A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
Hide Quotations Hide Etymology
About this entry:
First published 2001 (DOST Vol. X).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1399-1590
[0,0,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0]
Thrinfald(e, Thrynfald(e, adj. and adv. Also: trinfauld, -fold, trenefald. [ME thrinefald, þrinfalde (both Cursor M.); Thre-fald adj. with assimilation of the first element to thrin (Thrin adj.).]
1. adj. Three-fold, tripartite. = Thre-fald adj. 1.(a) a1400 Legends of the Saints iv 2.
The appostil … Sanct Jame … had thrynfald nam a1400 Legends of the Saints vi 390.
God … the quhilk in substance bot ane is, & thrinfald in-to personis a1400 Legends of the Saints xxxvi 463.
He the thrinfald crone Sal euir bruk fore his wardone: The firste is of virginite, [etc.] 14.. Regiam Majestatem c. 37.
Thar is thrynfalde reson quhi the balȝe may nocht be arbitour c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace vii 141.
The thrynfald buk [sc. in Wallace's vision] is bot this brokyn land, Thou mon rademe a1570-86 Kennedy Maitland Folio MS 234/5.
O thrynfald God and eterne Lord in trune c1510 Prester John 310.
iij werray God fadir sone and haly gaist thrinfalde iij personis and iij divinity 1513 Doug. iii vi 218.
A thrynfald hawbrik was al gold begone 1513 Doug. iv ix 78.
The thrynfald goddess Proserpina 1513 Doug. vii xii 169.
The thrynfald Diane ful of blys c1552 Lynd. Mon. 48.
His thrynfald wande of flagellatioun Hes scurgit this pure realme of Scotland 1567 Gude and Godlie Ballatis 104.
Ȝe Edomitis idoll, with thrinfald [D. threefald] crowne, The crop and rute of pryde and tyrannie(b) c1590 J. Stewart 264 § 255.
The state trivmphall of that trinfold trone(c) a1568 Bannatyne MS 55a/124.
O eternall God trenefald in vnioun a1568 Scott xxxvi 84.
Gloir to the Haly Spreit of loif In trenefald vnitie
b. Thrice over. 1570 Satirical Poems xxi 19.
Thay trinfauld tratours, Hes steirit vp this stryfe
2. adv. To the extent of three (layers, rows, etc.). 1513 Doug. vii Prol. 95.
I … Kest on clathis thrynfald, Fortil expell the peralus persand cald 1513 Doug. v v 30 (Sm.).
A habirgeoun of burnist mailȝeis brycht, With gold ourgilt clowit thrynfald [L. trilicem loricam] full tycht
You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.
"Thrinfald adj., adv.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 7 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/thrinfalde>
