▪ I. truce, n.
(truːs)
Forms: α. sing. 4 truwe, 4–5 trewe, 5 tru, 5–6 trew, 5–7 true. β. pl. 3 triwes, triws, 4 treus, treuwes, Sc. trowis, 4–6 trewes, trues, 5 trewys, triew(i)s, trieux, tryew(e)s, trowes, truwes, -ys, trwes, trwys, trux, 5–6 trews, treux, 5 (5–7 Sc.) trewis, 6 treuis, -ys; treuges. γ. 5 trewysse, truyse, 5–6 trewse, truxe, 5–7 truse, 6 trewice, -yce, treuce, trewce, trwce, trusse, 7 trousse, 5– truce.
[ME. trewe and triewe, mostly in pl. form trewes and triewes:—OE. tréow n. masc. (fem. pl. tréwa), ‘truth or fidelity to a promise, good faith, assurance of faith or truth, promise, engagement, covenant, league’, = OEFris. tr{iacu}uwe, OWFris. and MDu. trouwe (Du. trouw), OS. treuwa, tr{iacu}uwa, OHG. tr{iacu}uwa (MHG. triuwe, Ger. treue):—WGer. *trewwa, Goth. triggwa ‘covenant’ (whence late L. and Romanic tregua, treuga, F. trève); also, in ablaut form, OE. tr{uacu}wa n. masc. and pl. -an; = ON. tr{uacu}a, tr{uacu}, Norw. trū, Sw. trōa: see true a. Already in OE. the pl. tréwa was often used in the sense of the sing.; this became still more frequent with the ME. pl. trewes, triues, triwes, trues, and finally this, as trews, trewse, truse, truce, became the received sing. (app. in reference to the pledges or engagements given by both parties), with a new pl. truses, truces, when required. Cf. cherries, pease. See also trève from French, and the rare treuges after MLat. treugas.]
1. a. A suspension of hostilities for a specified period between armies at war (formerly also between combatants in a private feud or quarrel); a temporary peace or cessation from arms; an armistice; also, an agreement or treaty effecting this.
to † take, † cry, call (a) truce, to make, call for a truce. flag of truce: see flag n.1 1 b.
| α c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 193 If þou pes wille ȝerne,..& trewe for seuen ȝere, I consent þertille. Ibid. 275 For þre days trewe þe Inglis him hete. c 1374 Chaucer Troylus iv. 1284–6 (1312–4) It is now a truwe..And er þat truwe is don I shal ben here. c 1400 Destr. Troy 7874 Then takyn was the true. Ibid. 8372 For a trew to be takon of a tyme short. 1494 Fabyan Chron. vi. clxxxi. 179 To requyre a trewe or trewse for .iii. monethes. 1575 Churchyard Chippes (1817) 91 But ere the heate, of this great skirmishe grew, The Dowager, with trumpet tooke a trew. |
| β a 1225 Ancr. R. 286 He..brekeð þe triws, & awrekeð him of þe, oðer of him seoluen. 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 10005 He..triwes nom of saladin. c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. Wace (Rolls) 7843 Þorow trist of trues..Þey sette a day of Parlement. c 1375 Cursor M. 26768 (Fairf.) As trewes þat is tane. 1387 Trevisa Higden (Rolls) II. 413 Whan Hector was i-buried, were trewes i-take for a ȝere. Ibid. VIII. 337 Trewes [v.r. truwes] were i-take bytwene þe kynges. 1442 Rolls of Parlt. V. 44/2 Ayenst þe fourme of trieux..betwixt..England and Scotland had and concludyd. 1483 in Rymer Foedera (1711) XII. 174/1 By thies Presentis is made..assured Treux and Abstinence of Werre for oon hool Yere. 1483 Caxton Gold. Leg. 306 b/1 The Crysten men tooke triews for thre dayes. 1496 Act 12 Hen. VII, c. 13 §15 After the seid perfite peas be had and concluded, or such abstynence of Warre, Trux and Peax for a tyme be had and made. 1524 Carew MSS. (1867) I. 25 The patched and inhonorable treuges, which by inforcement of pure necessity be tolerated. 1596 Dalrymple tr. Leslie's Hist. Scot. i. (S.T.S.) I. 75 Trues ar bund, mariages ar maid with sum of the Inhabitouris. |
| γ 14.. in Wars Eng. in France (1864) II. 526 The tyme that the last truxe was take betwene Herre the VI...and his aduersarie of Fraunce. c 1440 Generydes 5882 To graunt them truse for ij monethis day. c 1440 Promp. Parv. 503/2 Truwys, or truce of pees. 1483 Cath. Angl. 393/1 Trewysse, inducie. 1494 Trewse [see α]. 1538 Cromwell in Merriman Life & Lett. (1902) II. 124 To offer therfor a longer treux. 1552 Huloet, Trewice, fœdus,..induciæ. 1560 J. Daus tr. Sleidane's Comm. 41 Y{supt} eyther a suer peace, or els a long treuce may be taken. 1613 Purchas Pilgrimage (1614) 634 They obserue three dayes in a week truce, when euery man may travell or barter safely. 1621 in Foster Eng. Factories Ind. (1906) 306 Truse taken betwene the Mogull and them. a 1780 Watson Philip III (1839) 145 To put a period to the miseries attendant upon war, by a peace or truce. 1875 Stubbs Const. Hist. II. xiv. 148 A truce which in the following November became a permanent peace. |
b. Loosely or vaguely: Cessation or absence of hostilities (without limitation of time); peace.
