Middle English Dictionary Entry
thrē̆ve n.
Entry Info
| Forms | thrē̆ve n. Also thref(e, threwe, trewe, thrave, thrafe, thrawe; pl. travis, trawes, (error) threne. |
| Etymology | ON: cp. OI þrefi, Norw. dial. treve, Dan. trave; the 1st two quots. in (a) may be L. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A measure of wheat, straw, etc., usu. containing 12 or 24 sheaves [see Zupko Dictionary of Weights and Measures for the British Isles s.v. thrave]; (b) a large number, a multitude; a crowd of people.
Associated quotations
a
- (1246) Select Pleas Manor.in Seld.Soc.27 : Ad dampnum suum unius thrave frumenti.
- (1347) Acc.R.Dur.in Sur.Soc.9942 : In 12 travis de Pomple et 48 travis straminis avene.
- (1411) Inquis.Miscel.(PRO)7.230 : [The forester..had..half a] threff [of wheat from every plough].
- (c1447) Invent.Monk-Wear.in Sur.Soc.29app.242 : Tho trawys and other arrerage of the said corn the said Priour esshis to be restorde.
- (1448-9) Acc.R.Dur.in Sur.Soc.99237 : Medowthake, thrave straminis, tectura straminea.
- (1465) *Court R.Long Bennington : [Pigs destroy ten] threne [read: threue] straminis.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)127b/a : A Threfe: Traua.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)15/197 : I will chose and best haue, this hold I thrift of all this thrafe.
- ?a1500(a1475) Wright's CW (Lamb 306)232 : Whan þat he hadde wrought a thraue, Mete and drynke he gan to craue.
- ?a1500(a1475) Wright's CW (Lamb 306)245 : Mete and drynke sche hym bare, Wyth a thrafe of flex mare.
b
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)16.55 : I have þouʒtes a threve [vrr. threwe, trewe] of þis þre piles, In what wode thei woxen and where þat þei growed.
- a1450 Spaldyng Katereyn þe curteys (BodR 22)p.543 : So slely þat sleyʒth so deuly was schake, þat four thowsand of þat thref thyrst were ful thynne.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)258/115 : Stande furth and threste in yone thrawe, Thy maistry þou bryng vn-to noght.
- c1450 Dice(1) (Frf 16)179 : Fayne I wolde ther were now such a thrave.
- 1486 ?Berners Bk.St.Albans (Blades 1881)leaf f vi/b : A Thraue of Throsheris.