Middle English Dictionary Entry
thral adj.(1)
Entry Info
Forms | thral adj.(1) |
Etymology | From thral n.(1); some exx. could be construed as the noun, esp. those in attributive position or following māken v.(1). |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) In a state of slavery, servitude, or serfdom; also fig.; bound by service to another; also, bound by an oath of fealty [last quot.]; ~ and bonde, bonde and ~; maken ~; (b) captive, imprisoned; subjugated, conquered; ~ to, subject to (sb.); (c) servile; also, wretched, poor, of low degree; (d) ~ drede, servile or obsequious fear; ~ werkes, work or works characteristic of a slave; also fig.
Associated quotations
a
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)4074 : Hye nou..To bringe hom vnder þe þat þe wolde makie þral.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Deut.15.17 : Þou shalt take an hal & þurle his heere..& to þe þral womman [WB(2): handmayde; L Ancillæ] lyke maner þou shalt do.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mel.(Manly-Rickert)B.2751 : They that been thralle and bonde of lynage shuln be maad worthy and noble by the richesses.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.766 : Noe seyde that his sone Canaan sholde be thral to hise bretheren for his synne.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)70b/a : Ȝif sche conseiueþ a childe, sche [read: he] is þewe & þrall ar he be I-bore and I-take fro þe modir wombe to seruage.
- a1400(c1300) NHom.(1) Knt.PW (Phys-E)p.139 : Thar bisyd woned a kniht That thoru kind was bond and thralle.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)5510 : He..is so hardy Oþer kynges to done foly—Nouȝth on, ne two, ne þre, ac alle, Nymeþ par force and makeþ hem þralle.
- a1425 Wycl.Serm.(Bod 788)2.240 : Þe Chirche þat wandriþ here is maad þral by mannis lawe..þe Chirche is þralle more þan in tyme of þe olde lawe.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)10983 : Riche or pore, gentil or þral, Þat he þem aughte, he ȝald þem al.
- c1450(a1425) MOTest.(SeldSup 52)10193 : Of our assyse he made vs sesse And to be thrall, whore we ware free, agayns the law.
- a1500(c1410) Dives & P.(Htrn 270)1.118 : Þey welyn makyn God more thral and of lesse power þan ony kyng or lord is vpon erthe.
- a1500 Bevis (Chet 8009)71/1233 : Thou arte he that made me thrall.
b
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)6.151 : He slouȝ Athelwold, Kyng of Souþsex, and made his province þral.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)174b/b : Nabugodonosor..made also þe Iurye þral [L iudeam etiam captiuauit].
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)5.2861 : Þus þe folke þat cam þral fro Troye Restored ben sodeinly to Ioie.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)3.m.5.7 : Al be it so that..the laste ile in the see that highte Tyle be thral to the, [etc.].
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)5.653 : Now am I thrall & fetrid in prisoun.
- c1450 Spec.Chr.(2) (Hrl 6580)6/15 : Ther-for my pepil es led thralle [SC(1): captiuus] or taken presoner, for thei had no cunnynge.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)127b : Thralle..subiectus, subiugus, captiuus.
- a1480(c1450) Barlaam (2) (Peterh 257)149/5462 : Helle..receyued god, wherefor he was made sodenly both ydel & thral.
c
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.1552 : Now I am so caytif and so thral That he that is my mortal enemy, I serue hym as his squyer pourely.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.4752 : Besi arte þe kyng to excite..Vn-to Grekis now to be so thral.
- a1450 Castle Persev.(Folg V.a.354)3358 : A knyt wyth a spere so smert, Whanne þou forgafe þi fomen þrall, He stonge þe, Lord, vnto þe hert.
- c1450 My ladyes (Frf 16)147 : Wel wot your husbond that ye ben mercialle..For ye so bowendyn han mayd hym and so thrall That not oo[n] word unneth dar he expresse.
- a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)110/38 : He was bete and dispised as he hadde ben vnworthy and thralle.
- a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)223/19 : The beggars þat thow saw be þral sowles that haue no frendes in the world for to ese hem or relese hem.
d
- a1225(?OE) Lamb.Hom.DD (Lamb 487)47 : Sunne dei..on eorðe ȝeueð reste to alle eorðe þrelles, wepmen and wifmen, of heore þrel weorkes.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)229 : Þat Dardanise kun..woneð in þisse londe..inne þeowedome, þrel-werkes doð.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)16a/b : Denys seith þat þe seruyse of þese angeles is to put of thral drede [L seruili timore deposito] and turne to god withoute bendinge to wordliche profite and serue him withoute cesinge.
2.
(a) Subject to the devil or the god of love; ~ to (unto); (b) fig. controlled by sin, food, a virtue, etc.; ~ to (under, unto, etc.), in the power of (sin, the world, part of the body personified, etc.), enslaved by.
Associated quotations
a
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)9489 : He es thralled in his [Satan's] seruis..siþen þat he es thral becummen, His heritage him es be nummen.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)5142 : Vnto love I was so thrall..He..holdith myne herte vndir his sele.
- a1425 Wycl.Serm.(Bod 788)2.240 : Þat lesiþ þe fredom þat Crist haþ purchasid and makiþ men þralle to..þe fend.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)380/134 : Sattan.. 'All erthely men to me are thrall.'
- c1500(?a1437) ?Jas.I KQ (SeldArch B.24)st.38 : Quhat have I gilt to him [Cupid] or doon offens, That I am thrall.
b
- a1225(c1200) Vices & V.(1) (Stw 34)109/14 : Hersumnesse..makeð ðane mann..þreall.
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)189/9 : Hweðer is betere, i secnesse to beo godes freo child, þen i flesches heale to beo þreal under sunne?
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)53/36 : Allas huet ssel he do þes wreche þet is þrel to zuyche tuaye kueade lhordes [stomach and purse].
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.137 : For youre synne ye ben woxen thral and foul.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)9553 : Hyt [baptism] makeþ þe fre, þat er were þralle.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)9480 : Now es man gildred in iuels all, His aun sin has mad him thrall.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)3.pr.8.21 : Thow..art thral to thyng that is right foul and brutyl (that is to seyn, servaunt to thi body).
- ?a1425(c1390) Chaucer Truth (Benson-Robinson)23 : Therfore, thou Vache..Unto the world leve now to be thral.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)1.678 : Fals couetise was ther confusioun, Wherthoruh thei loste dominacioun Off Paradis, and wex bothe poore & thrall.
- a1456(a1449) Lydg.Say.Nightingale (Trin-C R.3.20)279 : Hit was a thing incomparable feyre..To make man, þat was thorugh synne thralle, Þe court tenheryte above celestyal.
- a1450(1412) Hoccl.RP (Hrl 4866)3799 : Metes and drynkes make a soule thralle.
- a1450 The tixt of holy writ (Dgb 102)171 : Thou..makest here þral to fleschely delys.
- c1475(c1450) Idley Instr.(Cmb Ee.4.37)1.333 : While þy counceill is within thy breste, It is sure as within a castell walle; And whan it is out fro thy cheste, Then art þou to þy counceill thrall.
- a1500(?a1410) Lydg.CB (Lnsd 699)378 : Better is freedam with litel in gladnesse, Than to be thral in al wordly richesse.
- a1500 Yit wulde I (Cmb Ff.1.6)5 : Sche, that hath for-saken Ioyus all..to all payne is bothe soiet and thralle.