Now Sc. and north. dial. Also 4–5 þ-, thrange, 5–6, Sc. 6- thrang. [ME. þrang, þrong, from same root as prec. Cf. ON. þrǫng-r, narrow, close, crowded (Sw. trång, Da. trang), strait, narrow, close, tight.]
† 1. In various early instances difficult to explain, all connected with THRING v. Among these may be distinguished the senses (a) Compressing; (b) Compressed, oppressed, distressed; (c) Pressing, earnest, eager. But in some cases the exact sense is uncertain; thrange may even be adverbial; cf. Ger. gedrang(e adv. and adj. Obs.
13[?]. E. E. Allit. P., A. 17. Þat dotz bot þrych my hert þrange, My breste in bale bot bolne & bele.
a. 1400–50. Alexander, 4813. Neȝe throtild with þe thik aire & thrange in þare andes.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 12235. And he þroly with þrong wil þreppit agayn.
14[?]. Siege Jerus., 2. A þrange þornen croune was þraste on his hed.
[a. 1535. Frere & Boye, 254, in Hazl., E. P. P., III. 72. The frere amonge the thornes was thronge [? pa. pple. of THRING v.].]
2. Pressed or massed closely together as a crowd; crowded, thronged; † dense, close, thick (obs.).
c. 1400. Maundev. (Roxb.), xxvi. 124. When þai schall feight, þai hald þam so nere togyder and so thrang þat, whare þer er xxm men, sum men wald suppose þer ware noȝt xm.
c. 1440. Alphabet of Tales, 401. Nerehand all Rome was gadurd þedur, & þe peple was passand thrang.
c. 1500. Lancelot, 3366. Thar was the batell dangerus and strong, Gret was the pres, bath perellus and throng.
1535. Stewart, Cron. Scot. (Rolls), II. 379. Amang the Scottis, quhair tha war maist thrang, Or euir he wist wes closit thame amang.
1603. J. Savile, K. Jas.’ Entertainm., Introd. B ij b. The people were so throng.
1743. in Keble, Life Bp. Wilson, xxiv. (1863), 825. [The registry preserves the memorandum in the Curate’s own hand of his having published this order in Rushen Church] in the presence of a throng congregation.
1770. Lett. James Murray, Loyalist (1901), 134. As throng as three in a bed.
1896. Proudlock, Borderland Muse, 269. I see the ‘trouts’ are ‘rising’ thrang.
3. Crowded with people, etc.; thronged; very fully attended or frequented.
1660. H. More, Myst. Godl., I. ix. 28. What a[n] … unsutable representation is it of this throng Theatre in Heaven, made up of Saints and Angels?
1711. Ramsay, On Maggy Johnstoun, ii. The barn and yard was aft sae thrang, We took the green.
1766. Reid, Wks. (1863), I. 46/2. We have had a thronger College this year than ever before.
1822. Galt, Provost, xxxiii. The street was as throng as on a market day.
1890. Hall Caine, Bondman, I. x. [The hut] was all but as throng of people as it had been … on the day of ’Liza Killey’s wedding.
1894. P. H. Hunter, James Inwick, i. (1900), 14. Oor Kirk keepit as thrang as afore.
4. Of times, seasons, places, etc.: Into which much is crowded; full of work; busy.
1568. Satir. Poems Reform., xlviii. 85. The merkit is thrang, and will not lest lang.
1615. Brathwait, Strappado (1878), 62. You Clients … that visit this throng Terme.
1715. Wodrow, Corr. (1843), II. 75. The harvest is just at its throngest.
1764. Museum Rust., II. lxxvii. 265. The value of the time … in so throng a season as the summer, is very considerable.
1816. Scott, Old Mort., iv. It will be hard for you to fill her place, especially on sic a thrang day as this.
1889. Gretton, Memory’s Harkback, 111. It was wonderful to see … how way was made for him through the crowded streets at the afternoon throng hour.
1895. Snaith, Mistr. D. Marvin, xlix. ’Tis a very throng time this week.
5. Of a person or persons: Closely engaged in work or business; pressed; fully employed, busy.
1623. Sanderson, Serm., Job xxix. 14 § 25. Great men … are as throng as ever in pulling down houses, and setting up hedges; in unpeopling towns and creating beggars.
1723. Wodrow, Corr. (1843), III. 50. I have been so throng this day with my booksellers, that I was not in the Assembly.
1786. Burns, Twa Dogs, 5. Twa dogs, that were na thrang at hame.
1804. Tarras, Poems, 1. We see his sheep thrang nibblin on the height.
1863. Mrs. Gaskell, Sylvia’s L., II. 8. When we’re throng, I help Hester.
1896. Barrie, Marg. Ogilvy, vi. ‘I suppose you are terrible thrang,’ she says. ‘Well, I am rather busy.’
6. Closely engaged together; intimately associated; ‘thick.’
1790. D. Morison, Poems, 136 (Jam.). Syne hame we scour’d fu’ cheery and fu’ thrang.
1865. G. Macdonald, A. Forbes, 51. Him an’ oor Willie’s unco throng.
B. adv. Earnestly; busily.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 3094. And thus ho thought full thrange in hir thro hert, Þat so semely a sight ho se neuer before.
1786. Burns, Dream, ii. I see ye’re complimented thrang By mony a lord an’ lady.
a. 1810. Tannahill, Ambitious Mite, 10. Some brushing thrang their wings and noses.
