arch. Forms: α. 1 trúwian, 4 truu, 4–5 tru, 4–6 (8–9 Sc.) true. β. 1 tréowan, tréowian, 3 treowe, 3–6 (9 Sc.) trew, 4 ? Sc. treu. γ. 3–5 trowen, (3 (Orm.) trowwenn, 4 trouwe), 3–6 (8 Sc.) trou, 4–7 trowe, (4 Sc. throw, throu), 5 troue, 5–7 tro, (8 tro’), 5, 9 Sc. troo, 6–7 troe, troa, 4– trow. δ. (north. dial.) 4 trau, (tray), 4–5 traue, trawe, traw, (5 traywe). Pa. t. and pple. trowed; also pa. t. 3–5 -ede, 4–6 Sc. -it, etc.; 4 troud, 4–6 trowd, 6 troude; pa. pple. 4 troud, troude, trod, trawet, 5 trawt; (4 (?) trowen). [OE. had more than one type: (1) OE. trúwian, f. trúwa sb. ‘faith, belief’ = OS. trûon (MLG. truwe), OHG. trû(u)ên (MHG. trûen, truuen, Ger. trauen), ON. trúa (Sw. and Norw. tro), Goth. trauan, OTeut. *trûwian, from base trū-, orig. ‘strong, firm, sure’; (2) OE. tréowan, tréowian, from tréowe ‘faith, belief,’ with the ablaut grade *tréu(w); cf. OS. tre(u)wa, OWFris. trouwa (MLG., MDu., Du. trouwen to believe, trust, espouse). Of the two OE. forms, trúwian was the earlier and more usual; but its place was mainly taken in ME. by trowen, with its variants traue, traw, from tréow(i)an. In some of the ME. forms, trúwian and tréow(i)an appear to run together.]
† 1. trans. (orig. intr. with dat.; cf. 2). To trust, have confidence in, believe (a person or thing).
α. c. 897. K. Ælfred, Gregory’s Past. C., ix. 58. Swiðe eaðe mæʓ on smyltre sæ unʓelæred scipstiora ʓenoh ryhte stieran, ac se ʓelæreda him ne truwað on ðære hreon sae & on ðæm miclan stormum.
13[?]. Cursor M., 4366 (Cott.). And for he es traist o mi leute Of all his god be trues me.
1728. Ramsay, Fables, xii. 12. His colour’s green, If ane may true his ain twa een.
β. Beowulf (Z.), 1166. ʓehwylc hiora his ferhþe treowde, þat he hæfde mod micel.
c. 888. K. Ælfred, Boeth., xxxvii. § 2. Yrnað ealle endemes ða ðe hiora ærninge trewað.
a. 1000. Cædmon’s Gen., 2318. Ic eow treowiʓe ʓif ʓe þæt tacen ʓegað.
c. 1175. 12th c. Hom., 136. Ȝyf he þa bote deþ … & on Gode trywiȝe.
1375. Barbour, Bruce, II. 326. He that will trew His fa, It sall him sum tyme rew.
γ. c. 1250. Gen. & Ex., 1092. Loth hem warnede,… Oc he ne troweden him.
c. 1275. Lay., 3413. Wan hii þe troueþ alre best.
13[?]. Cursor M., 5212 (Gött.). Þis es þe soth, trou [Cott. tru] ȝe me.
c. 1400. Maundev. (1839), xx. 221. And all be it that sum men wil not trow me, but holden it for fable.
1500–20. Dunbar, Poems, xxxii. 40. The silly thing trowd him, allace! The lame gaif creddence to the tod.
c. 1600. Montgomerie, Cherrie & Slae, 842. Suld not I trow my ain twa een?
a. 1829. Parcy Reed, xviii., in Child, Ballads, VII. (1890), 26/2. The three false Halls of Girsonsfield, They’ll never be trusted or trowed again.
δ. 13[?]. Cursor M., 5151 (Cott.). If þat þou noght traues me,… come þi-self and se.
c. 1460. Towneley Myst., iii. 45. To those that wille hym trawe.
