tharf

See also: þarf

English

Etymology

From Middle English therf, from Old English þeorf (“unleavened, fresh, skim”), from Proto-Germanic *þerbaz (“unleavened, simple”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)terbh-, *(s)trebh- (“rigid, stiff, tight”). Cognate with German derb (“rough, coarse, rude”), Old Frisian therve, Middle Dutch derf, Middle High German derp, Icelandic þjarfur (“unleavened”).

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -ɑː(ɹ)f

Adjective

tharf (comparative more tharf, superlative most tharf)

1. (obsolete) Unleavened.
2. (obsolete) Stiff, unsocial, rough in manner.

   a tharf person

Derived terms

• tharf-cake
• tharcake
• tharfish

References

• The Dictionary of the Scots Language

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Middle English

Alternative forms

• darf

Etymology

From Old English þearf, first and third person singular indicative of þurfan (“to be in need, have need of, need to, be required to, be obliged to, owe”), from Proto-Germanic *þurfaną, *þurbaną, *þerbaną (“may, need to, be allowed to”), from Proto-Indo-European *terp-, *trep- (“to saturate, enjoy”). Cognate with Dutch durf (“(I) dare”) (infinitive durven), German darf (“(I) am allowed to”) (infinitive dürfen), Swedish tarva (“to require”), Icelandic þarf (“(I) need”) (infinitive þurfa).

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -ɑː(ɹ)f

Verb

tharf

1. first/third-person singular indicative of thurven

Descendants

• English: thair
• Scots: thair

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Old Saxon

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *þarbō; cognate with Old English þearf, Old High German darba, Old Icelandic þörf, Gothic 𐌸𐌰𐍂𐌱𐌰 (þarba). Compare thurvan.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ðarf/

Noun

tharf f (genitive tharvo)

1. need, lack, necessity

Declension

Declension of tharf (feminine a-stem)

	singular	plural
nominative	tharf	tharva
accusative	tharf	tharva
genitive	tharvō	tharvanō
dative	tharvu	tharvum
instrumental	—	—

Related terms

• tharfag