thew
An attractive physical attributeAn attractive physical attribute; also, physical, mental, or moral strength or vigour.
» He thew eggs at the mayor.
Meaning
4 senses(also, archaic, figuratively, in the plural)An attractive physical attribute; also, physical, mental, or moral strength or vigour.
(also, archaic, figuratively, in the plural)An aspect of the body which indicates physical strength; hence, muscle and/or sinew; muscular development.
(in the plural, obsolete)A way of behaving; hence, a characteristic, a trait.
(in the plural, obsolete, specifically)A good characteristic or habit; a virtue.
Examples
2 sentencesHe thew eggs at the mayor.
Tom thew a penny into the fountain.
Translations
1 languagesOrigin
From Middle English theu, thew (“way of behaving towards others, bearing, manners; habit,From Middle English theu, thew (“way of behaving towards others, bearing, manners; habit, practice; good manners, courtesy; characteristic act; characteristic, trait; custom, tradition; established rule, ordinance; injunction; moral character; (in the plural) set of moral principles, morals; moral quality, virtue or vice; might, power, strength”) [and other forms] (often in the plural form theus, thewes), from Old English þēaw (“general practice of a community, custom, usage; mode of conduct, behaviour, manner; (in the plural) customs, virtue”) [and other forms], from Proto-West Germanic *þauw, from Proto-Germanic *þawwaz (“custom; habit”); further etymology uncertain, tentatively identified by the Etymologisches Wörterbuch des Althochdeutschen (Etymological Dictionary of Old High German) as a reflex of an s-less variant of Proto-Indo-European *(s)tāu-, *(s)te- (“to stand; to place”), from *steh₂- (“to stand (up)”).
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