troth

▪ I. troth, n. arch.
    (trəʊθ, trɒθ, trɔːθ)
    Forms: α. 2–5 trowþe, 3 (Orm.) trowwþe, 3–5 trouþe, 4–5 trowþ, trowthe, 4–6 trouthe, 4–6 (Sc. 4–) trowth, trouth, 5 trouþ, (trowith, -yth, 5–6 trougth, 6 trowgthe, trough). (Also 4 troutht, trout, troght, 4–6 trought(e, 6 trowht, trouht; 4 throwth, throut, 5 throuth, throughte.) β. 5 trothe, 6–7 troath, 6– troth. γ. 4 trawþe, trauþ(e, 5 trauthe, trawethe, 5–6 trawth(e.
    [Early ME. trowþe, trouþe, for OE. tréowþ, truth, app. due to the shifting of éo to eó, with subsequent loss of the unaccented e. Cf. trow v., and the development of ME. and mod. four from OE. féower, and of ME. fourti, and forty from OE. féowertiᵹ. Trowth, troth were thus originally phonetic variants of OE. tréowþ, truth, which hardly survived the 16th c. except as midland and northern dialect forms, and in special archaic locutions as ‘to plight one's troth’, ‘wedded troth’, ‘by’ or ‘upon my troth’, and in some combinations, as trothless, troth-plighted. Cf. also betroth. Trawthe, trauth are specially northern forms in which aw, au take the place of ow, ou. They are cited in the English Dialect Dictionary from Yorkshire.]
    I. 1. Faithfulness, good faith, loyalty; honesty: = truth n. 1, 4. ? Obs.

α c 1175 Pater Noster 42 in Lamb. Hom. 57 Mid al þis haue þu charite and soðfeste leaue and trowðe lef. a 1275 Prov. ælfred 506 in O.E. Misc. 132 On him þu maist þe tresten, ȝif is trowþe deȝh. c 1325 Spec. Gy Warw. 1033 To serue hym [Christ] and hys moder dere In trowþe, loue, and in charite. 1340–70 Alex. & Dind. 910 For-þy vs kenneþ our kinde to a-corde in trowþe. 1448 Hen. VI Will in Willis & Clark Cambridge (1886) I. 379 His high trought and feruent zele. 1474 Caxton Chesse ii. iv. (1883) 48 He knewe well the trouth of his felawe. a 1548 Hall Chron., Hen. VI 164 Many thynges..declared the duke of Yorkes trought and innocencye in this case.

β 1568 Grafton Chron. II. 766 The Lord Hastings, whose troth towarde the king no man doubted. 1620 J. Wilkinson Courts Leet 139, I shall sweare that I will bee true liege man and true faith and troth beare to our soveraigne lord the king. 1664 Butler Hud. ii. ii. 227 These thinking they're obliged to Troth In Swearing, will not take an Oath. 1866 Neale Sequences & Hymns 130 Wedded troth remains as firm, and wedded love as pure. 1905 C. Whitley in Disraeli's Bentinck Introd. 15 His..followers lacked either troth or cordiality.

    b. by (rarely upon) my troth, as a form of asseveration. See also truth 1 b.

α c 1374 Chaucer Troylus v. 1001 If þat I sholde of any Grek han rouþe, It shulde be youre seluen, by my trouþe. 14.. Beryn 116 Kit, how likith the? Be my trowith, wondir wele. c 1518 Skelton Magnyf. 1669 Ye, by my trouthe, I shall waraunt you. 1564 in Child-Marriages 64 Bie my faith and trouth, I will marry the.

β 1555 in Foxe A. & M. (1576) 1604/2 No, by my troth my Lord, we can do no good. 1599 Shakes. Much Ado ii. iii. 103 By my troth my Lord, I cannot tell what to thinke of it. 1704 Swift Batt. Bks. Misc. (1711) 236 By my Troth, said the Bee, the Comparison will amount to a very good Jest. 1820 Combe Consol. ii. (Chandos) 158 Nay, if you swear, Sir, by my troth, The Echo will repeat the oath. a 1839 Praed Everyday Char., Quince 45 Old Quince averred, upon his troth, They were the ugliest beasts in Devon.

