Thraste (thräst), v. t. [imp. Thraste; p. p. Thrast.] To thrust. [Obs.] Chaucer.
Thrave (thrv), n. [OE. þrave, þreve, Icel. þrefi; akin to Dan. trave; cf. Icel. þrfa to grasp.] 1. Twenty-four (in some places, twelve) sheaves of wheat; a shock, or stook. [Prov. Eng.]
2. The number of two dozen; also, an indefinite number; a bunch; a company; a throng. "The worst of a thrave." [Obs.] Landsdowne MS.
He sends forth thraves of ballads to the sale.
Thraw (thr), n. & v. See Throse. [Scot.] Burns.
Thread (thrd), n. [OE. threed, þred, AS. þrd; akin to D. draad, G. draht wire, thread, OHG. drt, Icel. þrðr a thread, Sw. tråd, Dan. traad, and AS. þrwan to twist. See Throw, and cf. Third.] 1. A very small twist of flax, wool, cotton, silk, or other fibrous substance, drawn out to considerable length; a compound cord consisting of two or more single yarns doubled, or joined together, and twisted.
2. A filament, as of a flower, or of any fibrous substance, as of bark; also, a line of gold or silver.
3. The prominent part of the spiral of a screw or nut; the rib. See Screw, n., 1.
4. Fig.: Something continued in a long course or tenor; a,s the thread of life, or of a discourse. Bp. Burnet.
5. Fig.: Composition; quality; fineness. [Obs.]
A neat courtier, Of a most elegant thread.
Air thread, the fine white filaments which are seen floating in the air in summer, the production of spiders; gossamer. — Thread and thrum, the good and bad together. [Obs.] Shak. — Thread cell (Zoöl.), a lasso cell. See under Lasso. — Thread herring (Zoöl.), the gizzard shad. See under Gizzard. — Thread lace, lace made of linen thread. — Thread needle, a game in which children stand in a row, joining hands, and in which the outer one, still holding his neighbor, runs between the others; — called also thread the needle.
Thread, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Threaded; p. pr. & vb. n. Threading.] 1. To pass a thread through the eye of; as, to thread a needle.
2. To pass or pierce through as a narrow way; also, to effect or make, as one's way, through or between obstacles; to thrid.
Heavy trading ships . . . threading the Bosphorus.
3. To form a thread, or spiral rib, on or in; as, to thread a screw or nut.
Thread"bare` (?), a. 1. Worn to the naked thread; having the nap worn off; threadbare clothes. "A threadbare cope." Chaucer.