▪ I. † these, n. Sc.
[a. F. thèse (1579 in Godef. Compl.), or ad. med.L. thesis.]
= thesis 4, 5.
| a 1600 Montgomerie Sonn. lxiv. 11 Fy! I refuse sik filthie these or theam. 1640 R. Baillie Canterb. Self-Convict. 29 The Authour..avowes..that the These alleadged, and all the rest of his booke doeth perfectly agree with the English Articles. 1648 ― Lett. & Jrnls. (1841) III. 63 The generall These which he professed to maintain. |
▪ II. these, dem. pron. and a. (pl.)
(ðiːz)
Forms: see below.
[This word has a complicated history. The OE. pl. of ðes, ðéos, ðis, was ðás, less commonly ðǽs (:—OTeut. *þai-se, -si), dat. ðiosum, ðis(s)um, gen. ðissa, ðisra. The form ðás remained in ME. as þās, which was duly retained in the north, and by regular phonetic development became þōs in midland and south. The OE. ðǽs gave ME. þǣs, þēs, þeos, and their local variants, including s.w. þüs. A frequent form of þēs from the 12th to the 16th c. was þis, identical with the sing.: see γ below. The two forms þēs and þās became differentiated in use after 1250–1300, þēs and its variants remaining in the south as plural of this, while þās became synonymous with þā, the plural of se, séo, þæt, that. This was prob. due to assimilation, þēs, þis, etc. being more like the singular and the dat. and gen. pl., while þās was in vowel like þat and þā. Apparently the assumption of þās as pl. of þat began in the north, and slowly spread to the south in the form þōs: see those. But from the 12th c. there was evidently a tendency in the midl. dialects to differentiate the plural of this by adding -e, as in the plural of adjs. (al, alle, sum, sume, his, hise, etc.), so that from c 1200 to 1500 a frequent midland form was þis-e (2 syllables in Ormin, etc.); in e. midl. also þese appears c 1200. Even the s.w. þüs varied with þüse. Of all these varieties, these was the survivor. Also, of thō and thōs, the two plurals of that, the former was finally dropped in the course of the 16th c.; so that there now remain in standard English only the two forms these and those (thoos, thōs)—both in their origin plurals of this; the original plural of that being lost in standard English, though in Scotland and the northern counties of England it survives dialectally as thae, theä, theeä: see thae. In the same district these has been superseded by thir (thur, thor). (The original pl. þās, þōs is treated under those, to which it belongs in form, though in meaning it belongs here.)]
A. Illustration of Forms.
(α) 1–3 ðás, þás, þōs: see those.
(β) 1 ðǽs, 1–3 þǽs, 2–5 þēs, 3 ðēs, 3–4 þeos, (teos, þeors), 5 þies, thees, 5–6 thes, thies, 6 thyes, thez, theis. Early inflexions: dat. 1 ðisum; ðiosum, ðissum, ðassum, 2 þison, -an, 2–3 þissen, þisse, 2–4 þisen, 3 þesse. gen. 1 ðissa; ðeossa, ðassa, þisra, 2–3 þisse, þissere.
| c 888 K. ælfred Boeth. xxxii. §2 Hwelc þæs flæslican good sien. 971 Blickl. Hom. 5 Þeos haliᵹe fæmne..brohte eallum ᵹeleaffullum þæs bletsunga. c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 11 Moyses þe hehte heom feste þes daȝes uppon þe munte of synai. c 1200 Trin. Coll. Hom. 19 Nu ich eu habbe opened þes fif word... Hereð nu þes oðre. c 1205 Lay. 1038 Þæs [c 1275 þeos] tiðende him weren læðe. Ibid. 4621 We..nuten næuere þæs gume [c 1275 þis gomes]. c 1230 Hali Meid. 5 Þeos þohtes warp ut of þin heorte. c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 1643 Iacob ðes hirdes freinen gan. a 1375 Lay Folks Mass Bk. App. iv. 175 Þeos Auctours alle. c 1380 Wyclif Serm. Sel. Wks. II. 113 Studie þes wordis. c 1400 Destr. Troy 1454 All thies maters. 1490 Caxton Eneydos xvi. 65 By what wayes he maye notyfye thees thynges to Dydo. c 1500 New Not-br. Mayd 235 Ayenst thyes thre. 1529 Cdl. Wolsey in Four C. Eng. Lett. (1880) 10 Thes thyngs consyderyd. 1556 Chron. Gr. Friars (Camden) 74 Theis iiij. knyghttes. a 1596 Sir T. More ii. ii. 26 Fier the howses Of theis audatious strangers. |
