tharf
English
Etymology
From Middle English therf, from Old English þeorf (“unleavened, fresh, skim”), from Proto-West Germanic *þerb, from Proto-Germanic *þerbaz (“unleavened, simple”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)terbh-, *(s)trebh- (“rigid, stiff, tight”).
Cognate with German derb (“rough, coarse, rude”), Old Frisian therve, Middle Dutch derf, Middle High German derp, Icelandic þjarfur (“unleavened”).
Pronunciation
- (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈθɑː(ɹ)f/
- Rhymes: -ɑː(ɹ)f
Adjective
tharf (comparative more tharf, superlative most tharf)
- (obsolete, regional Britain) Stiff, unsocial, rough in manner.
- a tharf person
Derived terms
- tharf-cake
- tharcake
- tharfish
References
- The Dictionary of the Scots Language
Middle English
Etymology 1
From Old English þearf, first and third person singular indicative of þurfan (“to be in need, have need of, need to, be required to, be obliged to, owe”), from Proto-Germanic *þurfaną, *þurbaną, *þerbaną (“may, need to, be allowed to”), from Proto-Indo-European *terp-, *trep- (“to saturate, enjoy”).
Cognate with Dutch durf (“(I) dare”) (infinitive durven), German darf (“(I) am allowed to”) (infinitive dürfen), Swedish tarva (“to require”), Icelandic þarf (“(I) need”) (infinitive þurfa).
Alternative forms
- darf, þarf
Verb
tharf
- first/third-person singular present indicative of tharen
Descendants
- English: thair
- Scots: thair
Adjective
tharf
- Alternative form of therf
Old Saxon
Etymology
From Proto-West Germanic *þarbu.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /θɑrf/
- (late Old Saxon) IPA(key): [ðɑrf]
Noun
tharf f (genitive tharvo)
- need, lack, necessity
Declension
| singular | plural | |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | tharf | tharva |
| accusative | tharf | tharva |
| genitive | tharvō | tharvanō |
| dative | tharvu | tharvum |
| instrumental | — | — |
Related terms
- tharfag
Descendants
- Middle Low German: *darf
- ⇒ Middle Low German: bedarf