dem. pron. and adj. Obs. Forms: 1 þæʓe, ðaʓe, 3 þaie, þaye. [Late OE. þæʓe, of obscure origin and history.
Generally held to be ad. ON. þeir, with r dropped (as in Ormin’s þeȝȝ, THEY), and with -e added, after plurals like ealle, sume, stylce. But the local distribution of the word does not favor a Norse origin.]
1. dem. (or pers.) pron. = THOSE (THEY, THEM).
c. 1000. Ags. Gosp., John x. 16. Hit ʓebyrað þæt ic læde þæʓe [Hatton G. þa hyder] & hiʓ ʓehyrað mine stefne. Ibid., xiv. 12. He wyrcð maran þonne þæʓe synt [MS. A. þa synd].
a. 1100. MS. C.C.C. Camb., No. 162. Ðæʓe wæron on fruman of Godes oroðe … ʓesceapene.
a. 1100. Salomon & Sat. (Kemble), 180. Saʓa me, hwæt hatton ðaʓe?
c. 1275. Lay., 18474. Þaie [c. 1205 heo] were amorwe alle idon to deaþe. Ibid., 28516. Þaie he habbe nolde.
c. 1300. Cursor M., 20002 (Edin.). Ful mani a torfer suffrid þaie [C., F., G., þai, Trin. þei].
b. as antecedent.
c. 1275. Lay., 4240. Alle þaie [c. 1205 þa] þat astode hii fulde to grunde. Ibid., 20775. Þaye þat her bi-ȝeteþ eft hii leoseþ.
2. dem. adj. = THOSE (sometimes = THE).
10[?]. Ags. Gosp., Luke xi. 5 (Marg. note). Ðis sceal to gangdaʓon þæʓe tweʓen daʓas.
c. 1205. Lay., 12644. He sende his sonde … æfter … alle þaie ihade gomes. Ibid., 19541. Alle þaic halȝen þa an hæfenene hæhȝe sitteð [so 15015]. Ibid., 20965. Þaie ilærde men heo læiden on gleden. Ibid. (c. 1275.), 4532. He … ferde … to-ȝeines þaie sipes. Ibid., 16008. Wat bi-tocneþ þaie drakes [c. 1205 þa draken]?