| dat. c 825 Vesp. Psalter xvii[i]. 18 From ðissum ða fiodon me. c 893 K. ælfred Orosius ii. ii. §2 He þa Romulus æfter þiosan underfeng Cirinensa ᵹewinn. c 897 ― Gregory's Past. C. xviii. 138 Betweox ðissum. Ibid. xxi. 162 Be ðiosum ᵹit is swiðe ryhtlice ᵹecweden. c 1000 Ags. Gosp. Matt. iii. 9 Of þysum stanum. Ibid. xxvii. 21 Hwæþerne..of þisum twam? [c 1160 Hatt. G. ibid. of þisen stanen..Of þisan twam?]. c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 11 On þisse gastliche daȝen. Ibid. 37 Summe of þisse þinge. c 1200 Trin. Coll. Hom. 217 On þesse fewe litele wored... Ac ich ne mai ne ich ne can þesse [pr. þosse] on openi. c 1205 Lay. 26356 No aȝæf þissen [c 1275 to þeos] eorlen. 1340 Ayenb. 218 Of þisen we habbeþ ane uorbisne ine þe godspelle. |
| gen. c 897 K. ælfred Gregory's Past. C. xiv. 82 Mid nanum ðissa. c 950 Lindisf. Gosp. Matt. xxi. 3 Hlaferd ðisra nytt hæfeð. c 1000 ælfric Lives of Saints xxiii. 137 Menn..þisra seofona ᵹeorne heddon. c 1000 Ags. Gosp. Matt. xiii. 22 Leasung þissa woruld-welena. c 1160 Hatton Gosp. ibid., Leasunge þissere worlde welen. c 1205 Lay. 14829 Ich æm þissere leodene king. |
(γ) 2–5 þis, 5–7 this, (5–6 thys).
| c 1200 Trin. Coll. Hom. 211 On þis fuwer laȝes. 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 320 Þes men of þis wilde bestes slowe & caȝte inowe. 1477 Earl Rivers (Caxton) Dictes 30 Thou hast ben in all this dangers. 1534 in Lett. Suppress. Monasteries (Camden) 11 Yn thys thynges I desyryd you to do that you thowht metyst. 1622 S. Ward Christ All in All (1627) 13 This Eagles feathers will not abide blending with others. |
(δ) 3–5 þus (ü), þuse, thus(e.
| 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 11950 Þus sixe iwis. a 1300 Fragm. Pop. Sc. (Wright, 1841) 135/124 Of thuse four elementz ech quik best y-maked is. c 1300 Beket 890 Thuse kniȝtes ich lovie more. c 1380 Sir Ferumb. 1012 Þus þay prikede, þuse two baroun hure frendes to rescowe. c 1420 Chron. Vilod. 41 And hade þuse foure in his gouernynge. Ibid. 1359 And dred þus laudable wordus. |
(ε) 2–5 þise, 4–5 thise, 5 thyse.
| c 1200 Ormin 4573 Whas itt iss þatt follȝheþþ wel & filleþþ þise mahhtess. c 1220 Bestiary 514 Ðis cete ðanne..ðise fisses alle in sukeð. c 1386 Chaucer Wife's Prol. 560 Thise wermes, ne thise Motthes, ne thise mytes. c 1450 Merlin i. 23 Whan alle thise thynges were don. 1494 Fabyan Chron. vii. 359 The best men of y⊇ cytie by thyse ryotous persones were spoyled & robbid. |
(ζ) 3 ðese, 4–5 þese, 4– these, (4 þeose, þiese, 5 þeese, 6 theese, theise).
| c 1200 Trin. Coll. Hom. 13 Ðese six werkes..ben cleped lihtes scrud. c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 3697 Forð was gon al ðese oðer ȝer. 13.. Cursor M. 16767+65 (Cott.) These ilk wordez said he. c 1425 Ibid. 4597 (Trin.) Þeese oþere seuen woful neet. c 1550 Disc. Common Weal Eng. (1893) 139 In consideration of theese thinges. Ibid., At theise days. |
B. Signification.
The plural of this pron. and adj. I. Demonstrative pronoun.
1. Denoting things or persons actually or ideally present or near; esp. those that have just been mentioned. a. things: plural of this B. I. 1 a.
| c 893 [see A. β]. c 1205 Lay. 26044 ær þe king hæfde þæs ful isæide. 1303 R. Brunne Handl. Synne 11112 Þese are þo yche twey verse Þat to holynes are reuers. 1340 Ayenb. 97 Þise byeþ þe seve ruieles of holy lyf þet þe soþe salomon tekþ to his children. a 1425 Cursor M. 10115 (Trin.) Lecchory and gloteny, Þourȝe þese am I doun dryuen. 1474 Coventry Leet Bk. 397 If he do the contrary to any of thies his fyne is at euery tyme xl d. 1581 Campion in Allen Martyrd. (1908) 2 These are the wordes of S. Paule. 1624 Wotton Archit. in Reliq. (1651) 211 Such conceipts as these seem somewhat too fine among this Rubbage. 1790 Burke Fr. Rev. 56 For want of these, they have seen the medicine of the state corrupted into its poison. 1862 Ruskin Unto this Last iv. §78 (1901) 158 His [man's] race has its bounds also; but these have not yet been reached. |
b. persons.
