Venery. Obs. Also 7 troch, in Dicts. erron. torch. [a. OF. troche (13th c. in Godef.) cluster, mass, also in sense 2 below; in Twety, Art de Venerie (a. 1327) in sense 1, with which cf. OF. trocheure (14th c. in Godef., Compl.), F. trochure. Cf. also TROCHED, TROCHING.]
1. A cluster of three or more tines at the summit of a deer’s horn; distinguished from a fourche (i.e., fork) of two tines.
c. 1410. Master of Game (MS. Digby 182), xxxiii. And þenne þe lorde shulde take vppe þe hertes heede by þe reght syde bitwene þe sureale and þe fourche or troche.
1586. Ferne, Blaz. Gentrie, 194. As a perfect wood-man … to name the Sommeites, troches, or tynes, of the hornes.
1623. Cockeram, I. s.v. Pollard, Torch.
1651. Davenant, Gondibert, II. xxxiv. His [a stag’s] spacious Beame … From Antlar to his Troch had all allow’d.
2. An ornamental button consisting of or set with three or more jewels in a bunch.
1434. in Rymer Fœdera (1710), X. 593/2. Withynne which Tablet ar xl Troches, iche Troche conteynyng iv Peerles.
1576. in Nichols, Progr. Q. Eliz. (1823), II. 2. A border containing vii buttons or troches of gold, in every of them iii smale rubyes, and viii buttons or troches of golde, in every of them iv mene perle.
1625. in Rymer Fœdera (1726), XVIII. 238/1. A Cupp of Goulde with a Cover … garnished with … one and twentie Troches of Pearles, three Pearles in every Troche.
Hence † Troche v. Obs., intr. to develop a troche or troches.
1413–22. Venery de Twety, in Rel. Ant., I. 151. Now wyl we speke of the hert,… Whan an hert hath … forched on the one syde, and troched on that other syde, than is he an hert of .x. and of the more. And whan … that he hath troched on boothe parties of the hed, he is of xij. and of that lasse.
c. 1450. in Twici’s Art of Hunting, etc. (1908), 108. When he trochithe on that one side of v & on the other side of vj be is of xvj de greynders.
