- thiamin
- vitamin B1, 1937, coined by Dr. R.R. Williams from thio-, from comb. form of Gk. theion "sulfur" + amine.
- thick (adj.)
- O.E. þicce "not thin, dense," from P.Gmc. *theku-, *thekwia- (cf. O.S. thikki, O.H.G. dicchi, Ger. dick, O.N. þykkr, O.Fris. thikke), from PIE *tegu- "thick" (cf. Gaelic tiugh). Secondary O.E. sense of "close together" is preserved in thickset and proverbial phrase thick as thieves (1833). Meaning "stupid" is first recorded 1597. Phrase thick and thin is in Chaucer (c.1386); thick-skinned is attested from 1545; in fig. sense from 1602. Verb thicken is first recorded c.1425 (trans.), 1598 (intrans.); an earlier verb was O.E. þiccian. To be in the thick of some action, etc., "to be at the most intense moment" is from 1681, from a M.E. noun sense.
- thickening
- "substance used to thicken something," 1839, from thicken (see thick).
- thicket
- late O.E. þiccet, from þicce (see thick) + denominative suffix -et.
- thickset
- mid-14c., thikke sette "with parts or things set close together" (of grass on a sward, etc.), from thick + set (v.). Meaning "stocky, strong and square-built" is recorded from 1724.
- thief
- O.E. þeof, from P.Gmc. *theubaz (cf. O.Fris. thiaf, O.S. thiof, M.Du. dief, O.H.G. diob, Ger. dieb, O.N. þiofr, Goth. þiufs), probably from PIE *teup- (cf. Lith. tupeti "to crouch down").
- thieve
- O.E. þeofian, from þeof (see thief). Rare in O.E., not common until 17c. Thievish "of or pertaining to thieves" is recorded from mid-15c.; meaning "inclined to steal" is from 1530s. Thieving first attested 1520s. Thievery is from 1560s.
- thigh
- O.E. þeoh, þeh, from P.Gmc. *theukhom (cf. O.Fris. thiach, O.Du. thio, Du. dij, O.N. þjo, O.H.G. dioh), from PIE *teuk- from base *teu- "to swell" (cf. Lith. taukas, O.C.S. tuku, Rus. tuku "fat of animals;" Lith. tukti "to become fat;" Gk. tylos "callus, lump," tymbos "burial mound, grave, tomb;" O.Ir. ton "rump;" L. tumere "to swell," tumulus "raised heap of earth," tumor "a swelling;" M.Ir. tomm "a small hill," Welsh tom "mound"). Thus thigh is lit. "the thick or fat part of the leg."
- thilk
- "the very thing," early 13c., from þe "the" + ilce "same" (see ilk).
- thimble
- O.E. þymel "sheath or covering for the thumb," from thuma (see thumb) + -el, suffix used in forming names of instruments (cf. handle). Excrescent -b- began c.1440 (cf. humble, nimble). Originally of leather, metal ones came into use 17c. Thimblerig, con game played with three thimbles and a pea or button, is attested from 1825 by this name, though references to thimble cheats, probably the same swindle, date back to 1716.
- thin
- O.E. þynne "narrow, lean, scanty," from P.Gmc. *thunnuz, *thunw- (cf. W.Fris. ten, M.L.G. dunne, Du. dun, O.H.G. dunni, Ger. dünn, O.N. þunnr), from PIE *tnus-, *tnwi-, from weak grade of base *ten- "stretch" (cf. L. tenuis "thin, slender;" see tenet).
"These our actors ... were all Spirits, and Are melted into Ayre, into thin Ayre." [Shakespeare, "The Tempest," IV.i.150, 1610]
The verb is from O.E. þynnian "to make thin" (cf. Ger. dünnen, Du. dunnen); intrans. sense of "to become less numerous" is attested from 1743; that of "to become thinner" is recorded from 1804. Thin-skinned is attested from 1598; the fig. sense of "touchy" is from 1680. - thine
- O.E. þin, possessive pronoun (originally gen. of þu "thou"), from P.Gmc. *thinaz (cf. O.Fris., O.S. thin, M.Du. dijn, O.H.G. din, Ger. dein, O.N. þin), from PIE *t(w)eino-, suffixed form of second pers. sing. pronomial base *tu-. A brief history of the second person pronoun in Eng. can be found here; see also thou.