Still used without the restriction to which the singular this is now subject: see this B. I. 1 b.
| c 825 [see A. β]. 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 547 Þes were as þre kinges. c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. Wace (Rolls) 13395 Bifore Arthur schuld þeos alle wende. 1382 Wyclif Rev. vii. 13, 14 Who ben thes..and of whennus camen thei?.. Thes ben thei, that camen fro greet tribulacioun. c 1400 Destr. Troy 14022 (heading) Thez Paris slogh in the ffeld. c 1440 Gesta Rom. lxiii. 274 (Harl. MS.) Þees ben þei, that sleith hire soulis. 1526 Tindale John xxi. 15 Lovest thou me more then these? 1610 Shakes. Temp. ii. ii. 91 These are diuels; O defend me. a 1715 Burnet Own Time (1823) I. 342 One of these being taken, and apprehending he was in danger. 1869 Tennyson Coming of Arthur 52 He..rode a simple knight among his knights, And many of these in richer arms than he. |
c. Referring to things mentioned or enumerated immediately after: pl. of this B. I. 1 d; cf. II. 1 b.
| a 1225 Ancr. R. 36 Þe vreisuns beoð þeos. ‘Deus qui sanctam crucem’ [etc.]. c 1380 Lay Folks Catech. 349 These ben also þy fyue Inwyttys, Wyl, Resoun, Mynd, ymaginacioun, and thogth. c 1400 tr. Secreta Secret., Gov. Lordsh. 68 Þes er þe tokenys of a good stomak—lightnes of body, clernes of vnderstondynge, stiryng appetyt. 1526 Tindale Gal. v. 19 The dedes of the flesshe are manyfest, whiche are these, advoutrie, fornicacion [etc.]. 1678 Bunyan Pilgr. i. 190 Such sayings as these: All our righteousnesses are as filthy rags [etc.]. 1847 Tennyson Princess ii. 55 Then an officer Rose up, and read the statutes, such as these: Not for three years to correspond with home [etc.]. |
2. In opposition to † tho, those (of things or persons); sometimes spec. = ‘the latter’: plural of this B. I. 3, 3 b. Also † these..they = some..others (quot. c 1450).
| c 893 K. ælfred Oros. i. xi, ᵹeþence þonne þara tida and nu þissa. c 1450 in Aungier Syon (1840) 266 Other sustres..nowe these, now thei, owe of pyte..to visitte suche prysoners. 1611 Bible Ezek. i. 21 When the liuing creatures were lift vp from the earth, the wheels were lift up... When those went, these went, and when those stood, these stood. 1674 tr. Scheffer's Lapland 15 The Russians are generally tall, the Laplanders..very short; those are fat and corpulent, these lean and slender. 1734 Pope Ess. Man iv. 22 Some place the bliss in action, some in ease, Those call it Pleasure, and Contentment these. 1902 Westm. Gaz. 20 Feb. 2/1, I left the skaters flitting to and fro, these with their hockey sticks, those with their sledges. |
II. Demonstrative adjective.
1. Indicating things or persons present or near (actually, or in thought, esp. as having just been mentioned): plural of this B. II. 1.
| c 888, etc. [see A. β]. c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 107 Hu þes halie mihten ouercumað þa sunnan. c 1205 Lay. 29786 Þæs [c 1275 þeos] tiðende come to Austine sone. c 1290 Beket 308 in S. Eng. Leg. I. 115 Þis wise men þat weren is Messagers. 1340 Ayenb. 7 Þise þri hestes diȝteþ ous to gode specialliche. 1390 Gower Conf. I. 34 Yet these clerkes alday preche And sein, good dede may non be. 1411 Rolls of Parlt. III. 650/2, I..dyd assemble thise persones that here been. c 1440 Alphabet of Tales 42 Nowder of þies two did itt; I did it my selfe. 1526 Tindale Matt. xx. 21 These my two sonnes. 1557 North Gueuara's Diall Pr. 50 This daungerous and perillous warres. 1653 Walton Angler ii. 69 I'l give you another dish of fish one of these dayes. 1869 Lowell Yussouf ii, His who buildeth over these Our tents His glorious roof of night and day. 1872 Tennyson Gareth & Lynette 798 Well that ye came, or else these caitiff rogues Had wreak'd themselves on me. |
b. Referring to something immediately following: plural of this B. II. 1 b.
