Also Sc. and north. dial. thrang. [ME. þrang, þrong, prob. shortened from OE. ʓeþrang throng, crowd, tumult, deriv. from verbal ablaut series þring-, þrang-, þrung-: see THRING v.: cf. MDu. dranc(g-), Du. drang, MHG. dranc (earlier gedranc), Ger. drang throng, pressure, crowd; ON. þrǫng fem., throng, crowd, Throng sb., vb., and adj. appear about the 13–14th c., the adj. being the latest.]
I. 1. Oppression; distress, straits; trouble, woe, affliction; danger. Now dial. rare.
13[?]. Cursor M., 2585. Þai þat suld hald þam in þat thrang [Trin. þrong]. Ibid., 2622. ‘Fra mi lauedi,’ sco said, ‘i gang, For sco me halds fast in thrang’ [v.r. ga … wa]. Ibid., 21867. Mikel on erth sal be þe thrang, Þat sal be o men o-mang.
1375. Barbour, Bruce, VII. 251. His fayis hym haldis now in thrang.
c. 1470. Henry, Wallace, V. 931. Thaim to reskew that was in fellone thrang.
c. 1470. Harding, Chron., XXI. v. (MS. Arch. Seld. B. 10. lf. 19 b). The maiden Castelle strong … That on a Roche ful high stonte oute of throng.
1596. Dalrymple, trans. Leslie’s Hist. Scot., VII. (S.T.S.), II. 43. Now in sik thrang, that sche nathing culde find radie at hand, to halde the dur fast.
1855. Woman’s Devotion, I. 278. We’ll hae o’er-much joy, to be thinking o’ past thrangs.
† b. The pain of childbirth: usually pl.; THROE sb. 1 b. Obs.
1545. Raynold, Byrth Mankynde, Prol. D j. The laborynge woman hath bene greatly conforted, and alleuiatyd of her throngs and trauell. Ibid., 49. The parels, dangeours, and throngs, which chanse to women in theyr labor. Ibid., 85. Yf … she feale greate thronge and payne.
II. 2. Pressing or crowding of people; an act of thronging or crowding; crowded condition.
1303. R. Brunne, Handl. Synne, 947. As þey stode, & made grete þrong.
c. 1440. York Myst., xxii. 2. Make rome be-lyve, and late me gang, Who makis here all þis þrang?
1556. Aurelio & Isab. (1608), P iv. Soddaineley all withe one thronge caste the poore Affranio to the grounde.
1600. J. Pory, trans. Leo’s Africa, II. 88. The throng was so great at their entrance of the gates, that moe then fowerscore citizens were slaine therein.
1715. Ramsay, Christ’s Kirk Gr., II. xv. He could get nae place…, For thrang that day.
1791. Cowper, Iliad, II. 63. Went the summons forth Into all quarters, and the throng began.
1870. Freeman, Norm. Conq. (ed. 2), II. x. 502. Near to the great city, and yet removed from its immediate throng and turmoil.
3. concr. A crowded mass of persons actually (or in idea) assembled together; a crowd.
[993. Battle of Maldon, 299. He was on ʓeþrange hyra þreora bana.]
c. 1000. Gloss., in Haupt’s Zeitschr., IX. 427/15. Lixarum coetibus (gl. mercenariorum, qui aquam portant), wæterberendra. marg. þran[gum].
a. 1300. Cursor M., 13462. Iesus … bi-held þat folk … Þat folud him til mikel thrang [Trin. þrong].
13[?]. E. E. Allit. P., B. 754. Ȝet for pretty in þrong I schal my þro steke.
c. 1470. Henry, Wallace, IV. 247. Rudely fra him he reft it in that thrang.
1598. Barret, Theor. Warres, IV. iv. 113. The people to passe foorth … not by thronges … but by litle and litle.
1665. Manley, Grotius’ Low C. Warres, 199. The whole Throng of Ecclesiastical Persons were beyond the Inspection of the Magistrates.
1784. Cowper, Task, IV. 196. The pent-up breath of an unsavoury throng.
1832. W. Irving, Alhambra, II. 153. To draw fashionable throngs to their saloons.
1840. Dickens, Old C. Shop, xix. The streets were filled with throngs of people.
b. A great number of things crowded together, either actually or in idea; a multitude.
1549–62. Sternhold & H., Ps. lxxii. 16. The mighty mountaynes … Of corne shall beare such throng.
1602. Marston, Antonio’s Rev., II. iii. Throngs of thoughts crowde for their passage.
c. 1760. Smollett, Ode to Sleep, 8. Attended by an airy throng Of gentle dreams.
1824. Dibdin, Libr. Comp., 205. A series, and almost throng, of Histories of England.
4. Pressure, or a pressing amount, of work or business. Now dial.
1642. Chas. I., Message to both Ho., 28 April, 4. We hope this Animadversion will be no breach of your Priviledges in this throng of Businesse, and Distemper of Affections.
1707. J. Wodrow, in Life (1828), 181. My throng of work that fell in on me stopped me.
1730. T. Boston, Fourfold St., IV. iv. A great throng of business, but a great scarcity of faith and holiness.
1778. [W. Marshall], Minutes Agric., 6 Feb. an. 1776, note. The principal objection to a dog-day’s-fallow is, that it falls amid the throng of hay time and harvest.
1896. Crockett, Grey Man, lii. 349. With all this throng of business on hand.
5. ‘Intimacy’ (Jam.), company; to keep throng, to keep company, associate with. c. dial.
1768. Ross, Helenore, 11. It sets them well into our thrang to spy.
1843. Bethune, Sc. Fireside Stor., 78. He keepit thrang wi’ Jenny M’Intosh his Landlady’s daughter.
