Middle English Dictionary Entry
thī̆r(e adj.
Entry Info
| Forms | thī̆r(e adj. Also thier, ther(e, their, thar(e, (N) ȝer & (early) þeire; for forms in y-, yh-, & 3- see LALME 4.4-6. |
| Etymology | Chiefly N; origin uncertain, but prob. from ON (cp. OI þeir, pl. masc. pers. & dem. adj.) or by an analogical process (see references in ME thī̆r(e pron.). Because of its early date the form þeire may belong to thā̆re def. art. & adj.(3) 1a.(a). |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
With noun, pron., or num. as noun, referring to specific members of a class: (a) used anaphorically, pointing to persons or things previously mentioned: these, those;—sometimes further specified by an adj., a rel. clause, etc.; (b) used anaphorically, referring to part of a group previously mentioned: the; (c) used determinatively, pointing to things or words about to be mentioned: these.
Associated quotations
a
- a1291 Her lis arfaxat (Lamb 499)412 (2nd occurrence) : Her lis arfaxat, fader brandan ant kolmkilne ant cowhel þer halewe, ant dame coroune, moder þeyre halewe.
- a1400(c1300) NHom.(1) Gosp.(Phys-E)p.22 : May ye wit..Quen ye se thir takeninges in land That crist es ful ner cumand.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)4085 : Þeir breþer, þat i said of are, Amang þaa felles duelland ware.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)5831 : If þai tru noþer o þeir [Trin-C: þese] tua, þe water o þe flum þou ta.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)5938 : Yee prai your lauerd..þat he Wald do þier [Frf: þere] frosses a-wai fra me.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)11023 : Quen þai wer mett, þir [Göt: þar] leuedis tuin, þat war bath cosins of a kin, Formast sant maria spak.
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)253 : Favor of þe folk and fayrnes And fervor of thoght and riches Reves a man sight..Þus þer four lettes his insight.
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)7725 : Alle þir hevens here sene may be, Bot þe alther-heghest heven may na man se.
- a1425 Ben.Rule(1) (Lnsd 378)15/18 : When ye haue fulfild þis al, þire mekenes [L his omnibus humilitatis gradibus ascensis], þan sal ye cume til perfite charite.
- ?a1425(?c1350) NHom.(3) Pass.(RwlPoet 175)177 : When Iudas herd þir wordes meke, His awen sorow fast gan he seke.
- c1440(a1400) Awntyrs Arth.(Thrn)97 : Sir Cadore, Sir Caduke, Sir Costarde, Sir Kaye, Thir knyghtis are vn-curtayse.
- a1450(c1400) Wor.Serm.(Wor F.10)22/6 : Crysten peple, thier wordis þat I af take to speke of at this tyem, þay er þe wordis of Seynt Powl.
- a1450 Ben.Rule(2) (Vsp A.25)340 : 'Fader, abbot'..Bi ȝer wordes vnderstand we may Þat soueranse aw no thing to do.
- c1475(?c1425) Avow.Arth.(Tay 9)158 : Carpe we now of þer othir thre, How þay preuyd hor wedde-fee.
- a1500 Maysters that (BodAdd A.106)11 : Also er dayes fyfe..whoso in þer days er born, Sone hys lyf sall be for-lorn.
- c1500(?a1437) ?Jas.I KQ (SeldArch B.24)st.6 : He makith joye and confort that he quit is Off their unsekir warldis appetitis.
b
- a1400 Cursor (Phys-E)22375 : Þe iuwis sale conuerte.. Þantecriste sale gain þaim rise..sale þaim baþe [Enoch and Elijah] sla..[Þ]are [Vsp: þaas] oþir alle he mai ouirreke.
c
- a1425(?a1350) 7 Sages(2) (Glb E.9)260 : His knightes com to him on a day And þir wordes gan þai say, [etc.].
- c1440 HBk.GDei (Thrn)52/3 : It es noghte beste in prayere to be herde to oure propire will, bot to oure profitt..for of ane of þir twa sall we trayste in prayere to spede: owthir of þat we for pray or of þat at better es for vs.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)8/3 : I haue wroght þire worldys wyde—heuen and ayre and erthe also—My hegh godhede I will noght hyde.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)347 : Þan suld he say to hire-selfe sadly þire wordis: 'Now..woman, [etc.].'
- c1500(?a1437) ?Jas.I KQ (SeldArch B.24)st.51 : At the last..I..said thir versis sevin: 'O Venus clere, [etc.].'
2.
Having generic reference, with noun denoting a class of persons or things: the.
Associated quotations
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)1774 : Þe erth quok..al þis werld es turnd to night..þir cites fell bath hei and lau.
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)1281 : Þus turnes sho obout oft hir whele, Þe whilk þir clerkes noght elles calles Bot happe or chaunce þat sodanli falles.