- thing
- O.E. þing "meeting, assembly," later "entity, being, matter" (subject of deliberation in an assembly), also "act, deed, event, material object, body, being," from P.Gmc. *thengan "appointed time" (cf. O.Fris. thing "assembly, council, suit, matter, thing," M.Du. dinc "court-day, suit, plea, concern, affair, thing," Du. ding "thing," O.H.G. ding "public assembly for judgment and business, lawsuit," Ger. ding "affair, matter, thing," O.N. þing "public assembly"). Some suggest an ultimate connection to PIE root *ten- "stretch," perhaps on notion of "stretch of time for a meeting or assembly." For sense evolution, cf. Fr. chose, Sp. cosa "thing," from L. causa "judicial process, lawsuit, case;" L. res "affair, thing," also "case at law, cause." Old sense is preserved in second element of hustings and in Icelandic Althing, the nation's general assembly. Southern U.S. pronunciation thang attested from 1937. The thing "what's stylish or fashionable" is recorded from 1762. Phrase do your thing "follow your particular predilection," though associated with hippie-speak of 1960s is attested from 1841. Used colloquially since 1602 to indicate things the speaker can't name at the moment, often with various meaningless suffixes, e.g. thingumbob (1751), thingamajig (1824).
- think
- O.E. þencan "conceive in the mind, think, consider, intend" (past tense þohte, p.p. geþoht), probably originally "cause to appear to oneself," from P.Gmc. *thankjan (cf. O.Fris. thinka, O.S. thenkian, O.H.G. denchen, Ger. denken, O.N. þekkja, Goth. þagkjan); O.E. þencan is the causative form of the distinct O.E. verb þyncan "to seem or appear" (past tense þuhte, pp. geþuht), from P.Gmc. *thunkjan (cf. Ger. dünken, däuchte). Both are from PIE *tong- "to think, feel" which also is the root of thought and thank. The two meanings converged in M.E. and þyncan "to seem" was absorbed, except for archaic methinks "it seems to me." Jocular pp. thunk (not historical, but by analogy of drink, sink, etc.) is recorded from 1876. Think-tank is 1959 as "research institute" (first ref. is to Center for Behavioral Sciences, Palo Alto, Calif.); it had been colloquial for "the brain" since 1905.
- thinner
- liquid used to dilute paint, ink, etc., 1904, from thin.
- third (adj.)
- O.E. metathesis of þridda, from P.Gmc. *thridjas (cf. O.Fris. thredda, O.S. thriddio, M.L.G. drudde, Du. derde, O.H.G. dritto, Ger. dritte, O.N. þriðe, Goth. þridja), from PIE *tritjos (cf. Skt. trtiyas, Avestan thritya, Gk. tritos, L. tertius, O.C.S. tretiji, Lith. trecias, O.Ir. triss). Related to O.E. þreo (see three). Metathesis of thrid into third is attested from c.950 in Northumbria, but thrid was prevalent up to 16c. The noun meaning "third part of anything" is recorded from 1382. Third rail in electric railway sense is recorded from 1890. Third World War as a possibility first recorded 1947. Third-rate "of poor quality" is from 1814, ult. from classification of ships (1649); third class in railway travel is from 1839. Third Reich (1930) is a partial transl. of Ger. drittes Reich (1923). Third party in law, insurance, etc., is from 1818.
- third degree
- "intense interrogation by police," 1900, probably a reference to Third Degree of master mason in Freemasonry (1772), the conferring of which included an interrogation ceremony. Third degree as a measure of severity of burns (most severe) is attested from 1866, from Fr. (1832); in Amer.Eng., as a definition of the seriousness of a particular type of crime (the least serious type) it is recorded from 1865.
- Third World
- 1963, from Fr. tiers monde, formulated 1952 by A. Sauvy on model of the third estate (Fr. tiers état) of Revolutionary France; his first world (The West) and second world (the Soviet bloc) never caught on.
- thirst (n.)
