treow - Wiktionary, the free dictionary


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From Proto-West Germanic *treu, from Proto-Germanic *trewą. Germanic cognates include Old Frisian trē, Old Saxon trio, Old Norse tré, Gothic 𐍄𐍂𐌹𐌿 (triu).

trēow n

  1. tree
    • "Gospel of Saint Luke", chapter 19, verse 4

      Þā arn hē beforan and stāh ūp on ān trēow. Sicomorum þ hē hine ġesāwe. forþām þe hē wolde þanon faran...

      Then he ran in front and climbed (lit. ascended) up on a tree. From sycamores that he saw him. For which he would go from there.
  2. wood
  3. (collective) trees, a forest
  4. a piece of wood: beam, log, stake, staff, cudgel
    • late 9th century, translation of Orosius’ History Against the Pagans

      ⁊ hæfdon ġeleornad mā cræfta hū hīe þā elpendas beswīcan mehton, mid þǣm þæt hīe nāmon trēowu, ⁊ slōgon on oþerne ende moniġe sċearpe īsene næġlas, ⁊ hīe mid flexe bewundon, ⁊ onbǣrndon hit, ⁊ beþyddan hit þonne on þone elpend hindan...

      And they had learned more tricks through which they could ensnare the elephants; they took stakes and drove into the other end many sharp iron nails, and wrapped them in flax, and set them on fire, and then thrust them into the elephant from behind...
  5. gallows; cross

Declension of trēow (strong a-stem)

Derived terms

From Proto-West Germanic *treuwu, from Proto-Germanic *trewwō.

Cognate with Middle Dutch trouwe (Dutch trouw), Old Saxon treuwa, Old High German triuwa (German Treue).

trēow f

  1. loyalty, faithfulness
  2. grace, favour, help
  3. an assurance of faith; word, promise, engagement, covenant, league

Declension of trēow (strong ō-stem)