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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.

Thrif(e, Thryfe, Thrive, v. Also: thryf(f, thryif(f, thrywe, thryv(e, tryff, threve, thrave, thrayf. P.t. thraf, thrave, thrawe, thraif(f, threive, threave, thrueff. P.p. thryvin, thre(a)ven. [ME and e.m.E. þrifenn (Orm), þriue(n (a1300), thrive (Cursor M.), thryve(n (Chaucer), thrive (c1400), p.t. þraf (Orm), þrof (Manning), thrafe (a1400), throfe (Malory), p.p. thriuen (Cursor M.), threuen (a1400), ON þrífask.] intr.

1. To grow and develop successfully; to enjoy continuing good health.pres. ?a1450 Florimond 120.
He had twa soneis with his wyfe, That wax and weill begane to thryfe 1609 Aberd. Eccl. Rec. 71.
So lang as sho or hir companyeones lewed, nather he nor ony nichtbour of the gett wald thrywe(b) 1604 Misc. Hist. Soc. II 246.
As to my schiep I can not tell quhat it can be vurthe to me … if she thrayf she vill multiplie and incriesp.t. a1400 Leg. S. xxvi 1110.
& than this cheld wox, & wel thraf a1400 Leg. S. xxvii 49.
He thrawe, that wele fosterit was 1650 Dumfr. & Galloway Soc. LI 49.
All his cattell and beist took such a sweiting that they … in the coldest day in winter wer still in such a stove of heat … vntill they waisted away nochtheles all their neichbours geir round about thrave weill eneuch not trublit with any such disease(b) 1604 Dundonald Par. Rec. 58.
He falling in flyting vith Pet Lovrie … that thaireftir his ky and vther geir thraif nocht(c) 1688 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. XIII 247.
The said William Brysone his cou did decay and never threive efterwardp.p. a1508 Kennedy Flyt. 493.
A monstir maid be god Mercurius … Evill schryvin, wan thryvin, not clene na curius 1668 Melrose Reg. Rec. II 229.
[They comprised the corn eaten [sc. by livestock] to 3 bolls of oats] quherof ther was some evill threaven and eaten befor Witsunday 1667

2. To prosper, be successful, enjoy good fortune. Also proverb.pres. a1400 Leg. S. xxv 365.
I thocht nocht fore to thryfe, With fortone, quhen I began to strife c1420 Ratis R. 137.
Tak her-to tent gif thov will thrif a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 345.
And ye ar thre in this thede, thriuand oft in thrang a1500 Prestis of Peblis 94 (Asl.).
To ȝow I haue ane questioun to declare, Quhy burges barnis thryffis nocht to the thrid aire a1500 Colk. Sow ii 8.
Now will I wryte Of the secund penny … How it did thryve that onis was thrall half lost c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 488 (M).
And mony blenkis ben our, that but full far sittis, That may nocht, for the thik thrang, thryf as thai wald c1500 Makc. MS xiv 43.
Be tymus at mes that thow the better thrif 1540 Lynd. Sat. 1523 (Ch.).
Ȝe ken richt few of them [sc. merchants] that thryfes a1570-86 Maitland in Maitl. F. 26/72.
Grace be to the gude burges wyffis That be leifsum lawbour thryveis 1623 Perth Kirk S. MS 26 May.
Being askit if at onye tyme scho gaif foutye pennyis, that is pennyis to caus men thryff and becum rich 1659 Boharm Kirk S. 1 May.
Marg. Tailȝeor confessed that she said God let not any thryve that had taken her land from her(b) a1585 R. Maitland in Maitl. Q. 72/40.
Get scho credence scho will stope ȝow to thryif 1595 Skene in Misc. Stair Soc. I 145.
Thair is na dout bot thay, seing his majesties of sa guid intentioun to thryiff, bot his graice wilbe sone provydit of sa mony guidis as will pleinis all the roumes foirsaidis(c) a1500 Colk. Sow ii 148.
Thair be mony wyffis Throw haboundance of spech that nevir tryffis(d) 1662 Highland P. III 8.
That the saids persons wronged Neil McNeill by witchcraft that nothing threves with him(e) c1678 Lauder Observes 256.
Swarms of frigats … went … in that employment; wherein all of them did so weill succeid and thrave, that they damnified the Hollanders more than Englishp.t. a1578 Pitsc. II 53/5.
Fre that tyme fourtht the Earle Bothewell thraif newer bot ȝeid bakwart in his effairis in all porpossis that he tuik in hand 1588 Crawford Mun. Invent. II 191 (1 July).
This wes the first beginning of my begging, of just feir and dredour that I suld nocht offend my wyffe. I thraiff nevir sa weill of that craft of befoir(b) 1600-1610 Melvill 127.
Pure man, he gat his reward, for he never threave nor did guid efter that, bot died with madnes and miserie 1662 Highland P. III 17.
Within a fortnight his chamber was brunt and sen thence nothing threave with him(c) 1597–8 Misc. Spald. C. I 179.
Fra that tyme furthe, the said Janet thrueff never, bot wes cassin out of service, and became ane miserable beggerp.p. 1615 Highland P. III 176.
They say they haife not threuen sence your majestie maid the cuntrey so peaceableproverb. 1531 Bell. Boece I 89.
Yit better is, as thay say, lait than nevir thrif 1549 Compl. 143/14.
He that heytis vertu, sal neuyr thryue 1560 Rolland Seven S. 4444.
For it is said that all things thryfis bot thrise 1558-66 Knox I 127.
Bettir late thrive then never thrive a1598 Ferg. Prov. No. 159.
Thrive a1598 Ferg. Prov. No. 361.
He that marries or he be wise, will die or he thrive a1598 Ferg. Prov. MS No. 106.
A man cannot thryfe except his wyffe let him a1598 Ferg. Prov. MS No. 822.
It is hard to wyve & thryv in on yeir a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 136.
A man of manie crafts thrave never 1639 Covenant in Fugitive Poetry II xv 2/4.
Tis better lait, then never to begin to thryve in Christ

b. In the asseveration sa mot I thrive! a1500 Rauf C. 53.
‘Sa mot I thrife,’ said the king, ‘I speir for nane ill’ a1500 Rauf C. 129.
Sa mot I thriue, I am thrawin, Begin we to threip c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 149/91.
Then Schir Bet-the-Kirk, sa mot I thryff, I haif of busie servandis foure or fyve 1513 Doug. v xii 107.
My child, derrer, so mot I thrive, … than myne awin lyve a1568 Scott xxxiv 142.
Fle fra suspek, Or than, sa mot I thryfe, Ȝour natouris ȝe neglek