- O.E. þurst, from W.Gmc. *thurstus (cf. O.S. thurst, Fris. torst, Du. dorst, O.H.G., Ger. durst), from P.Gmc. *thurs-, from PIE base *ters- "dry" (see terrain). Fig. sense of "vehement desire" is attested from c.1200. The verb is O.E. þyrstan; the fig. sense of the verb was present in O.E. Thirsty is O.E. þurstig.
- thirteen
- c.1430, metathesis of O.E. þreotene (Mercian), þreotiene (W.Saxon), from þreo "three" + -tene (see -teen). Cf. O.Fris. thretten, Du. dertien, Ger. dreizehn. Not an unlucky number in medieval England, but associated rather with the customary "extra item" (e.g. baker's dozen). Superstitions began with association with the Last Supper, and the unluckiness of 13 sitting down together to dine (attested from 1695). Most of the modern superstitions (buildings with floor "12-A," etc.) have developed since 1890.
- thirty
- c.1413, metathesis of O.E. þritig, from þri, þreo "three" + -tig "group of ten" (see -ty (1)). Cf. O.Fris. thritich, O.S. thritig, Du. dertig, O.H.G. drizzug, Ger. dreissig. Thirty Years' War (1842) was a religious power struggle waged 1618-48, mainly on Ger. soil. The symbol -30- as printer and telegrapher's code to indicate the last sheet or line of copy or a dispatch is recorded from 1895. In 20c. jargon of journalism, it came to be a traditional sign-off signal and slang word for "the end."
- this
- O.E. þis, neuter demonstrative pronoun and adj. (masc. þes, fem. þeos), probably from a North Sea Gmc. pronoun formed by combining the base *þa- (see that) with -s, which is probably identical with O.E. se "the" (representing here "a specific thing"), but it may be O.E. seo, imperative of see (v.) "to behold." Cf. O.S. these, O.N. þessi, Du. deze, O.Fris. this, O.H.G. deser, Ger. dieser. Once fully inflected, with 10 distinct forms (see table below); the oblique cases and other genders gradually fell away by 15c. The O.E. plural was þæs (nom. and acc.), which in Northern M.E. became thas, and in Midlands and Southern England became thos. The Southern form began to be used late 13c. as the plural of that (replacing M.E. tho, from O.E. þa) and acquired an -e (apparently from the influence of M.E. adj. plurals in -e; cf. alle from all, summe from sum "some"), emerging early 14c. as modern those. About 1175 thes (probably a variant of O.E. þæs) began to be used as the plural of this, and by 1200 it had taken the form these, the final -e acquired via the same mechanism that gave one to those.
Masc. Fem. Neut. Plural Nom. þes þeos þis þas Acc. þisne þas þis þas Gen. þisses þisse þisses þissa Dat. þissum þisse þissum þissum Inst. þys þisse þys þissum - thistle
- prickly herbaceous plant, O.E. þistel, from P.Gmc. *thikhstula (cf. O.H.G. distil, Ger. Distel, O.N. þistell, Dan. tidsel), of unknown origin. Emblem of Scotland since 15c.
- thither
- O.E. þider "to or toward that place," altered (by infl. of its opposite hider) of earlier þæder "to that place," from P.Gmc. *thadra- (cf. O.N. þaðra "there"), from *tha (see that) + PIE suffix denoting motion toward (cf. Goth. -dre, Skt. -tra). The medial -th- developed in M.E. but was rare before 1525 (cf. gather, murder, burden).
- thole (v.)
- "to be subjected to or exposed to, to endure without complaint," now Scottish and Northern Eng. dial., from O.E. þolian, from P.Gmc. stem *thul- (cf. O.S. tholon, O.H.G. dolon, Ger. geduld, O.N. þola, Goth. þulan), cognate with L. tolerare (see toleration).
- thole (n.)
- "peg," from O.E. þoll, from P.Gmc. *thulnaz (cf. O.N. þollr, M.L.G. dolle, E.Fris. dolle, Du. dol), of unknown origin. No record of the word in Eng. from c.1000 to c.1440.
