þeaw

Old English

Etymology

Unknown origin, only in West Germanic, as it were from Proto-Germanic *þawwaz. Cognate with Old Frisian thāw, Old Saxon thau (“custom”). A possible Old High German reflex is *dou (“discipline, coercion, tuition”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /θæ͜ɑːw/

Noun

þēaw m

1. habit, custom
2. (in the plural) customs, virtue, conduct, character
   • c. 992, Ælfric, "The Second Sunday in the Lord's Advent"

     Mine gebroðra, settað þises dæges gemynd ætforan eowrum eagum, and swa hwæt swa bið nu héfigtyme geðuht, eal hit bið on his wiðmetennysse geliðegod. Gerihtlæcað eower líf, and awendað eowre ðēawas, witniað mid wope eowre yfelan dæda, wiðstandað deofles costnungum; bugað fram yfele, and doð gód, and ge beoð swa micclum orsorgran on to-cyme þæs ecan Déman, swa micclum swa ge nu his strecnysse mid ege forhrádiað.

     My brothers, set the remembrance of this day before your eyes, and whatsoever now appears to be trouble, it shall all be mitigated on comparison with it. Correct your lives, and change your conduct, punish your evil deeds with weeping, withstand the temptations of the devil; eschew evil and do good, and ye will be by so much the more secure at the advent of the eternal Judge, as ye now with terror anticipate his severity.

   • c. 992, Ælfric, "The Nativity of St. Paul the Apostle"

     He awende his naman mid ðēawum; and wæs ða soðfæst bydel Godes gelaðunge, seðe ær mid reðre ehtnysse hi geswencte.

     He changed his name with his character; and he was then a true proclaimer of God's church, who had before afflicted it with fierce persecution.

Declension

Declension of þeaw (strong a-stem)

Case	Singular	Plural
nominative	þēaw	þēawas
accusative	þēaw	þēawas
genitive	þēawes	þēawa
dative	þēawe	þēawum

Derived terms

• unþēaw

Descendants

• Middle English: theow, thew
  • English: thew
  • Scots: thow