▪ I. thy, poss. a.
(ðaɪ)
Forms: 2–5 þi (ti), 4 þy (ty), 4–6 thi, (6 yi), 4– thy.
[Early ME. þī, reduced form of þīn, thine, used in ME. bef. consonants exc. h, but occurring before vowels in 15th c., and ultimately universal in prose use as the possessive adj. preceding its n., = Ger. dein, deine, F. ton, ta, tes.]
Of or belonging to thee, that thou hast.
For restriction of use see note to thou pers. pron. 1.
| a 1175 Cott. Hom. 225 Þe..and ti wif, and þine þreo sunes. c 1175 Pater Noster in Lamb. Hom. 57 Þi nome beo iblecced. Ibid. 59 Cume þi riche. a 1225 Ancr. R. 98 Þi stefne is me swete, & ti hwite schene. 13.. in Rel. Ant. I. 145 Wer es ty sire, wer es ty dame? 13.. E.E. Allit. P. B. 330 Enter þis ark with þyn aþel barnez & þy wedded wyf. 1388 Wyclif Ruth i. 16 Thi puple is my puple, and thi God is my God. c 1450 Bk. Curtasye 71 in Babees Bk. 301 Let not þi spone stond in þy dysche. 1502 W. Atkynson tr. De Imitatione i. xx. 169 Lyft vp thy iyen to heuen. 1513 Douglas æneis iv. iv. 42 Apon thi top, mont Cynthus, walkis he. 1552 Lyndesay Monarche 4131 Perfytlie prent in yi remembrance Off this Inconstante warld the variance. 1552 Huloet, Thy owne selfe, te ipsum, temet. 1667 Milton P.L. v. 153 These are thy glorious works, Parent of good. 1852 Mrs. Stowe Uncle Tom's C. xiii, [The Quaker Settlement] ‘Where's thy baby, Ruth?’ said Rachel... ‘Thy Mary caught him as I came in.’ 1859 Tennyson Enid 347 Turn, Fortune, turn thy wheel and lower the proud. |
▪ II. † thy, adv. Obs.
Forms: 1–2 þy, 2–3 þi.
[OE. ð{yacu}, þ{yacu}, instrumental case of demonst. and relative pron. se, séo, þæt: see that, and cf. the adv.]
1. a. orig. By means or by reason of that, because of that, therefore. b. In relative sense: For the reason that, because.
| c 897 K. ælfred Gregory's Past. C. xxviii. 192 Ðy him is micel ðearf, ðonne he tela lærð, ðæt he eac tela do. c 1000 Sax. Leechd. II. 86 Smire mid huniᵹ, þæt þy þe raþor sio hryfing of fealle. c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 93 Þi bileafden heo heore timbrunge. c 1200 Trin. Coll. Hom. 205 Wilfulshipe and lichamliche lustes and li ere lahtres, þi ne mai no man gode folȝen. a 1250 Owl & Night. 860 Ich rede þi þat men beo ware. c 1275 Woman of Samaria 39 in O.E. Misc. 85 Ich wot..Þat þu me hauest soþ iseyd..Þi of one þinge sey me iredynesse. |
c. Hence in for thy, for that reason, therefore: see for-thy; also in OE. mid þ{yacu}, with that, seeing that, since, when, while; to þ{yacu}, to that end or purpose, therefore.
2. Preceding an adj. or adv. in the comparative degree: see the adv.
▪ III. thy
obs. f. thigh.