a. Sc. Also 5–9 thrawart, 6 thrauard (threwart), 7 thrawert. [app. altered from the earlier fraward (c. 1200), FROWARD, perh. under the influence of THRAW v., THRAWN, etc. But cf. mod. Sc. dial. thra, thrae, for fra, frae.]
1. Disposed to turn aside from the proper way; froward, refractory, perverse, adverse. arch.
c. 1470. Henryson, Mor. Fab., XII. (Wolf & Lamb), vii. His exhorbetand and thrawart [ed. 1570 frawart] pleid.
1508. Dunbar, Flyting, 108. In sic is sett thy thraward appetyte.
a. 1600. Montgomerie, Sonn., xxxiii. 2. Vhom suld I warie bot my wicked weard, Vha span my thriftles thrauard fatall threed?
1795. H. MacNeill, Will & Jean, I. Such was Jean when Will first, mawing, Spied her on a thrawart beast.
1818. Scott, Hrt. Midl., xiii. Mony a thrawart job I hae had wi’ her first and last.
1901. J. Mollison, Poems, 48.
| The Maister ne’er gae them a thrawart look, | |
| Altho’ they had troubled Him lang: | |
| It was better tae be the ane tae tak’, | |
| Than the ane tae gie the wrang. |
2. dial. Twisted, crooked, wry, ‘thrawn.’
1814. W. Nicholson, Poems, 118. Yon todlin’ burn … Still presses owre ilk thrawart turn.
1827. J. Watt, Poems, 15 (E.D.D.). Man’s life’s … A chain o’ mony thrawart links.
1894. A. Reid, Sangs Heatherland, 72. His nosie … Sae hookit, and thrawart.
Hence Thrawartly adv. Sc., frowardly, perversely. So Thrawart-like adv.
1533. Bellenden, Livy, II. xxv. (S.T.S.), I. 232. Þe armye consauit na litill Ire and Indignatioun in þare myndis … and did all thingis sa thrawartlie … that [etc.].
1768. Ross, Helenore, I. 30. Very thrawart like, I yeed in by.