- Thomas
- from Gk. Thomas, of Aramaic origin and said to mean "a twin" (John's gospel refers to Thomas as ho legomenos didymos "called the twin;" cf. Syriac toma "twin," Arabic tau'am "twin"). Before the Conquest, found only as the name of a priest. After 1066, one of the most common given names. Doubting Thomas is from John xx:25; A Thomist (1533, from M.L. Thomista, 1359) is a follower of 13c. scholastic theologian St. Thomas Aquinas. (Also see Tom, Tommy).
- Thompson
- type of sub-machine gun, 1919, named for U.S. Gen. John T. Thompson (1860-1940), who conceived it and whose company financed it.
- thong
- O.E. þwong "thong, narrow strip of leather (used as a cord, band, strip, etc.)," from P.Gmc. *thwangaz (cf. O.N. þvengr), from PIE base *twengh- "to press in on, to restrain." As a kind of sandal, first attested 1965; as a kind of bikini briefs, 1990.
- Thor
- Odin's eldest son, strongest of the gods though not the wisest, c.1020, from O.N. Þorr, lit. "thunder," from *þunroz, related to O.E. þunor (see thunder).
- thorax
- "chest," c.1400, from L. thorax, from Gk. thorax (gen. thorakos) "breastplate, chest," of unknown origin.
- Thorazine
- central nervous system depressant, 1954, proprietary name (Smith, Kline & French) formed from a rearrangement of various elements in the full chemical name.
- thorium
- rare metallic element, 1832, from Mod.L., named 1828-9 by its discoverer, Swed. chemist Jöns Jakob Berzelius (1779-1848) in honor of the Scand. god Thor (q.v.).
- thorn
- O.E. þorn "sharp point on a stem or branch," earlier "thorny tree or plant," from P.Gmc. *thurnuz (cf. O.S. thorn, Du. doorn, O.H.G. dorn, Ger. Dorn, O.N. þorn, Goth. þaurnus), from PIE *trnus (cf. O.C.S. trunu "thorn," Skt. trnam "blade of grass," Gk. ternax "stalk of the cactus," Ir. trainin "blade of grass"), from *(s)ter-n- "thorny plant," from base *ster- "stiff." Fig. sense of "anything which causes pain" is recorded from c.1230 (thorn in the flesh is from II Cor. xii.7). Also an O.E. and Icelandic runic letter (þ), named for the word of which it was the initial. Thorny is O.E. þornig; fig. sense is attested from c.1340.
- thorough
- late 15c., adj. use of O.E. þuruh (adv.) "from end to end, from side to side," stressed variant of þurh (adv., prep.); see through. Related: thoroughly (c.1300).
- thoroughbred (adj.)
- 1701, of persons, "thoroughly accomplished," from thorough + past tense of breed. In the horse sense of "of pure breed or stock" it dates from 1796; the noun is first recorded 1842.
- thoroughfare
- late 14c., "passage or way through," from thorough + fare.
- thorp
- O.E. ðorp "village, hamlet, farm, estate," reinforced by O.N. ðorp, both from P.Gmc. *thurpa- (cf. O.Fris. thorp, Fris. terp, M.Du., Du. dorp, Ger. dorf "village," Goth. þaurp "estate, land, field"), probably from PIE base *treb- "dwelling." Preserved in place names ending in -thorp, -thrup.
- those
- Midlands and southern variant of O.E. þas, nominative and accusative plural of þes, þeos "this" (see this).
- Thoth
- ancient Egyptian god of wisdom and magic, from L., from Gk. Thoth, from Egyptian Tehuti.
- thou
- 2nd nominative singular personal pronoun, O.E. þu, from P.Gmc. *thu (cf. O.Fris. thu, M.Du., M.L.G. du, O.H.G., Ger. du, O.N. þu, Goth. þu), from PIE *tu-, second person singular pronoun (cf. L. tu, Ir. tu, Welsh ti, Gk. su, Lith. tu, O.C.S. ty, Skt. twa-m). Superseded in M.E. by plural form you (from a different root), but retained in certain dialects (e.g. Philadelphia Quakers). The plural at first was used in addressing superior individuals, later also (to err on the side of propriety) strangers, and ultimately all equals. By c.1450 the use of thou to address inferiors gave it a tinge of insult unless addressed by parents to children, or intimates to one another. Hence the verb meaning "to use 'thou' to a person" (c.1440).