γ 13.. E.E. Allit. P. B. 63 On hade boȝt hym a borȝ he sayde by his trawþe. c 1400 Destr. Troy 1749 And now is tyme, by my trauthe, to take it on hond.

    2. One's faith as pledged or plighted in a solemn agreement or undertaking; one's plighted word; the act of pledging one's faith, a promise, covenant. Chiefly in phr. to plight one's troth, to pledge one's faith; to make a solemn promise or engagement; spec. to engage oneself to marry. = truth 2.

α a 1225 Ancr. R. 54 Þerefter of þen ilke weren trouðen tobrokene. Ibid. 310 Pepigimus cum morte fedus..we habbeð trouðe ipluht deaðe. 1303 R. Brunne Handl. Synne 8360–1 Trouþe þat men alle day breke,..fals trouþes, and fykyl,..are ȝyue mechyl. c 1386 Chaucer Frankl. T. 746 Ye shul youre trouthe holden. c 1430–40 Anturs of Arth. 465 (Thornton MS.) Here my trouthe I ȝow plyghte, I salle feghte withe ȝone knyghte. a 1440 Sir Eglam. 246 ‘Ȝys’, seyde the erle, ‘here myn honde!’ Hys trowthe to hym he strake. 1543–4 Act 35 Hen. VIII, c. 12 The..Frenche King nothing regarding his honor, othe, trouthe, promyse, and fidelitie. 1552 Huloet, Plyght fayeth and trougth in matrimonye, sponso. 1564 in Child-Marriages 201 Therapon they plightid their trouthes together, and kissed together, and after dronk, and made mery.

β c 1420 Anturs of Arth. xxxvi. (Ireland MS.), I wille countur with the knyȝte,..Ther-to my trothe y the plyȝte. 1515 Acc. Ld. High Treas. Scot. V. 36 Item, to David Cameroun for to pas to the day of troth, and erandis to the Lord Dakkir, to his expensis, xlij s. 1578 T. N. tr. Conq. W. India 7 She demaunded him as hir husband by faith and troth of hand. 1600 Holland Livy xxi. vii. 397 They observed their troth and loyaltie with their allies. 1724 Ramsay Tea-t. Misc. (1733) II. 149 Give me back my maiden-vow And give me back my troth. 1848 Lytton Harold vi. i, Gryffyth will never keep troth with the English. 1872 Yeats Techn. Hist. Comm. 188 Betrothal rings, set with pearls and gems, were worn by maidens who had plighted their troth.

γ c 1375 Cursor M. 3240 (Fairf.) Of þi trauþ I make þe free. c 1400 Destr. Troy 1749 And now [is] tyme, by my trauthe, to take it on hond. Ibid. 10110 Vntrew of his trawth trust neuer after. c 1420 Avow. Arth. xxx, Ther-to grawuntus the knyȝte, And truly his trauthe pliȝte.

    † 3. a. Faith, trust, confidence. (Cf. truth 3 a.)

α c 1200 Ormin 4015 He wass Drihhtin swiþe lef Þurrh trowwþess rihhtwisnesse. Ibid. 18857 Hæþenn trowwþe on hæþenn Godd. a 1300 Cursor M. 2387 (Cott.) Abram þat o trouth was tru. 13.. Ibid. 18678 (Gött.) Þair mistrovth..Es strinthing of vr troght to-day. a 1400 Religious Pieces fr. Thornton MS. (1867) 10 Þe firste vertu es trouthe wharethurghe we trow anely in Godd... Trouthe es begynnynge of all gude dedis. c 1425 Wyntoun Cron. vi. xviii. 2205 Makbeth aye In fantown fretis had gret fay, And trowth had in swylk fantasy.

γ c 1375 Cursor M. 2525 (Fairf.) Abraham þat was in trauþe strange.

