GNU Collaborative International Dictionary of English

last match results

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 A form of the possessive case of the pronoun thou, now superseded in common discourse by your, the possessive of you, but maintaining a place in solemn discourse, in poetry, and in the usual language of the Friends, or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.
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   ☞ 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.
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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.
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   Art thou he that should come?
   Matt. xi. 3.
   
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   ☞ “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.
   
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   ☞ Thou is now sometimes used by the Friends, or Quakers, in familiar discourse, though most of them corruptly say thee instead of thou.
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