† b. refl. To trust oneself to a person. Obs. rare.
α. c. 950. Lindisf. Gosp., John ii. 24. Se hælend ne lefde vel ne truʓude hine scolfne him vel ðæm, foreðon he uiste alle.
γ. 1388. Wyclif, ibid. But Jhesus trowide not hym silf to hem, for he knewe alle men.
† 2. intr. with prep. To believe in or on; to have confidence in; to trust to. Obs. or rare arch.
α. c. 1000. Ælfric, Saints’ Lives, xxv. 446. Ða burhware … truwodon to þam wealle.
c. 1300. Cursor M., 19883 (Edin.). Truis tu in god?
β. c. 1000. Ags. Ps. (Th.), cxvii[i]. 8. God ys on Dryhten ʓeorne to þenceanne, þonne on mannan wese mod to treowianne.
γ. c. 1205. Lay., 2351. He nom his enne hired mon Þe he wel trowede on.
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron. Wace (Rolls), 2855. Trowe til vs & oure consayl!
1340–70. Alex. & Dind., 829. Ȝif alle þe lorus … Ben trewe to be trowen on & trysty to leue.
1375. Barbour, Bruce, I. 490. Gyff that ȝe will trow to me.
c. 1385. Chaucer, L. G. W., 1707 (Lucrece). It is no nede To trowyn on the word but on the dede.
c. 1400. trans. Secreta Secret., Gov. Lordsh., vi. 52. A trew discret man … to whom he may trowe to ordeyne þe besynesse of his godys.
c. 1449. Pecock, Repr., I. xviii. (Rolls), 102. Thei wolen not trowe to his teching.
c. 1460. Towneley Myst., xx. 434. Bot trow in god, that you has wroght.
c. 1470. Henry, Wallace, II. 235. In Inglismen, allace, quhi suld we trow?
1522. World & Child, C vij. The xij. artycles of the fayth That mankynde must on trowe.
1552. Abp. Hamilton, Catech. (1884), 14. We suld trow in the sonne of God.
1870. Morris, Earthly Par., III. IV. 369. Vague tales, wherein I was well fain to trow.
δ. 13[?]. Cursor M., 13671 (Cott.). Traus [Fairf. trawes] þou in godd sun or nai?
† b. trans. To believe in (a doctrine, etc.). Obs.
1340–70. Alex. & Dind., 841. Hit semeþ … Þat ȝe no giuen of no gome no none godus trowe.
c. 1380. Wyclif, Wks. (1880), 422. Oon article of bileue … is to trowe hooly chirche.
c. 1400. Mandev. (Roxb.), xv. 66. Þe Sarzenes trowes þe incarnacioun.
1513. Douglas, Æneis, VI. Prol. 81. We trow a God, regnand in personis thre.
3. trans. To believe (a statement, etc.); to give credence to, accept as true or trustworthy.
α. a. 1300. Cursor M., 14708 (Cott.). Qua wil noght tru [Gött. trou, Fairf. traw, Trin. trowe] þat i tell.
β. c. 1250. Gen. & Ex., 2037. Pvtifar trewið hise wiwes tale.
γ. c. 1200. Ormin, Ded. 134. I wollde bliþeliȝ Þatt all Ennglisshe lede … shollde itt trowwenn.
1413. Pilgr. Sowle (Caxton), I. iii. (1859), 4. Such thynges wold I nought haue trowyd, yf I had nought seen it my self.
1450–80. trans. Secreta Secret., xvi. 14. Trowe not lightly alle that that men wille telle the.
1536. Bellenden, Cron. Scot. (1821), II. 272. We may nocht trow ane wourd he sayis.
1605. Shaks., Lear, I. iv. 135. Speake lesse then thou knowest,… Learne more then thou trowest.
1816. Scott, Antiq., xxi. I hae garr’d him trow mony a queer tale.
a. 1818. Macneill, Poems (1844), 102. She trou’d ilka word that the fause loon did say.
