Middle English Dictionary Entry
thong n.
Entry Info
| Forms | thong n. Also thonge, thoung(e, thowing, thuong(e, thuange, thwong(e, thwang(e, thawang, twonge, twang & thōng & (in names) thang, thaun, thauang, twhonge, thwnge, thwanc, thwenges, thewing, twhinge, tuange, tweng(ge, tw(e)ing; pl. thonges, etc. & thongges, thonkes. |
| Etymology | OE þwang, þwong, (A) þwæng, ðuencg; cp. OI þvengr. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
A strip cut from a piece of leather; also, a thong cut from human skin; also in proverbs and prov. sayings.
Associated quotations
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)11126 : Sum makede þwonges [alt. from: make wonges; Otho: þwanges] gode & swiðe strong.
- ?a1300(c1250) Prov.Hend.(Dgb 86)st.28 : Of ounbiserewe huide me takeþ brod þwong [vr. þuange].
- (1423) Acc.Hollingbourne in Archaeol.Cant.13562 : Item, ffor a Thong of lethyr.
- a1425(a1400) Titus & V.(Pep 2014)2135 : I schal do sewe þe hydes fast Wiþ good semes..Of som we schulle þonges make.
- a1450(1419) Loke how Flaundres (Dgb 102)22 : It is worthy he smerte and be wo, Þat of his owen skyn wole kerue a thong.
- a1450 SLeg.Suppl.Bod.(Bod 779)345/107 : Fram þe heued to þe foot: he let nyme a þonge of þis gode mennus skynne.
- c1450(c1400) Vices & V.(2) (Hnt HM 147)196/1 : Þei han..maken of oþere mennes leþer brode þongges.
- (1465) Paston (EETS)1.316 : Men cut large thongys here of othere mens lethere.
2.
A strap, presumably leather, attached to something or used for a particular purpose: (a) a strap used for tying or binding; also fig. [glossary quots. may belong to other senses]; (b) a cord used as a fastening device for shoes, clothing, or armor; sho ~ [OE scōh-þwang]; (c) a belt or girdle; also, a strip of oxhide used in legend to circumscribe an area of land [see Servius In Verg.Aen.I.367-8]; ~ castel (chestre), an appellation for a castle (town) built on such land; (d) a strip or cord on which keys are hung; also fig.; also, a strip or cord on which bells are hung [1st quot.]; (e) a decorative strip or cord of leather; (f) a whip, flail; also, ?coll. strips of leather used as part of a whip.
Associated quotations
a
- ?c1300 Gloss.Bibbesw.(Sln 809:Koch)p.74 : Þwong [vr. thwang; glossing AF (Cmb): coreie].
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)297 b/a : Of þat skynne ben þonges and bondes [L ligamina] ymade in lampes and in lanternes.
- a1425 Roy.17.C.17 Nominale (Roy 17.C.17)656/1 : Corigia: thowyng.
- a1425 Wycl.Serm.(Bod 788)1.76 : Þis ordre is a þuonge to bynde mennis willes togidere, and þus me þinkiþ þat freris chiden in veyn.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)492 : Thonge of lethyr: Corrigia..Thownge, or lanere: Corrigia, ligula.
- c1450(a1425) MOTest.(SeldSup 52)4274 : Who so wold me bynd with twanges schorn owt of a hyde..þen hastely war past my pryd.
- a1475 Gilb.Angl.(Wel 537)150/18 : If it be of to grete plente of spiritis..let bynde his fyngris with þongis and his toon also.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)39a/a : Þe ars..haþ..foure lacertis þe whiche..sumtyme..wiþholden wilfully and sumtyme puttiþ out and openeþ þe Ers and closiþ as a purs is opened & schittiþ wiþ hise þwongis.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)128a : A Twange: Corrigia, Corrigiola, corigiatus, Corrialis.
- c1500 King & H.(Ashm 61:Furness)197 : I wold..wake beth est and weste, Wyth a bow of hue full strong And arowys knyte in a thong.
b
- a1150(?OE) Vsp.D.Hom.(Vsp D.14)131/13 : Habbende þa þwanges of þan sco on his fracede muðe.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)10419 : Seȝȝde Sannt Johan..Þatt he ne wass nohht god inoh Cristess shoþwang tunnbindenn.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)10439 : Tiss dæþshildiȝ mann þatt Crist Toc i þe laffdiȝ Marȝe Wass uss full wel, ȝa þurrh þe sho, Ȝa þurrh þe þwang bitacnedd.
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)137 : Ich nam noht ne forðen wurðe þat ich un-cnutte his sho þuong.
- a1325(c1280) SLeg.Pass.(Pep 2344)1498 : Þo was his curtel odde and ysowed myd no þrede, Ak wiþ þwonges of leþer.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)1720 : Sche..festened hire in þat fel wiþ ful gode þonges.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Is.5.27 : Ne shal ben tobroken þe thwong [vr. thowng; WB(2): lace; L corrigia] of his shoȝyng.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)298a/b : He wolde fastene þe þonge [L ligamentis] of þe schoon and wol arraye þe schone of here feet.
