Forms: α. 1, 3–6 tind, 4–6 tynde, 5 tyynde, 6 (9 dial.) tynd. β. (5 tene), 5–9 tyne, 6– tine. [OE. tind = MHG. zint sharp point, ON. tindr tine (Sw. tinne, Da. dial. tind tooth of a rake):—OTeut. *tind-iz. (To the same root prob. belongs OHG. zinna merlon of a wall:—OTeut. *tindjôn-.) OE. tind became in ME. tīnd, as in bind, etc.; whence, by loss of d, tine, as in TIND v. Cf. WFris. tine, tooth of fork, etc.]
1. Each of a series of projecting sharp points on some weapon or implement, as a harrow, fork, eel-spear, etc.; a prong, spike, tooth.
α. a. 700. Epinal Gloss. (O.E.T.), 873. Rostris, foraeuuallum, uel tindum.
c. 725. Corpus Gloss. (ibid.), 1753. Rostri, tindas.
a. 1400[?]. Erasmus (Bedf. MS. lf. 280), in Horstm., Altengl. Leg. (1878), 202. Castyng hym oftyn on þe tyndes of an harow.
c. 1400. Laud Troy Bk., 15724. Thei … Sclow hem thikkere with her arwes Than tyndes of tre stondis In harwes.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 494/1. Tyynde, prekyl (K. tynde, pryke), carnica.
1668. R. B., Adagia Scot., 37. Many maisters, quoth the Poddock to the Harrow, when every tind took her a knock.
β. 1554. Lydgate’s Bochas, IX. vi. 200 b/2. The fiery tines of his brennyng arow.
1591. Greene, Art Conny Catch., II. (1592), 25. A long hooke … that hath at the end a crooke, with three tynes turned contrary.
1642. Fuller, Holy & Prof. St., III. xxi. 211. That fork needing strong tines wherewith one must thrust away nature.
1644. [Walsingham], Effigies True Fortitude, 12. An old man … with his Pitchforke ran at Captaine Smith, and twice stroke the tynes thereof against his breast.
1649. Blithe, Eng. Improv. Impr., xvi. (1653), 104. Two or three sorts of Harrows, each Harrow having his Teeth or tines thicker than other.
1721. [see TIG sb.1 1].
a. 1734. North, Lives (1826), II. 201. A fork with five tines.
1789. Trans. Soc. Arts, I. 100. A harrow composed of coulters instead of tines.
1828. Craven Gloss., Tine, the prong of a fork…; also the tooth of a harrow.
2. Each of the pointed branches of a deer’s horn.
α. [a. 1000. Sal. & Sat. (Kemble), 150. Anra ʓehwylc deor hæbbe synderlice xii hornas irene, and anra ʓehwylc horn hæbbe xii tindas irene, and anra ʓehwylc tind hæbbe synderlice xii ordas.]
c. 1375. Sc. Leg. Saints, xxix. (Placidas), 105. A gret hart … he saw betwen his tyndis brycht A verray croice schenand lycht.
c. 1430. Syr Tryam., 1085. The herte stroke hym wyth hys tyndys.
1513. Douglas, Æneis, VII. ix. 18. This hart … With large heid and tyndis fwrnest fayr.
1593. Rites of Durham (1903), 24. Dyd cast backe his handes betwixt ye Tyndes of ye said harte to stay him selfe.
β. 1495. Trevisa’s Barth. De P. R., XVIII. xxx. 792. The aege of hartys is knowe by auntlers and tynes of his hornes, for euery yere it encreacith bi a tyne vnto vii yere.
1616. Surfl. & Markh., Country Farme, 684. You may likewise iudge of their age by the tynes of their hornes.
1825. Scott, Talism., xxiv. A stag of ten tynes.
1877. Encycl. Brit., VII. 23. The antlers of the Stag are rounded, and bear three ‘tines’ or branches, and a crown consisting of three or more points…. The antlers during the second year consist of a simple unbranched stem, to which a tine or branch is added in each successive year, until the normal development is attained.
† b. A small branch or twig of a tree; the stalk of a fruit. Obs. rare.
13[?]. E. E. Allit. P., A. 78. As bornyst syluer þe lef onslydez, Þat þike con trylle on vcha tynde [rhyme schynde].
13[?]. Minor Poems fr. Vernon MS., lii. 82. His hed nou leoneþ on þornes tynde.
c. 1440. Pallad. on Husb., IV. 395. Pomes take, The tenes with, to stonde in cannes saue.
c. transf. Each of two branches of a stream.
1875. R. F. Burton, Gorilla L. (1876), II. 73. We reached a shallow fork, one tine of which … comes from the Congo Grande.
† 3. A rung or step of a ladder. Obs. rare.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 354. Scheome and pine, ase Seint Bernard seið, beoð þe two leddre stalen … and bitweonen þeos stalen beoð þe tindes ivestned of alle gode þeawes, þi hwuche me climbeð to þe blisse of heouene.
4. [f. TINE v.3] An act of harrowing.
1778. [W. Marshall], Minutes Agric., 12 Dec., an. 1776. Our first tine was with fine harrows, which broke the crum, without tearing up the sod.
1825. Jamieson, s.v., A double tynd, or teind, is harrowing the same piece of ground twice at the same yoking.
1854. Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc., XV. II. 403. Some sow it after the barley, and give it a tine with the harrows.
† 5. attrib. and Comb.: tine-knife, see quot.; tine nail (tynd nale), a large sharp-pointed nail, a spike. Obs.
1555–6. Burgh Rec. Edinb. (1871), II. 322. For xixll of grait tynd nalis to the greit yat of the tolbuith.
1888. Sheffield Gloss., Tine-knife, a knife whose haft is made from a tine of a stag’s antler.