"Avaunt, caitiff, dost thou thou me! I am come of good kin, I tell thee!" ["Hickscorner," c.1530]
A brief history of the second person pronoun in Eng. can be found here. - though
- c.1200, from O.E. þeah, and in part from O.N. þo "though," both from P.Gmc. *thaukh (cf. Goth. þauh, O.Fris. thach, M.Du., Du. doch, O.H.G. doh, Ger. doch), from PIE demonstrative pronoun *to- (see that). The evolution of the terminal sound did not follow laugh, tough, etc., though a tendency to end the word in "f" existed c.1300-1750 and persists in dialects.
- thought (n.)
- O.E. þoht, geþoht, from stem of þencan "to conceive of in the mind, consider" (see think). Cognate with the second element in Ger. Gedächtnis "memory," Andacht "attention, devotion," Bedacht "consideration, deliberation." Second thought "later consideration" is recorded from 1640s. Thought-crime is from "Nineteen Eighty-Four" (1949); thought police is attested from 1946, originally in ref. to pre-war Japanese Special Higher Police (Tokubetsu Koto Keisatsu).
- thoughtful
- c.1200, "contemplative," from thought + -ful. Also in M.E., "prudent; moody, anxious." Meaning "showing consideration for others" is from 1851. (Cf. thoughtless.)
- thoughtless
- "inconsiderate," 1794, from thought + -less.
- thousand
- O.E. þusend, from P.Gmc. *thusundi (cf. O.Fris. thusend, Du. duizend, O.H.G. dusunt, Ger. tausend, O.N. þusund, Goth. þusundi); related to words in Balto-Slavic (cf. Lith. tukstantis, O.C.S. tysashta, Pol. tysiac, Czech tisic), and probably ultimately a compound with indefinite meaning "several hundred" or "a great multitude" (with first element perhaps related to Skt. tawas "strong, force"). Used to translate Gk. khilias, L. mille, hence the refinement into the precise modern meaning. There was no general IE word for "thousand." Slang shortening thou first recorded 1867. Thousand island dressing (1916) is presumably named for the region of New York on the St. Lawrence River.
- thrall
- O.E. þræl "bondman, serf, slave," from O.N. þræll "slave, servant," probably from P.Gmc. *thrakhilaz, lit. "runner," from root *threh- "to run" (cf. O.H.G. dregil "servant," prop. "runner;" O.E. þrægan, Goth. þragjan "to run").
- thrash
- 1588, "to separate grains from wheat, etc., by beating," dial. variant of threshen (see thresh). Sense of "beat (someone) with (or as if with) a flail" is first recorded 1606. Meaning "to make wild movements like those of a flail or whip" is attested from 1846. Type of fast heavy metal music first called by this name 1982.
- thread (n.)
- O.E. þræd "fine cord, especially when twisted" (related to þrawan "to twist"), from P.Gmc. *thrædus (cf. M.Du. draet, Du. draad, O.H.G. drat, Ger. Draht, O.N. þraðr), from suffixed form of base *thræ- "twist" (see throw). Meaning "spiral ridge of a screw" is from 1670s. The verb meaning "to put thread through a needle" is recorded from mid-14c.; in reference to film cameras from 1913. The dancing move called thread the needle is attested from 1844. Threads, slang for "clothes" is 1926, Amer.Eng. Threadbare is recorded from mid-14c., from the notion of "having the nap worn off," leaving bare the threads.
- threat
- O.E. þreat "crowd, troop," also "oppression, menace," related to þreotan "to trouble, weary," from P.Gmc. *threutanan (cf. Ger. verdrießen "to vex"), from PIE *trud- "push, press" (cf. L. trudere "to press, thrust," O.C.S. trudu "oppression," M.Ir. trott "quarrel, conflict," M.Welsh cythrud "torture, torment, afflict"). Sense of "conditional declaration of hostile intention" was in O.E. The verb threaten is O.E. þreatnian; threatening in the sense of "portending no good" is recorded from 1530.