    † b. Belief; spec. a form of religious belief, a creed. (Cf. truth 3 b.) Obs.

c 1200 Ormin 1347 Ȝiff þatt tu willt..Wiþþ fulle trowwþe lefenn Al þæt tatt wass bitacnedd tær. Ibid. 6953 Forrþi þatt teȝȝ þatt time Ȝet unnderrstodenn littleswhatt Off all þe rihhte trowwþe. a 1340 Hampole Psalter i. 6 Fals cristen men, þat has þe trouth of ihū crist withouten luf & goed werkes. 1340 ― Pr. Consc. 4228 Þai lyved in fals trowthe. c 1375 Lay Folks Mass Bk. (MS. B.) 414 þis is þo trouthe of holy kirk. c 1400 Mandeville (Roxb.) xxxiv. 154 If all þai be of diuerse lawes and diuerse trowyngs, þai hafe sum gude poyntes of oure trowth. 1481 Caxton Myrr. iii. xii. 159 In this only veryte, he [Plato] preuyd the right trouthe, ffor he preued his power, his wisedom, and his goodnes..that is the fader, the sone, and the holy goste.

    II. † 4. Truth, in various senses: see truth 5–14.

α c 1300 Cursor M. 22789 (Edin.) Of þis trowþe hard es trowþe to find. 13.. Ibid. 18710 (Cott.) He badd..his disciplis..Oueral þis werld his trouth to teche. c 1386 Chaucer Man of Law's T. 532 He wolde enquere Depper in this, a trouthe for to lere. 1387 Trevisa Higden (Rolls) III. 221 God..is cause of al þing..and liȝt of sooþnesse, and of trowþe [v.rr. trouthe, truthe], and welle of grace. 1390 Gower Conf. III. 151 Hou so that the cause wende, The trouthe is schameles ate ende. c 1400 Apol. Loll. 13 In two maner of þing, is [a man] seid iust; first sympli, or after trowþ... In þe secound maner..onli in name. 14.. in Babees Bk. (1868) 332 Deame þee best in euery doute Tyl þe trouthe be tryed oute. 1422 tr. Secreta Secret., Priv. Priv. 211 He sholde bene sothefaste in worde and dedd, and lowe throuth abowe al thynge, and hate lesynge. 1436 Pol. Poems (Rolls) II. 204 Go furthe, libelle,..And pray my lordes the to take in grace.., if that not variaunce Thow haste fro troughte. 1470–85 Malory Arthur i. iii. 38 Telle me the trouthe... Syre saide she I shalle telle you the trouthe... That is trouthe..as ye say. a 1533 Ld. Berners Huon cxxxix. 521, I shall neuer haue ioye..tyll I maye knowe the trought. 1545 Plumpton Corr. (Camden) 250 Send forth your excuse..with a letter of the trough of your sicknes. 1593 Queen Elizabeth Boethius v. pr. i. 103 Aristotle..hath defynd it [chance] in a neere reason to breefenes & trouth.

β 1538 Starkey England i. ii. 30 Thys ys of trothe. 1553 T. Wilson Rhet. (1580) 173 When perfite iudgement is wantyng, the trothe can not be knowne. 1600 Holland Livy xxiv. xxx. 529 They reported other newes besides, as well lies as troths. 1663 Cowley Country Mouse 56 Plainly, the troth to tell, the Sun was set.

γ 13.. E.E. Allit. P. A. 494 For al is trawþe þat he con dresse, And he may do no þynk bot ryȝt. Ibid. B. 1490 Hit [the sacred candlestick] watz..wont..in temple of þe trauþe trwly to stonde. c 1420 Sir Amadace (Camden) xxix, Butte the trauthe fulle litulle thay wote. 1432–50 tr. Higden (Rolls) III. 221 The philosophres knowenge the trawthe of God profite moche to the cognicion of trawthe. 1504 Plumpton Corr. (Camden) p. lxiv, All that ys afore rehersed..we wyll..yf nede be, depely depose afore the kynge and hys counsell, that yt is matter of trawth.

    b. in troth (arch.), † of (a) troth (obs.): truly, verily, indeed: = in truth, of (a) truth (truth 14).

