodnesse] But if his owen gode þewe reule is herte with r[it].
- a1400 Dice(2) (Boston 100)p.31 : Sink, tray, ace, right wele schews, you art abill of a [alt. from: of] gode yhews, yer for be stedfast in yi thoght, and yi will sal wel be wroght.
- c1430(c1386) Chaucer LGW (Benson-Robinson)2577 : The whiche child, of hire natyvyte, To alle thewes goode yborn was she..she mot nedes be Pyetous, sad, wis, and trewe as stel.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)15.120 : My Modir..was In this Creaunce..that good womman was, & trewe, And Therto worschepful & Of good thewe.
- a1450 Chauliac(4) (Cai 336/725)20/2 : The condiciouns þat ben requirid in þe Cirurgien ben iiij..The þridde: þat he be of redi witt; þe iiij, þat he be of gode þewis.
- c1450(?c1400) Wycl.Elucid.(StJ-C G.25)4 : He maid þe world, noumbre of alle aungels & men, her þewis, willynges, seiynges, deedes, & þouȝtes.
- c1450 How mankinde dooþ (Lamb 853)70 : To fadir & modir honour þou ȝeelde; Loue god, & drede, and be of good þewis.
- a1500(?a1425) Lambeth SSecr.(Lamb 501)94/5 : Make þou right stable yn þinges þat er bytwen þe & þe poeple, þat ys to wete, mesure of thewes, and setynges of tokenynges, of þe whylk I geue þe a full fayre shappe.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)57/24 : He can bales beete, Thrugh his awn thew.
b
- a1150(c1125) Vsp.D.Hom.Elucid.(Vsp D.14)142/30 : Sume þa gode habbeð lang lif..for þan þæt þa yfela mænn scolden nymen forbisne æt heom of goden þeawen, & gecerren fram heora unðeawen.
- c1225(?c1200) SWard (Bod 34)6/40 : Vre lauerd haueð ileanett him froure of his dehtren, þet beoð to vnderstonden þe fowr heaued þeawes.
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)82/25 : Her beoð iþeos word twa eadi þeawes..þolemodnesse..eadmodnesse.
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)144/15-16 : Eadmodnesse..þis þeaw is alre þeawene [Nero: þeauwene] moder.
- (c1300) Havelok (LdMisc 108)282 : Þe kinges douther bigan þriue..Of alle þewes w[as] she wis, Þat gode weren, and of pris.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)4159 : Bi-seke we nu godes migt Ðat he..lede us to blisse and in-to ligt; In swilc ðewes lene us to cunen [read: cumen], Ðurg quat we ben to liue numen, And in-to blisse wið seli men.
- (1357) Gaytr.LFCatech.(Yk-Borth R.I.11)78/382 : The fifte thing..Is the seuen vertues that haliwrit techis Of whilk seuen the thre first..er heued thewes.
- (1357) Gaytr.LFCatech.(Yk-Borth R.I.11)80/406 : The third vertu or thew is charite.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)3.191 : Þere he..tauȝte..vertues and þewes.
- c1390 Castle Love(1) (Vrn)763 : Neuer nas non bote heo Þat wiþ so fele þewes iwarned wes, So þat swete Mayden Marie wes.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)27532 : Charity..es þe hefd god theu of all.
- c1400(?c1380) Patience (Nero A.10)30 : These arn þe happes alle aȝt þat vus bihyȝt weren, If we þyse ladyes wolde lof in lyknyng of þewes: Dame Pouert, dame Pitee..and miry Clannesse.
- a1425(c1300) NHom.(1) Alex.(Ashm 42)631 : Mekenes es þe beste thewe Þat ani man in dede maie schewe.
- c1425 PNoster R.Hermit (Sid 74)p.157 : Ofte þey come togredre to haue þer murthes in mene: of god loue & schast & oþer gode thewes only was þer speche.
- ?a1450 Mem.Cred.(Tan 201)119/12 : Sleuth if oft cause of lecherye, þeft, and robry and of many oþere yuel þewes.
- c1450(c1380) Chaucer HF (Benson-Robinson)1851 : I wolde fayn han had a fame, As other folk hadde in the toun, Although they were of gret renoun For her vertu and for her thewes.
- a1500(?a1425) Lambeth SSecr.(Lamb 501)100/25 : Dyspys noght lytyll stature of men whom þou sees loue sciences, and er habundant yn wayes of wyt, & thewes, and eschewes þe fylth of vyces.
c
- a1150(OE) Vsp.D.Hom.VA (Vsp D.14)12/12 : Swa swa þan ealden gedafonigeð dugende þeawes & geripode syfernysse, swa gerist þan jungan þæt he habbe gehyrsumnysse & underðeodnysse.
- a1225(OE) Lamb.Hom.VA (Lamb 487)109 : Swa swa þan alden bihouað duȝende þewas and triwe treafestnesse, swa biriseð þan ȝungan þet he abbe ihersumnesse and ibuhsumnesse.
- a1350 Middelerd for mon (Hrl 2253)21 : Alle is þriuene þewes þrete þat þenkeþ nout on þenne.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)17/8 : Prede is king of wyckede þeawes.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)259/21 : Child of elde, child of wytte, and child of þeawes byeþ al on.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))1 Cor.15.33 : Nyle ȝe be disseyued; forsoth yuele spechis corumpen, or distroyen, goode thewis, or vertues.
- c1390 Cato(1) (Vrn)491 : Siker lyf hose wole In þis world abyde put his wylle in gode þewes And alle wikked let slyde.
- c1450(1410) Walton Boeth.(Lin-C 103)p.4 : Pouer also causeþ insolence And often honour chaungeþ goode þewes.
- c1450 Dc.Prov.(Dc 52)p.57 : Thre freris and thre fox maken thre shrewys, And euer berus the fox the box of alle gode thewys.
4.
Power, might; also, a physical quality or strength.
Associated quotations
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)3171 : Morpidus ihaten monnene strengest of maine and of þeauwe.
- a1400 NVPsalter (Vsp D.7)64.7 : Here vs, god..Graiþand hilles in þi thew righte [L virtute], Gird with mightinge dai and nighte.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)3205 : Many gentil kniȝth and many vile bey, Many baroun wel ful of þewe, Many ledron, many foule shrewe.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)7489 : Þou art ful of þewes pett; Þou batest wronge, þou hauntest riȝttes.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)13405 : Ioye me ledes When y þenke on ȝoure doughti dedes, Of ȝoure þewes, of ȝoure conquest.
- a1450(a1400) Titus & V.(Add 36523)1535 : He wil be bolde man of thewes..For he hath doon to dethe twayne.
- a1475 *Sidrak & B.(Lnsd 793)7892 : After þe sowking of milke drewes To strengþe him in good þewes, He falleþ þanne to mete and drinke Þe strenger to be forto swinke.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: "Þiues," in the quot. from the Trinity text of the Proverbs of Alfred, taken here, following Arngart, under sense 1.(c), has been plausibly interpreted by Margaret Laing as a plural instance of yeve n. (q.v.), with substitution of þ for ȝ. See "Confusion 'wrs' Confounded: Litteral Substitution Sets in Early Middle English Writing Systems," Neuophilologische Mitteilungen 100:3 (1999), 267-8.