1876. Morris, Sigurd, II. 79. Men trowed his every word.
δ. 13[?]. E. E. Allit. P., B. 662. Saré laȝez, Not trawande þe tale.
† b. with obj. and compl. To believe or suppose (a thing or person) to be (so and so); also with compl. inf. (to be..., or to do something). Obs.
γ. a. 1275. Prov. Ælfred, 164, in O. E. Misc., 113. For wanne he is lif alre beste trowen, Þenne sal he letin lif his oȝene.
c. 1400. trans. Secreta Secret., Gov. Lordsh., xxix. 63. Yf þe nedys of a woman, drawe to þe to here þat þow trowys trewe, and þat þou demys good.
c. 1460. Play Sacram., 559. I trowe best we mak a crye.
1581. A. Hall, Iliad, IV. 69. Thou Agamemnon trowes Vs dastards and faint hearted folke.
1596. Dalrymple, trans. Leslie’s Hist. Scot., VIII. (S.T.S.), II. 59. The chanceller trowit al to be trew.
δ. 13[?]. E. E. Allit. P., A. 282. I trawed my perle don out of dawez.
1432–50. trans. Higden (Rolls), II. 121. Of whom somme men trawe that cite to have taken name.
† c. Phr. To trow (in passive sense): to be believed or thought (so and so). Also at trow (AT prep. 39), in quot. a. 1340, worthy of belief, credible.
13[?]. Cursor M., 27126 (Cott.). And es he for a fule to trou [Fairf. traw].
a. 1340. Hampole, Psalter, xcii. 7. Testimonia sua credibilia facta sunt nimis.… Þi biddyngis ere mykil made at trow.
1596. Spenser, F. Q., V. ii. 34. How much it doth over-flowe, Or faile thereof, so much is more then iust to trowe.
4. with obj. cl. To believe, think, be of opinion, suppose, imagine; sometimes, to believe confidently, feel sure, be assured. † Trow you what … (?) ‘what do you think…?’
α. c. 1000. Ælfric’s Past. Ep., iii., in Thorpe, Ags. Laws, II. 364. Ic truwiʓe þeah þæt sum wurðe abrird þurh God.
a. 1818. Macneill, Poems (1844), 96. I pree’d it aft as ye may true!
γ. c. 1200. Ormin, 6946. Þeȝȝ munndenn trowwenn þatt te child Josæpess sune wære.
1362. Langl., P. Pl., A. I. 133. Þis I trouwe beo treuþe!
a. 1400. Prymer (1891), 83. Trowest þou auȝt that a deed man schal lyue aȝen?
14[?]. Cov. Corp. Christi Pl., I. 883. I tro there wolbe a carefull syght.
c. 1470. Henry, Wallace, II. 391. I trow thow be sum spy.
1526. Tindale, Luke xvii. 9. Doeth he thanke that servaunt be cause he did that which was commaunded vnto hym? I trowe not.
1533. Bellenden, Livy, III. v. (S.T.S.), 256. Þe hevynnis apperit birnand; The erde trymblit…; men trowis ane kow spak.
1588. Shaks., L. L. L., V. ii. 279. Trow you what he call’d me?
1590. Spenser, F. Q., II. v. 13. And henceforth by this daies ensample trow, That hasty wroth, and heedlesse hazardry, Doe breede repentaunce late, and lasting infamy.
1613. Shaks., Hen. VIII., I. i. 184. As I troa Which I doe well; for I am sure [etc.].
1637–50. Row, Hist. Kirk (Wodrow Soc.), 451. I used … to … cast up the whyte of my eyes, so that any bodie wold have trowed that I was blind.
1786. Burns, A Dream, ii. The poets … Wad gar you trow ye ne’er do wrang.
1818. Scott, Rob Roy, iv. I trow he’s a dealer in cattle.
1872. Thirlwall, Rem. (1878), III. 254. Can anything be more clearly proved…? I trow not.
δ. c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 3351. Ne trawes not, tru lady, þat I take wolde Thy ladyship to losse.
b. Parenthetically or at the end of a sentence (often merely expletive), as I trow (in assertions) = ‘I suppose,’ ‘I ween’; † also rarely in questions (where the sense is not clear).