- a1400(c1300) NHom.(1) Gosp.(Phys-E)p.10 : I me self es noht worthi To les the thuanges of his schon.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)579 : Þenne set þay..Queme quyssewes þen, þat coyntlych closed His thik þrawen þyȝez, with þwonges to tachched.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)173/2 : Onone þe thwangis of his shone lowsid passand tite.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)196/50 : I am not worthy for to lawse The leste thwong that longys to his shoyne.
c
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)7095 : 'Ȝif me swa muchel lond..swa wule anes bule hude..ouer-spræden'..Of þere hude he kærf enne þwong swiðe swal [Otho: smal] & swiðe long.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)7104 : Þe burh..heo cleopeden Þwong-chastre.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)2492,2497 : 'Graunte me..As moche place as mid a þuong ich may aboute tille'..Þo carf he an hole hude, smal to an þuong.
- c1330 SMChron.(Auch)1320 : As michel lond sche bad him at nede As a bulhide miȝt ouer sprede; Þe king graunted hir þat bone, A þwong [vr. strong] castel sche made sone.
- c1350 Cmb.Ee.4.20.Nominale (Cmb Ee.4.20)124 : Homme de curreie est cente: M. with a thonge is gurde.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)1.165 : Dido..bouȝte as moche lond as sche myȝte byclippe wiþ an ox hide, and kutte þe hyde into a þong..and biclipped þerwiþ a grete place, and cleped hit Byrsa, þat is a þwong [Higd.(2): leder; L Corium].
- c1400 Brut-1333 (Rwl B.171)51/15 : Engist prayede him eftesones of as miche place as he myȝt compasse wiþ a twonge of a skyn.
- c1400 Gloss.Bibbesw.(Hrl 490)190 : Thwange, gyrdyl [glossing AF (Cmb): ceinture].
- c1400 *Trev.Higd.(Tbr D.7)165a : He bulde a castel Þat hatte þongcastre.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)7508 : A boles hyde, he broughte hit þyder, On þonges he carf hit al to-gyder.
- (c1450) Capgr.St.Aug.(Add 36704)38/30 : Þei with þongis of chamel skynnys..go girt in her lendes.
- ?1457 *Hardyng Chron.A (Lnsd 204)56b [B p.110] : Graunte me..als mekyll grounde As with a thwange I may ouerlay and sprede.
- a1500(a1450) Parton.(1) (Add 35288)8394 : If it happe you..In bataylle þat..your swerde be any þing to longe, Girde you with þe shorter thonge.
- a1500 Add.37075 Gloss (Add 37075)88/321b : Singula: thonge.
d
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)160/36 : Euerych of hem hath a large thong [Man.(2): a lang corde] full of smale belles.
- ?a1425 Orch.Syon (Hrl 3432)379/31 : Obedience is a keye wherwiþ heuen is openyd; &..þat keye most haue a þoong & [be] bore by a girdil.
- ?a1425 Orch.Syon (Hrl 3432)381/24 : Honge..þis keye by þe þwong of abieccioun & vilyte & displesaunce of þisilf.
e
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)194 : Þe tayl & his toppyng..Syþen þrawen wyth a þwong.
- a1425(?c1350) Ywain (Glb E.9)3160 : Aiþer broght unto þe place A mikel rownd talvace And a klub ful grete and lang, Thik fret with mani a thawang.
f
- a1275 Louerd asse þu ard (Trin-C B.14.39)288 : Heþene woulues abuten him þronken ond cnottede þonkes al heo hine sunken.
- c1300 SLeg.(Hrl 2277)457/44 : Wiþ harde scourges hi leide him on of cordes & of þwonge.
3.
In surname and place names [see Smith PNElem.2.221].
Associated quotations
- (1170-85) EPNSoc.14 (East Riding Yks.& York)112 : Tweng.
- (1205) EPNSoc.9 (Dev.)381 : Tuangeham.
- (1242) EPNSoc.9 (Dev.)380 : Thauangslegh; Twangeslegh.
- (1244) EPNSoc.14 (East Riding Yks.& York)113 : Tweyng.
- (c1250) EPNSoc.15 (Hrt.)89 : Thwanctone.
- (c1250) EPNSoc.15 (Hrt.)89 : Thauntone.
- (1274) EPNSoc.31 (West Riding Yks.)288 : Thwnge.
- (1297) EPNSoc.14 (East Riding Yks.& York)112 : Twengge.
- (1309) EPNSoc.31 (West Riding Yks.)286 : Thoung.
- (1332) EPNSoc.15 (Hrt.)89 : Thangtonwode.
- (1341) EPNSoc.16 (Wil.)448 : Le Twang.
- (1371) EPNSoc.9 (Dev.)380 : Thwengeslegh.
- (1379) Nickname in SAU 63192 : Joh. Thonge.
- (a1400) EPNSoc.14 (East Riding Yks.& York)112 : Twhynge.
- c1425 *Lat.Chron.in MS Lngl.55 (Lngl 55)f.40r : Et Vortigernus concessit / Empto quia corio vnius tauri ; sudit [?read: subdit] ipsem in paruissimas vel minimas corigias et cum eis circumduxit locum sibi desideratum aptum suo preposito ; quem locum appellauit li[n]gua sua Saxonia ; quia illum cum corio sic tegebat ; Doo Ouere / quem locum nominamus ab inde Douerria vna de quinque portibus in Cancia vbi construxit forte castrum quod ipsem nominauit Twhang Castell.
- (1448) EPNSoc.14 (East Riding Yks.& York)113 : Thewyng.
- (1462) EPNSoc.31 (West Riding Yks.)286 : Twyng.
- (1486) EPNSoc.31 (West Riding Yks.)286 : Twhonge.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc., see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. thong.