GNU Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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Found 2 definitions

  1.       
    
    Thine , pron. & a. [OE. thin, AS. ðīn, originally gen. of ðu, ðū, thou; akin to G. dein thine, Icel. þinn, possessive pron., þīn, gen. of þū thou, Goth. þeins, possessive pron., þeina, gen. of þu thou. See Thou, and cf. Thy.] A form of the possessive case of the pronoun thou, now superseded in common discourse by your, the possessive of you, but maintaining a place in solemn discourse, in poetry, and in the usual language of the Friends, or Quakers.
    1913 Webster

    ☞ In the old style, thine was commonly shortened to thi (thy) when used attributively before words beginning with a consonant; now, thy is used also before vowels. Thine is often used absolutely, the thing possessed being understood.

    1913 Webster


    1913 Webster

  2.       
    
    thou , pron. [Sing.: nom. Thou; poss. Thy or Thine ; obj. Thee . Pl.: nom. You ; poss. Your or Yours ; obj. You.] [OE. thou, þu, AS. ðū, ðu; akin to OS. & OFries. thu, G., Dan. & Sw. du, Icel. þū, Goth. þu, Russ. tui, Ir. & Gael. tu, W. ti, L. tu, Gr. σύ, Dor. τύ, Skr. tvam. √185. Cf. Thee, Thine, Te Deum.] The second personal pronoun, in the singular number, denoting the person addressed; thyself; the pronoun which is used in addressing persons in the solemn or poetical style.
    1913 Webster

    Art thou he that should come?
    Matt. xi. 3.

    1913 Webster

    ☞ “In Old English, generally, thou is the language of a lord to a servant, of an equal to an equal, and expresses also companionship, love, permission, defiance, scorn, threatening: whilst ye is the language of a servant to a lord, and of compliment, and further expresses honor, submission, or entreaty.”

    Skeat.

    1913 Webster

    Thou is now sometimes used by the Friends, or Quakers, in familiar discourse, though most of them corruptly say thee instead of thou.

    1913 Webster

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