| a 1225 Ancr. R. 16 Efter þis ualleð acneon..mid teos vif gretunges. ‘Adoramus te Christe [etc.]’. c 1275 Lay. 688 And þeos [c 1205 þas] word seide: Brutus þe sele, Niþinc þou art dead. 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. Prol. 184 A mous..to þe route of ratones reherced þese wordes: ‘Thouȝ we culled þe catte [etc.]’. c 1420 Chron. Vilod. 2454 And þuse wordus to hym dude say. 1589 Puttenham Eng. Poesie iii. iv. (Arb.) 159 Also ye finde these words, penetrate, penetrable, indignitie. 1678 Bunyan Pilgr. i. 80 Then was he glad, and that for these reasons: First [etc.]. 1737 Gentl. Mag. VII. 182/2 Under the Inscription are these Words, in Greek Letters, Kairos ‘o Pandamatôr. |
c. Referring to things or persons familiarly known, esp. to the whole class of such things or persons: plural of this B. II. 1 d.
| c 1325 Poem Times Edw. II 49 in Pol. Songs (Camden) 326 Thise ersedeknes that ben set to visite holi churche. c 1386 Chaucer Frankl. Prol. 1 Thise olde gentil Britons. 1591 Shakes. 1 Hen. VI, i. ii. 123 These women are shrewd tempters with their tongues. 1602 ― Ham. ii. ii. 223 These tedious old fooles. a 1704 T. Brown Misc., Match for Devil Wks. 1711 IV. 149 These Husbands are such very Drones. 1766 Goldsm. Vic. W. iv, These rufflings, and pinkings, and patchings, will only make us hated. 1820 Byron Mar. Fal. iv. ii. 17 These city slaves have all their private bias. Mod. Do you approve of these old age pensions? Who are these Manchu's in China? |
d. Used instead of this with a sing. noun of multitude (formerly with company, number; now only with collectives in pl. sense, as vermin); or esp. with kind, sort († form, † manner) followed by of with pl. n. (cf. kind n. 14 b, those II. 2 c).
| a 1533 Ld. Berners Gold. Bk. M. Aurel. Let. xii. (1535) Oo ij b, As I say of these smalle nombre, I myght say of many other. 1583 Stubbes Anat. Abus. i. (1879) 147 Then, marche these heathen company towards the Church. a 1643 J. Shute Judgem. & Mercy (1645) 108 All the land was covered with these vermin. 1796 Southey Lett. fr. Spain (1799) 328 A faithful picture of these vermin. |
e. With a numeral (definite or indefinite) in expressions of time referring to a period immediately past or immediately future.
| c 1386 Chaucer Merch. Prol. 22, I haue ywedded bee Thise Monthes two. 1552 R. Ascham in Lett. Lit. Men (Camden) 11 Any thing that hapt vnto me, thies many years. 1600 Shakes. A.Y.L. iv. i. 180 For these two houres Rosalinde, I wil leaue thee. 1641 R. Baillie Lett. & Jrnls. (1841) I. 313 These three or four years bygone. 1655 Nicholas Papers (Camden) II. 209 Att the French Court they expect not the conclusion these 4 monthes. 1738 Swift Pol. Conversat. 44 Where has the Wench been these Three Hours? 1764 Foote Patron iii. Wks. 1799 I. 357, I warrant he won't shew his head for these six months. 1782 Cowper Gilpin ii, Though wedded we have been These twice ten tedious years. 1852 Thackeray Esmond ii. x, Dan Chaucer's, who's dead these ever so many hundred years. 1865 Whewell in Life (1881) 549 As I have done any time these twenty years and more. |
f. these days advb. phr., nowadays, at present.
| 1936 R. Lehmann Weather in Streets i. v. 97 An estate like this must be a terrible problem these days. 1948 M. Dickens Joy & Josephine i. iv. 132 ‘Play golf?’ Mr. Gray asked George, who answered: ‘Not these days,’ as if he ever had. 1960 S. Barstow Kind of Loving ii. iii. 181 He looks as though he's walked out of an American picture. It's all Yankeeland these days. 1981 Woman 5 Dec. 5/1 These days women are educated to expect some choice in how they spend their lives. |
2. In opposition to those: pl. of this B. II. 2.
| 1641 Hinde J. Bruen xxxiii. 104 O how great is the difference betwixt those holy exercises of Religion..and these prophane exercises of corruption and lust! 1660 Barrow Euclid v. xv, The number of these parts is equal to the number of those. 1810 Crabbe Borough iv. 54 And these fair acres, rented and enjoy'd, May those excel by Solway-moss destroy'd. Mod. Do you think these scissors sharper than those you had yesterday? |
III. Comb. these-like a., like these, such as these: cf. this-like s.v. this B. III.
| 1644 Milton Areop. (Arb.) 57 Every acute reader upon the first sight of a pedantick licence, will be ready with these like words to ding the book a coits distance from him, I hate a pupil teacher [etc.]. 1819 Keats Hyperion i. 50 Some mourning words, which in our feeble tongue Would come in these like accents. |