shortened form of TO, before a vowel, formerly in use, often combined with the following word, as tabandon to abandon, tabyde to abide; so taxe to ask, tescape, t’attempt; also, with omission of h, tave, tafe, to have, ta to hae, to have; tadwellyd to have dwelt, talyved to have lived, etc.
c. 1200. Ormin, 3879. Þatt doþ uss tunnderrstanndenn.
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron. Wace (Rolls), 4334. Ffair folk to fighte, Cesar tabyde.
1426. Lydg., De Guil. Pilgr., 1019–22. He gaff to hem … Talyved euere,… Neuer tave had necessyte Off deyyng. Ibid., 9392. Taxe and lerne, thow art wys. Ibid., 9422. And tadwellyd Immutable. Ibid., 16962. Tescape Eche Trybulacion.
1559. Mirr. Mag. (1563), B vij. I forced the Frenchemen tabandon theyr bowers.
1592. in Tytler, Hist. Scot. (1864), IV. 343. Proved cares and assured love aught,… tafe the upperhand.
1706. E. Ward, Hud. Rediv., I. III. 27. T’ attempt some Massacre or Treason.
1746. Francis, trans. Hor., Sat., II. iii. 117. Staberius thus compell’d his heirs t’engrave On his proud tomb what legacies he gave.
