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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.

Thres(c)h, v. Also: thresche, thres, threch, threis, thras(c)h, thrache, tresche. P.t. thresche, threwshe, thrusche, trewshe, threschit. P.p. threschine, threshin, threshen, thres(s)in, threachin, thrashin, thrashine, thrashen, thruschine, thres(c)hed. [ME and e.m.E. þressh (Orm), thresche, threche (both Cursor M.), threshe, threisch (both Wyclif), thresh (1573), thrash (Spenser), OE þerscan (p.t. þaersc, þurscon, p.p. þorscen), later also þrescan, þryscan, ON þreskja.] To thresh, to have (harvested crops) beaten in order to separate the grains from the husks and straw. a. tr. Also const. doun, furth, out (? Out adv. 20). Also fig. b. absol. or intr.To thrash out (once furth) is frequently used in legal or quasi-legal contexts, apparently in the sense of thrashing and confiscating a complete crop as a punishment or fine.a. (1) pres. 1544 Treas. Acc. VIII 331.
The inhabitourris … to thresche thair cornis and to prepair victuellis for my lord governour and his armye 1567–8 Inverness Rec. I 159.
To be souerte for the ingang of the prufis quhilkis Dauid McConyll suld thres and desyrit the pruf manis ayth, and thair comperit Johne Gibson and deponit the prufis to be justle castyn 1595 Morton Muniments GD 150/2727 in Sanderson Rural Soc. 34.
The particularis debursit be me at your lordschipis command sen yor cuming to Dalkeyth to thresche the teindis in May 1595 1596 Dalr. I 95/7.
Thay thresche na stuf, bot with fyre thay signe [sc. singe]it(b) 1511 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III 106.
I ame rycht evill taryit to get men to threis the cornne and mar taryit to myll it and kill it(c) 1550–1 Treas. Acc. IX 477.
Certane Franchemen to await on the taskaris trescheand the cornis of thame … that was fugitivep.t. 1624 Elgin Rec. II 187.
James Chalmer and Alexander Mitchell confessit they trewshe [Elgin Kirk S. 189, threwsche] corne on Soonday lastp.p. 1571 Inverness Rec. I 204.
The beir of the said towne of Knokintynnall wes brocht to this towne yeirle be the space of diuerse yeiris bygane and thressin be my awin serwand men of my house a1650 Row 173.
Cruell oppression of the poore tenants; evidenced … by … not thrashing victuall in due tyme, girnalling of it when it is threshen [etc.] 1686 Cunningham Diary 26.
19 bolls corn … When threshin it yeelded about 4 chalder, and lost ne'er a seed with shaking 1691 Haddington Corr. 200.
When the piesstrau that is in the barn is thresin and come here, then let another stack be cast in of the pies(b) 1547 Blackfriars Perth 240.
Ane haill crop … to … be led to yard or barne to be thrashin, windoit, and dycht 1635 Dickson Wr. 134.
A sheaf of corn … when it is thrashen, is letten through the wind 1681 Glasgow Merchants House 138.
Trampled, spoiled and brocked the corne, took of quhat was readie thrashine to thair horse in great quantaties(c) 1629 Black Orkn. & Shetl. Folklore 77.
Ye … desyrit ane lock corne fra Edward Rendall his sone, quha said thair was nane threachin(d) 1641 Falkirk Baron Ct. (18 June).
Quhilkis aittis sould haue beine delyverit immediatlie efter the samyne could be thruschine(e) 1668 Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct. Deeds I 226.
With fourscoir threave good strae as steilbow to ly upon the saidis lands dureing this present take or else alsmuch strae as ane reicke of the great new barne of Bar full off unthresched corne being thresched will yeald(2) 1549 Soc. Ant. XI 92.
Quhilkis cornis the said Erle causit his officeris and seruandis thresche doun and tak of the ground violentlie(3) 1566 Treas. Acc. XII 29.
To serche, seik, inbring and thresche furth the gudis and geir pertening to Andro Ker of Fawdounside(4) 1452 Acts II 41/1.
All maner of man that hes corne wnthrescheyne … sal gar it be haillely threschine owt 1565 Reg. Privy C. I 391.
[He] has put away hir servandis and threschis out hir cornis and disponis upoun hir gudis at his plessour 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 192.
[They] threschit owt thair cornes, cast doun thair houssis [etc.] … without commiseratioun 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 192.
To thrache out the cornes … perteining to Williame Maitland … becaus he … haid fallin and declynit fra the kingis auctoritie 1577–8 Reg. Privy C. II 667.
The said Sheref and his deputtis … thrusche out the said Alexanderis haill cornis 1616 Binns P. (SRS) 24.
The tennentis of the mainland hes bene at me and hes gevin me part of money, and is to threch outt thair cornes to mak money and pay the last yeiris restisfig. 1637 Rutherford Lett. (1894) 413.
Faith and love that when threshed … by God Himself, doth yet look warm-likeb. c1520-c1535 Nisbet 1 Cor. ix 9, 10.
Thou sal nocht bind the mouth of the ox that threschis [P. ox threischynge] … For … he that threschis, threschis in hope to tak fruitis 1530–1 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 111.
He hard Williem Thomesone cum to Thome of Chesholm in to ane berne in the vodheid of Syntoun quhen he vas threissand 1565 Linlithgow Sheriff Ct. 2 June.
And he being aduertest thairof quhair he wes thraschand in his barne come to reskew his barne fra scaith 1566 Reg. Privy C. I 460.
His barneman being threscheand and laubourand sark allane 1607 Dundonald Par. Rec. 127.
Alexander Houssoun … accuisit of thresshing on the Sonday denyit that he did sa him self and declairit it was Johne Houssoun, his brotheris wyfe, and hir madine that thresche 1647 Boyd Fam. P. No. 188 (9 Sept.).
Gif the said Thomas sall intromet and mell therwith poynd thresh sell and dispone thervpon

c. tr. To thresh strae, to obtain straw by the process of threshing. 1700 Foulis Acc. Bk. 274.
To Jamie Jaimsone who threshes the horss and kyes strae