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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. X).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Thret(e, n. Also: threit, threyt, threat(t. [ME and e.m.E. þreat(t (both c1200), þræt, þret (both Layamon), þrete (a1250), threte (Manning), thret (c1450), thrett (1526), threat (1601), OE þréat.]

1. (The action of) threatening, menacing; compulsion, oppression; necessity; pressure, force. a1400 Leg. S. iii 390.
It ferlis me, That … thou … Suld folow hym throu ony skill, That othir of thret or gud will, Tholit hym in the croice be done a1400 Leg. S. x 318.
Hyre consent he mycht nocht get For gyfte, gud, luf na threte a1400 Leg. S. x 416.
He fawndyt myn wil for to gate, Quhile be flatryne, quhyl be thret a1400 Leg. S. xli 127.
Bot his thret na his gluthryng Scho set bath in til a lyne & at his vordis mad smylyng ?1438 Alex. i 2605.
Thay of Gaderis with all thair micht Abandoned thame into the ficht For to reskew thair lord Betys. Thair men micht sie on many wys Men fecht with force and with na threat [: sueat] ?1438 Alex. ii 4655.
Thusgate was Porrus tane with threte, That tholit pane and trauell grete c1420 Wynt. iv 980.
And wyntyr weddrys felle and grete Lowsyd all his bryg off threte c1420 Wynt. v 508.
Swa that for luwe, or than for threte, Off fors he suld pay at he awcht c1420 Wynt. vi 2502.
On this manere Saynt Margret In till the kynryk apon thret Come off hapnyng in Scotland c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 208/11.
Sum gevis for thank and sum for threit, Sum gevis money and sum gevis meit 1513 Doug. ii ix 33.
Scho … Hym towart hir has brocht but ony threte And set the auld doune on the haly sete

b. Danger, peril. a1400 Leg. S. xliv 247.
& gert a thousand men in hy Cume to draw hyre furth of thret

2. A threat, a promise or declaration of intent to harm (another). a1500 Rauf C. 657.
He thristit in throw thame thraly with threttis a1578 Pitsc. II 63/29.
[It] is nocht lauchfall for the threittis and manassingis of men to decest frome the preiching of the gospell 1662 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. I 297.
By their threatts and cruell minaces 1681 Stair Inst. i vi § 34.
A minor making his curator his executor and universal legatar … it was sustained, no threats nor importunity being alleged 1681 Stair Inst. iv xliii § 9.
Witnesses threatened by powerful and rigorous adducers … are corrupt, although their deposition were true. But though they did not engage, they ought in their preliminaries to declare the threats

3. In threyt (thretis), close together, in close proximity; closely. 1513 Doug. v ii 117.
Sum othir … the colis het Vndir the spetis swakkis to royst in threyt The raw spaldis 1513 Doug. xii ix 78.
This Murranus the renys and the thetis Quharwith hys stedis ȝokkit war in thretis Vndyr the quhelis hes do weltit doun 1513 Doug. xii xii 141.
The rynnyng hund dois hym [sc. a hart] assail in threte Baith with swift rays and with hys questis grete