theirs, poss. pron.
(ðɛəz)
Forms: 4–5 þayres, thayres, þair(e)s, thaires, 4–6 þairis, thairis, þeires, theires, 5 þers, therys, 5–6 theyr(e)s, theyr's, 6 therse, 8–9 their's, 5– theirs (Sc. thairs).
[In form a double possessive, f. their + -es (cf. hers, ours, yours). Of northern origin.]
The form of the possessive pron. their, used when no n. follows, i.e. either absolutely or predicatively: That or those belonging to them. (= F. le, la leur, les leurs; G. der, die, das ihrige, die ihrigen.)
| a 1300 Cursor M. 22578 (Edinb.) Vntil hir channel sal sco [the sea] turne And als til þayres [Cott. þairs, Gött. þairis, Trin. hores, Laud heris] ilk a burne. Ibid. 14132 A castel was bath his and þairs [Fairf. & Gött. þairis, Trin. þeires]. 13.. R. Brunne's Chron. Wace (Rolls) 11632 (Lamb. MS.) Þer nis no power to þeires liche [Petyt MS. non is þer pere ne to þam]. 13.. E.E. Allit. P. B. 1527 Heyred hem as hyȝly as heuen wer þayres. 1375 Barbour Bruce iii. 745 That thai and thairis..Suld be in all thing at his will. 1425 Rolls of Parlt. IV. 296/2 Yat any of the said parties, by yayme or yaires, procede. c 1430 Life St. Kath. (1884) 27 Folowe our faders lyke as þey blessedly folewede thayres. c 1440 Generydes 2989 This day is therys, A nother shalbe ourez. 1484 Caxton Fables of æsop v. iii, Telle to them that it is thyn and not theyrs. 1526 Tindale Matt. v. 10 Theirs ys the kingdome off heven. 1674 Boyle Excell. Mech. Hypothesis 7 [They] have no recourse to any peculiar agency of theirs to account for Eclipses. 1719 De Foe Crusoe (1840) II. iii. 50 The island was theirs. 1853 Whewell Grotius III. 377 Theirs is the sounder opinion, who hold that such a grant continues. 1855 Tennyson Charge Light Brigade ii, Their's not to make reply, Their's not to reason why, Their's but to do and die. |
b. of theirs: see of 44.
| c 1400 Laud Troy Bk. 3521 That he scholde euere be on of thaires. c 1400 Love Bonavent. Mirr. xxxix. (1908) 197 A frende of theires. 1555 Eden Decades 134 A childe of therse. 1564 Brief Exam. **, This gaye booke of theyrs. 1692 Bentley Boyle Lect. ii. 63 These Atoms of theirs. 1831 Society I. ii. 16 An old acquaintance of theirs. |
† c. Used instead of their (rare); in 17–18th c. when followed by another possessive, e.g. ‘theirs or our country’, now ‘their country or ours’. Obs.
| c 1200 Ormin 2506 And all onn ane wise fell Till eȝȝþerr þeȝȝress herrte. 1560 Inchaffray Charters (S.H.S.) 167 Als fre as..ouris or thairis granitaris or chalmirlanis..Josit brukit or intromettit with. 1562 Turner Baths Ded., For theyrs sake that are honest and vertuous men. 1652 Gaule Magastrom. 274 The event fell out contrary to theirs, and according to the Apostles prediction. 1667 Marvell Corr. lxxviii. Wks. (Grosart) II. 223 Upon the importation..into theirs or our country. a 1774 Goldsm. tr. Scarron's Com. Romance (1775) II. 54 He thought it both theirs and his duty to mount immediately. |
† d. maugre theirs: in spite of them, against their will: see maugre prep. 1 c. Obs.
| c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. Wace (Rolls) 12811 Maugre þeires he dide þem go In to þe wode. Ibid. 15336. 1375 Barbour Bruce x. 118 Magre thairis he it wan. 1480 Coventry Leet Bk. 427 Wheder we shall make the people to abide styll here.., magre theirs, or els let hem departe. |