| 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. xviii. 416 Trewes, quod treuth..Clippe we in couenaunt, & vch of vs cusse other. 1456 Sir G. Haye Law Arms (S.T.S.) 164 Nocht brekand gude faith, and, namely, fra trewis be gevin our, and diffiaunce maid. 1535 Coverdale 1 Macc. vi. 49 The kynge toke truce with them that were in Bethsura. 1578 T. Norton Calvin's Inst. Table RRRR vj/1, I will put my couenaunt betwene me and thee: and betwene thy seede after thee..by an euerlasting truce. 1598 Sylvester Du Bartas ii. ii. i. Ark 377 Behold the peacefull Dove Brings in her beak the Peace⁓branch, boading weal And truce with God. |
† c. A document recording the terms of a truce.
Sc. Obs. rare.
| 1502 Acc. Ld. High Treas. Scot. II. 350 To illumyn the trewis and the conjunct infeftment. |
† d. Sc. Law. A suspension of judicial proceedings; a stay.
Obs.| 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. ii. 112 And therfore this time is called induciæ deliberatoriæ, because..the pley ceases, and stayes: and trewis are taken betwixt the parties. |
† e. day of truce, a court held by the Wardens of the Marches (of England and Scotland), or the day appointed for this, on which a truce was observed. Also called
truce-day (see 4).
| 1486–7 Plumpton Corr. (Camden) 56 Ye prepared yourselfe to have ridden with me to this day of trewe. 1564 Reg. Privy Council Scot. I. 282 Accustumat to serve and await upoun the wardane at all dayis of trew. 1863 S. S. Jones Northumberland 162 The days of Trews, or Warden Courts, had to be held frequently. |
f. truce of God, a suspension of hostilities between armies, or of private feuds, ordered by the Church during certain days and seasons in mediæval times. Hence
allusively.
| [a 867 in Mansi Concilia XV. 448 Pax vero illa quam treguam Dei dicimus, fideliter observetur.] 1727–41 Chambers Cycl., Truce of God, Treuga Dei, is a phrase famous in the histories of the xi{supt}{suph} century, when the disorders and licences of private wars..obliged the bishops of France to forbid such violences within certain times, under canonical pains. 1828 Scott F.M. Perth xxxiv, The Church of Rome..had decided that during the holy season of Easter..the sword of war should be sheathed, and angry monarchs should respect the season termed the Truce of God. 1870 Lowell Study Wind. i. 20 It was Sunday, and I gave him the benefit of its gracious truce of God. |
g. A temporary pause or respite during a game. Hence, used to demand such a truce (
cf. sense 2 b).
| 1870 [see fain v.2]. 1959 I. & P. Opie Lore & Lang. Schoolch. viii. 142 Children were sensitive to the difference between making a truce and surrendering. |
2. a. Figurative and allusive uses (from 1).
| 1560 J. Daus tr. Sleidane's Comm. 140 b, He would now take occasion to breake that treuce of Religion. 1590 Shakes. Com. Err. ii. ii. 147 Keepe then faire league and truce with thy true bed. 1606 ― Tr. & Cr. ii. ii. 75 The Seas and Windes (old Wranglers) tooke a Truce. 1647 N. Bacon Disc. Govt. Eng. i. lxiv. (1739) 137 The King foresaw the storm, and thought it safest first to cry truce with the people. a 1711 Ken Hymns Evang. Poet. Wks. 1721 I. 52 But jealous Fears no Truce with Tyrants make. 1849 Macaulay Hist. Eng. ii. I. 159 Between the bigoted followers of Laud and the bigoted followers of Calvin there could be neither peace nor truce. |
† b. king's truce: a cry for the discontinuance of a game.