α a 1380 Pistill of Susan 187 Heo was in trouþe, as we trowe, tristi and trewe. c 1475 Partenay 1568 Many merueles of trought cam ther ryght. 1508 Fisher Penit. Ps. xxxviii. Wks. (1876) 60 This of a trouth is a grete mysery wherof..Dauyd maketh his complaynte. 1546 J. Heywood Prov. & Epigr. (1867) 50 But of trough I thought, better to haue then wishe. 1789 Burns To Dr. Blacklock ii, I lippen'd to the chiel in trouth.

β a 1566 R. Edwards Damon & Pithias (1571) B j, Tell me of troth, Is not that great Wisdom as the world goth? 1607 Shakes. Cor. i. iii. 118 In troth I thinke she would. 1660 R. Coke Power & Subj. 205 Divers sums of money (which in troath were the oblations and offerings). 1727 Gay Begg. Op. i. viii, A mighty likely speech in troth. 1756 Foote Eng. fr. Paris i. Wks. 1799 I. 98 In gude troth, not a mighty booty.

γ 1432–50 tr. Higden (Rolls) II. 365 The faders of whom were not knowen in trawthe.

    c. Also ellipt. or as int. = truth 14 c. arch.

α 1719 Ramsay To Arbuckle 48 And trouth I think they're in the right on't. 1728 ― A Character iv, And trowth the picture I have drawn Is very like. 1786 Burns Brigs of Ayr 129 Fine Architecture, trowth, I needs must say't o't.

β 1603 Shakes. Meas. for M. iii. ii. 60 Troth sir, shee hath eaten vp all her beefe, and she is her selfe in the tub. a 1627 Middleton, etc. Widow ii. i, Troth, and I would have my will then, if I were as you. 1741 Richardson Pamela (1824) I. xxiii. 34 Troth, sir, said he,..I never knew her peer. 1843 Lytton Last Bar. i. i, ‘Troth’, answered Master Heyford [etc.].

    III. 5. attrib. and Comb., as troth-breaker, troth-breaking, troth-keeping, troth-kiss, troth-ring; troth-contracted, troth-like, troth-telling adjs.

1648 Herrick Hesper., To His Mistresse ii, Promise, and keep your vowes, Or vow ye never; Loves doctrine disallowes *Troth-breakers ever.

13.. Cursor M. 26234 (Cott.) Fals wijtnes and *trouth breking. 1464 Paston Lett. II. 159 Master Constantyn sewyd hym for feyth and trowth brekyng.

1633 Ford Broken H. ii. iii, Intercourse of *troth-contracted loves.

1605 Verstegan Dec. Intell. viii. (1628) 253 A mouth of *troth-keeping or loyaltie.

1844 Mrs. Browning Brown Rosary ii. 64, I was betrothed that day; I wore a *troth-kiss on my lips, I could not give away.

1544 Betham Precepts War ii. xl. K viij, Such other thynges are to be feyned, whyche appere *trouthlyke.

1856 Mrs. Browning Aur. Leigh ix. 100, I had sooner cut My hand off (though 't were..promised a duke's *troth-ring).

1673 Wycherley Gentl. Dancing-Master iv. i, The *troth-telling Trojan gentlewoman of old was ne'er believed till the town was taken.

▪ II. troth, v. Obs. or arch.
    [f. troth n. or aphetic f. betroth v.]
    trans. To plight one's troth to; to engage in a contract, esp. of marriage: = betroth 1, 2, 4 a. Hence ˈtrothed ppl. a., ˈtrothing vbl. n. and ppl. a. (See also truth v. 2.)

1422 tr. Secreta Secret., Priv. Priv. 190 A gentill-man of the contrey had hyr trouthid. 1565 Cooper Thesaurus, Coemptio,..a solemnitie of the ciuill lawe where the woman and man commyng together at a trothyng, as it were, bye one the other. 1567 Drant Horace, Epistles ii. ii. H iv, Too Orators..th' one was to the other, In mutuall prayse for both their gaynes a faste ytrothed brother. 1599 Shakes. Much Ado iii. i. 38 So saies the Prince, and my new trothed Lord. 1605 Tryall Chev. ii. i. in Bullen O. Pl. III. 288, I scorne..to give answere to such a trothing question. 1893 F. Thompson Love in Dian's Lap i. Poems 4, I reach back through the days A trothed hand to the dead.

Oxford English Dictionary