Thrave, threave

Chiefly Sc. and north. Eng. Forms: α. 1 pl. þreues; 4–6, 9 threve, 5 threfe, 6 threff, threif(f, threafe, 7 Sc. thref, 8 Sc. threive, 9 Sc. thrief, thrieve, 7– threave. β. 5 Sc. thraf, 5–6 thraue, thrafe, north. thrawe, 6 thrayf, thravffe, Sc. thraif, 9 thraive, 5– thrave. γ. Sc. and north. 3 traue, 5 trawe, 6 (9 dial.) trave, 9 dial. traeve. [Of Scandinavian origin; in α, a. West Scand. *þrefe, Icel. þrefi, Norw. treve, træve; in β, a. East Scand. *þrafe, MSw. þrave, Sw. trafve, Da. trave (whence NFris. (Sylt.) traav). *Þrefe and *þrafe were prob. ablaut variants.]

  1.  Two shocks or stooks of corn (or pulse), generally containing twelve sheaves each, but varying in different localities; hence used as a measure of straw, fodder, etc.

  α.  963–84.  in Birch, Cart. Sax., III. 367. Swa man ær simle dide tioþunge æt ælcere sylh an foðer cornes þe eahte þreues cornes on weron.

1483.  Cath. Angl., 384/2 (MS. A.). A Threfe [v.r. thrave] of corne, traua.

1512–3.  Durham Acc. Rolls (Surtees), 106. Pro xl threff straminis.

1556.  Records of Elgin (N. Spalding Cl.), I. 30. The threafe or fodder, viij d.

1572.  in Reg. Mag. Sig. Scot., 1576. 708/2. For ane threif of custome stray.

1618–9.  N. Riding Rec., II. 189. A Thirske woman presented for stealing six threaves of Hempe value 10/.

1716.  Parochial Rec. Stonehouse, 17 July. To cause pull sixtie threive of heather for thatching.

1812.  Sir J. Sinclair, Syst. Husb. Scot., I. 330. A threave of wheat, consisting of twenty-eight sheaves, each sheaf measuring thirty inches round,… a threave of barley, oats, or pease, of twenty-four sheaves, each thirty inches round.

1822.  J. Wilson, Lights & Shadows Sc. Life, 214. I have threshed a few thrieves in the minister’s barn.

1851.  Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc., XII. I. 129. An acre of good oats generally averages 32 threves (763 sheaves).

  β.  1433.  Act 2 Hen. VI., c. 2. Endowé … dun Thrave des blees aprendre annuelment de chuscun charue.… Endowed … of a thraue of corn to be taken yerely of euery ploughe.

c. 1462.  Wright’s Chaste Wife, 245. A thrafe of flex.

1537.  Stanlowe Cell Inv. (Publ. Rec. Office). vj Thrayf of vnthrashen Barlycorne.

1551.  in Wills & Inv. N. C. (Surtees), I. 134. A c. thrave of wheit and rye at ijs vjd. a thrave.

1584.  Shuttleworths’ Acc. (Chetham Soc.), 19. Eighte thravffe of stroue sould at Houle viij^d.

1679.  Filmer, Freeholder, 54. Their Living … consisted chiefly upon the having of a Thrave of Corn of every Plow-land.

1865.  W. White, E. Eng., I. 289. Reapers got sixpence a thrave for their reaping.

  γ.  1284.  Acc. Exch. K. R., Bd. 97. No. 3. Pro .lxxij. Trauis litere emptis … pro eisdem [horses].

c. 1447.  in Jarrow & Wearmonth (Surtees), 242. Tho trawes and other arrerage of the said corn.

1504–5.  Durham Acc. Rolls (Surtees), 231. Pro xxxij traye de lyng.

1868.  Atkinson, Cleveland Gloss., Thrave, pron. trave, treeav.

1900.  Shetland News, 22 Sept. (E.D.D.). What mak’s doo o’ da twartree [= two or three] traeve o’ bare.

  2.  transf. and fig. A large number; a company; a multitude, a ‘heap,’ a ‘lot.’

  α.  1377.  Langl., P. Pl., B. XVI. 55. I have þouȝtes a threve of þis þre piles, In what wode thei woxen.

1610.  B. Jonson, Alch., V. ii. Gallants … [have] beene seene to flock here In threaues.

1635.  J. Jones, Adrasta, III. i. G j. Come, gi’ me a threave of kisses.

1825.  Scott, Betrothed, xxi. Minstrels singing ballads by the threave.

  β.  1486.  Bk. St. Albans, f vi b. A Thraue of Throsheris.

1500–20.  Dunbar, Poems, lxvi. 55. Sum with and thraif playis passage plane.

a. 1656.  Bp. Hall, Rev. Unrevealed, § 8. Tidings … of a thrave of Jews newly converted.

  † 3.  A bundle or handful tied up like a small sheaf. Obs.

1606.  Chapman, Gentleman Usher, II. i. Plays, 1873, I. 273. Lay me vm [rushes] thus In fine smoothe threaues, look you sir, thus, in threaues.

1656.  Sir J. Mennis, K. Oberon’s Apparel, in Musarum Del., 34. His Belt was made of mirtle leaves, Plaited in small curious threaves.

  Hence Thraver, threaver, a reaper who is paid according to the number of thraves he cuts; Threaving vbl. sb., the practice of paying reapers at so much for the thraves.

1812.  Sir J. Sinclair, Syst. Husb. Scot., I. 329. About six years ago, another practice took place in that district, which … is called threaving.

1813.  G. Robertson, Agric. Surv. Kincard., 264 (Jam.). While a reaper cuts … at the rate of nine threaves a-day, a threaver will … cut ten threaves in the same time.

1844.  Stephens, Bk. Farm, III. 1053. Threavers … have a strong inducement to cut the straw near the ground.