Obs.| 1608 Day Hum. out of Br. iv. iii, Hort. What haue I catchd you? Pa. Kisse her and let her goe. Host. Kings truce till I breath a little. |
3. a. Hence, Respite or intermission (more loosely, freedom or liberty) from something irksome, painful, or oppressive.
| 1567 Drant Horace, Epistles To Rdr., To take truce with myne other studyes,..and to become a sillye translator rythmical. 1598 J. Dickenson Greene in Conc. (1878) 160 Till death gaue truce to hir distresses. 1667 Milton P.L. ii. 526 Where he may..find Truce to his restless thoughts. 1713 Swift Imit. Hor. i. vii. 130 Truce, good my lord, I beg a truce,..Your raillery is misapply'd. 1859–69 Heavysege Saul (ed. 3) 337 Let us dry these unavailing tears, And, with such truce to sorrow as we may, Wend each..his..several road. |
b. In interjectional phrase
(a) truce with, now usually
(a) truce to, enough of, have done with.
| 1700 Congreve Way of World ii. v, Truce with your Similitudes: For I am as sick of 'em ―. 1757 E. Griffith Lett. Henry and Frances (1767) II. 150 But a truce with the subject, for I am determined to never mention it more. 1786 tr. Beckford's Vathek (1868) 90, I am going on affairs of emergency, a truce therefore to parade! 1835 Lytton Rienzi ii. i, A truce to this light conversation. 1846 Browning Soul's Trag. i. 142 Truce with toying for this once! 1878 ― La Saisiaz 249 Truce to such old sad contention. |
4. attrib. and
Comb. a. attrib., as
truce-day (
† true-day = day of truce),
truce-flag,
truce-note,
truce-place (
true-place).
b. objective, as
truce-bearer,
truce-breaker,
truce-maker,
truce-taker;
truce-breaking,
truce-hating,
truce-making,
truce-taking ns. and
adjs.| 1853 Hickie tr. Aristoph. (1887) I. 11 This *truce-bearer would not so easily have escaped. |
| 1534 Tindale 2 Tim. iii. 3 Vnkinde, *truce-breakers, stubborn. 1625 K. Long tr. Barclay's Argenis i. xx. 61 The Herald..rehearses a long prayer, contayning many curses against Truce-breakers. 1949 Koestler Promise & Fulfilment ii. v. 265 The Egyptians having officially been branded as truce⁓breakers. |
| 1592 Timme Ten Eng. Lepers vii. I j, A wilful *trucebreaking and perjurie. 1719 Free-thinker No. 110 ¶1 An unjust, Truce-breaking Prince. |
| 1587 Fleming Contn. Holinshed III. 1413/2 Slaine..by a Scot.. as they met vpon a *true daie. 1610 Holland Camden's Brit. i. 403 In a tumult upon a True-day in the midle marches. |
| 1876 T. Hardy Ethelberta (1890) 376 A little tufted white feather..like a *truce-flag between the blood of noble and vassal. |
| 1591 Sylvester Du Bartas i. ii. 251 *Truce-hating Twins. |
| 1552 Huloet, *Trewice maker, symmachus. |
| 1523 Ld. Berners Froiss. I. clxii. 197 Without any peace or *trewse makynge. |
| 1810 Scott Lady of L. vi. xxi, Clarion and trumpet..Rung forth a *truce-note. 1674 Blount Glossogr., *True-place, i.e. a place of Parley and Conference in Northumberland, antiently so called. |
| 1483 Cath. Angl. 393/1 *Trews taker. |
| 1533 Acc. Ld. High Treas. Scot. VI. 138 For keping of gude reule during the *trewis taking. 1581 Marbeck Bk. of Notes 471 This tranquilitie of the sea..as a trewes taking in the Winter, called the Halcions daies. |
▪ II. truce, v. Now
rare.
(
truːs)
Also 6
truse.
[f. prec. n.] 1. intr. To make a truce.
| 1569 T. Stocker tr. Diod. Sic. iii. v. 109 Who after that victorie, trused with the Aretians. 1731 Fielding Mod. Husb. ii. xi, If you please, my lord, to truce with your proposals. 1893 E. L. Wakeman in Columbus (Ohio) Dispatch 25 May, The factions had attacked each other, retreated, parleyed, blarneyed, scorned, truced. |
2. trans. To bring to an end by or as by means of a truce; to put an end to.
| 1618 Middleton Peacemaker Wks. (Bullen) VIII. 326 Spain..betwixt whom and England the ocean ran with blood.., nor ever truced her crimson effusion. 1706 T. Baker Tunbr. Walks ii. i, We may truce the debate. |