α. 13[?]. Cursor M., 371 (Cott.). Þarfor scaples was it [I] tru [Fairf. traw].
γ. [1423. James I., Kingis Q., xi. Bot now, how trowe ȝe? suich a fantasye Fell me to mynd.]
c. 1491. Chast. Goddes Chyld., 35. Thyse wordes I trowe shall suffyse.
1549. Latimer, Ploughers (Arb.), 20. Who trowe you is a faythefull seruante?
1577. Northbrooke, Dicing (1843), 71. No man is so foolishe, I trowe, so to doe.
1598. Shaks., Merry W., I. iv. 140. Who’s there, I troa?
1676. Marvell, Gen. Councils, Wks. (Grosart), IV. 138. Did not this Historian, trow you, deserve [etc.]?
1678. Bunyan, Pilgr., I. 174. But I tro, you will put some difference between Little-faith and the Kings Champion.
1748. Richardson, Clarissa (1811), IV. xxxv. 224. What is become of Lord M. I trow, that he writes not to me?
1798. Coleridge, Anc. Mar., VII. iii. Why, this is strange, I trow!
1852. H. Rogers, Ecl. Faith (1853), 438. A sceptic is not to be startled by paradoxes, I trow.
† c. Also simply trow (ellipt. for I trow or trow you). Obs.
1553. Respublica, IV. ii. 998. Was not he drownde, trowe, last yeare?
1601. B. Jonson, Ev. Man in Hum. (Qo.), IV. i. I iv. Where are these villaines troe?
1620. Shelton, Quix., II. x. 57. And haue you euer seene her, trow?
1636. Heywood, Challenge, I. Wks. 1874, V. 14. How came you by them tro? honestly?
1741. Richardson, Pamela, I. 57. What could you have done to him, tro’?
† 5. intr. or absol. To believe; to hold a belief; to have or exercise faith. Obs.
α. c. 1300. Cursor M., 19530 (Edin.). Simon [Magus] lete als þoȝ he truwid, And baptizid him.
γ. c. 1200. Ormin, 2820. & tu full ædiȝ wurrþenn arrt, Forr þatt tu mihhtesst trowwenn.
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron. Wace (Rolls), 7358. He asked þenne how þey trowd, & what þer Godes name hight.
c. 1440. York Myst., xxi. 162. What man þat trowis and baptised be.
1573. Tyrie, Refut., in Cath. Tractates (S.T.S.), 12. Befoir a thousand yeiris … wes thair peple of God that trowit as thai do.
† 6. trans. To expect, hope. Usually with inf.; less commonly with obj. cl.; rarely with simple obj.
γ. 1340–70. Alisaunder, 919. Þei trowed no tresoun untruly too haue.
c. 1470. Henry, Wallace, IX. 1266. Fra Fyff was tynt, the war thai trowyt to speid.
1470–85. Malory, Arthur, X. xii. 432. Shewe me the Knyght, & I trowe I shalle bere hym doune.
1575. Durham Depos. (Surtees), 301. She … was sore sike…, so that none of hir frendes trowed hir life.
c. 1600. Montgomerie, Sonn., xxviii. 11. Vhair sho [an ass] troude hir maister suld hir treit, They battound hir.
† 7. To prove to be true; to vouch for; to verify; to ascertain. Obs. rare.
β. a. 901. Laws of Ælfred, c. 33. ʓif he hine treowan [v.r. treowian] wille.
γ. c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron. (1810), 258. Þe letter forth þei nam, to trowe þer sayng. Ibid., 339. Blissed be þou God,… Þi word is wele trod, I say it, bi William.
1603. Philotus, iii. First try the treuth, then may ȝe trow, Gif I mynd to desaue.
