Middle English Dictionary Entry
throu n.(2)
Entry Info
| Forms | throu n.(2) Also throwe, thro, (N) thrau, thrawe; pl. throwes, etc. & throwen, throghes, (N) traues, (early) þra(h)en & (?error) þrehes, (error) trhauis. |
| Etymology | Prob. derived from three sources: (1) OE þrāwu, var. of þrēa; (2) OE þrōwian; (3) ON: cp. OI þrā. Early forms in -h- may have been influenced by OE þrāg, þrāh (cp. ME throu n.(1)); the form þrehes perh. influenced by OE þrēa (cp. ME thrē n., thrē-craft n.). |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A contraction of the uterus while giving birth; the pain and discomfort experienced while giving birth;—usu. pl.; also in fig. context [quot. a1393]; pininge throwes; a twenti throwes, a period of twenty contractions; (b) suffering, anguish, torment;— often pl.; also, a pain; throwes of deth, ded ~ (throwes), deth ~, dethes ~ (throwes), the throes of death, death agony; (c) emotional distress, anxiety;—often pl.; ~ of love, love throwes, loves ~.
Associated quotations
a
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)181 : Þan hie beð mid childe bistonden..nimeð hire stundmele swo bittere þrowes þat hie ne mai hire muð holden.
- c1225(?c1200) HMaid.(Bod 34)32/524 : Þe carest [read: cares] agein þi pinunge þraen [Tit: þrahen] bineomeð þe nahtes slepes.
- a1275 Stod ho (Tan 169*)15 : Þu moostes..lere wmmone wo, þat barnes bere, þa biter and ta bale þrehes [rime: lahes].
- c1300 SLeg.Magd.(2) (LdMisc 108)354 : Ase þe Quiene..lay, hire token ful strongue þrowes.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.3559 : This hell on his childinge lay..whan the throwes on him come.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)607 : Tjme is comen þe lefdy shal childe..Þe þrowen hire afongeþ gynne.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)617 : Ac sone after a þrowe hire cam, Anoþer shryke þe quene vp nam.
- c1425 Found.St.Barth.42/21 : The cowe begane inwardly with throwys to be tormentyd.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)493 : Throwe [Win: Throw], womannys pronge: Erumpna.
- a1450 Diseases Women(2) (Sln 2463)122 : Þe chyld comyth forth with-in a xxti throwes.
- ?a1450 Macer (Stockh Med.10.91)127 : Minte iuus..wole deliuere sone a woman and aleye here þrowes.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)372/3 : Ryght there she gan to travayle faste of hir chylde, and she had many grymly throwys.
- a1500 *Ripley CAlch.(Ashm 1486)1247 : They schalbe vnbownd by water wyche passyth..with grevous throwys a-fore her chyldyng.
b
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)181 : Ðat child on his burde þoleð ec bittere þrowe.
- c1300 SLeg.Chris.(LdMisc 108)188 : Þe kying..to hire fet bynden heuie stones þat hire deþes þrowes weren strongue.
- a1325(c1280) SLeg.Pass.(Pep 2344)1568 : Oure lord gan wepe & grede ffor gret anguisse of deþes þrowe.
- a1400(c1300) NHom.(1) Gosp.(Phys-E)p.36 : Wa geres us thol hard traues.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)24317 : Wit hard thraus [Phys-E: trhauis] þat he throu, þai sagh þat he to ded drou.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.117 : Almerle his banere sprad, & oþer barons mo, Mikelle blod þei schad..þat bigan alle þat þro.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)721 : In his deþ-þrowe he was swowe.
- a1425(c1300) NHom.(1) Peter & P.(Ashm 42)402 : Scho made..grette sare for Paule hard thrawes.
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)2099 : A man..feles here many a dede thraw.
- a1450(?c1350) Pride Life (ChrC-Dub)104 : Þe cors..Schal wit of sorow and sore care and þrawe.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)358/17 : Hur husband lay in dead thrawis.
- ?a1475 Banester Guiscardo (Add 12524)548 : Þe throwys of deth no lenger wolde delay.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)348/250 : He shuld thole hard thrawes on tre.
- 1591(?a1425) Chester Pl.(Hnt HM 2)211/185 : Suffer thou shalt many a throwe.
c
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)4.98 : Sche..mai noght longe abide The hote peine of loves throwe.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.5401 : Thi love throghes forto lisse..I thee wolde telle..The forme of Aristotles lore.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)3.5558 : Her compleynynges, Þe woful cries, þrowes, and wepynges, Her pitous sobbynge..A large boke it wolde occupie.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.2369 : While he [Achilles] laie þus in his þrowes white..þei of Troye toun..With þe Grekis metten euery morwe.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)5.206 : In his throwes frenetik and madde He corseth Jove, Appollo, and ek Cupide.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)5.1201 : But for the peyne hym thoughte his herte bledde, So were his throwes sharpe and wonder stronge.
- a1425 KAlex.(LinI 150)1815 : Eche man hadde gret þrowe [Ld: howe] For to loke þat was his owne.
- c1450 Ponthus (Dgb 185)75/13 : He..made noo semeland to be in any throwes of love.
- (1472) Stonor1.126 : Shee..hath ben vexed and trowbelyd with þe þrowes of love.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- c1460(?c1400) Beryn (Nthld 55)38 : For love of hir swetyng þat sat so nyȝe hir hert, She wept & waylid, & wrong hir hondis, & made much to done; For they that loven so passyngly, such trowes þey have echone.
Note: New spelling--emend pl. throwes in form section to t(h)rowes.--per MLL
Note: Editor's gloss: troth, trust; trowes.
Note: Context: Beryn weeps for her lost husband.
Note: Belongs to sense (c).--per MLL