▪ I. thraw, v.
(θrɔː)
the earlier form of throw v.1, retained in northern dialect in all senses of the verb, and preserving in Scottish use a group of senses in which throw is not in English use, or, when occasionally used by English writers, is taken in the Sc. form as a distinct word; viz. the senses: To turn, twist, turn awry, contort, distort (esp. to make a wry face or mouth, cf. thrawn ppl. a.); to wrest, warp, strain, or distort (words or their meaning); to wrench; to extort; to cross, thwart, vex, manifest opposition or ill temper. For these see throw v.1, senses 1 to 5 b. So thraw n., northern and Sc. form of throw n.2: see esp. senses 1, b, c.
▪ II. thraw, a. Sc. and north. dial.
(θrɔː)
[app. shortened form of thrawn.]
Twisted, turned awry. Also in comb. = wry-, as thraw-gabbit a., wry-mouthed, peevish; thraw-necked a., having the neck twisted.
| 1501 Douglas Pal. Hon. i. 437 Thir megir bellis, Sum round, sum thraw. 18.. J. Baillie Hooly & Fairly i, My wife..ca's me a niggardly thraw-gabbit carlie. 1884 Mrs. J. H. Riddell Berna Boyle xi, There was nothing in his offer the best gentleman in the land need have drawn a thraw mouth over. 1894 Lang Poems 41 (E.D.D.) Our present Duke's nae thraw man. 1898 E. W. Hamilton Mawkin xx. 275 A pair of poor thraw-neckit corpses. |
▪ III. thraw
obs. f. or var. thro, throe, throw n.1