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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. X).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Thrang, Throng(e, n. Also: thraing, thrayng. [ME and e.m.E. thrang (Cursor M.), þrong (Manning), OE ᵹeþrang, ON þrong.]

1. Affliction, distress; difficulties, straits; peril.(a) 1375 Barb. vii 253.
His fayis now haldis him in thrang 1375 Barb. x 117 (C).
And in schort tyme he has thame set In sic thrang, that [etc.] 1375 Barb. xi 231.
Men … wsit in fechting, Thai sall the les haiff abaysyng Giff thaim betid in thrang to be a1400 Leg. S. xxviii 675.
Margaret That in sic thrang wil nocht forȝet Thame that of thé makis memore here ?1438 Alex. ii 4811.
That all my freindis … mycht thole pane and thrang In hard battale 1460 Hay Alex. 3627.
Bot and thow wist thai folk war in sic thrang, Suld nevir ioy nor blyithnes licht thai hart c1475 Wall. v 931.
On Sotheron men full gret slauchter thai maid, Thaim to reskew that was in fellone thrang 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 1625. 1560 Rolland Seven S. 2772.
Howbeit that I thus leif in threip and thrang a1568 Bann. MS 224a/41.
Hairt, now suld thow brest, And nocht daly in thrang me thus to threst 1596 Dalr. II 43/15.
Now in sik thrang, that sche nathing culde find radie at hand, to halde the dur fast(b) a1595 Cullen Chron. Aberd. 61.
Yet I did saife him frome that thrayng

2. The action, or an instance, of thronging, milling around, jostling (of persons in close promixity and/or in a confined space); a press, mêlée, crowd, concourse (of people).Freq. with reference to, or passing into, battle.In the Hume quot. in (a), the status of thrang is unclear, and it may in fact be the adjective used predicatively.(a) 1375 Barb. ii 360.
Men mycht haiff seyn in-to that thrang Knychtis … Wndyr hors feyt defoulyt 1375 Barb. xiii 156.
Sa gret dyn thar wes of dyntis … And sic thrang and sic thrysting 1375 Barb. xvii 156.
Quhar he saw the thikkest thrang He pressyt with sa mekill mycht ?1438 Alex. ii 259.
Him semis sture and stith to feill. He burde be douchty in ane thrang ?1438 Alex. ii 1193.
Amang thy fais I saw the sted, In sic ane thrang amang thame set c1420 Wynt. v 443.
Sa in the thrang off that battaylle He bare hym as a Brettane hale c1450-2 Howlat 489 (A).
And quhen the batallis so brym, brathly and bricht, War joyned thraly in thrang c1475 Wall. iii 93.
In to his weid, and he come in a thrang, Was na man than on fute mycht with him gang 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 1078.
My Nimphe alwayis conuoyit me of thrang c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 488 (M).
Mony blenkis ben our, that but full far sittis, That may nocht, for the thik thrang, thryf as thai wald c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 130/52.
Schulderaris and schovaris that hes no schame … And can non uthir craft nor curis Bot to mak thrang, Schir, in ȝour duris 1540 Lynd. Sat. 184 (B).
The feind a faster I micht gang: I micht not thrist owtthrow the thrang Of wyvis fyftene fuder 1557 Edinb. B. Rec. III 7.
The said Dauidis halbertt wes brokin in the thrang at the banket 1587-99 Hume 75/229.
That councill house it is maist like ane hell, Where there is thrang ay and awfull cryes 1600-1610 Melvill 34.
Mr. Robert, troublet with the thrang of the peiple, sayes to his man, … ‘What haif I ado heir?’ a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 1196.
Nane may thryfe heir for thrang(b) c1600 Crim. Trials I i 135.
The revainger … gawe him sax woundis … and incontinent lap in amangis the rest of the throng 1609 Crim. Trials III 62.
He vnderstude the said Guthrie to have ressaued na woundis, bot to have been smored in the throng 1651 Lamont Diary 32.
Hither did resort many strangers, so that the thronge was great 1690 Cullen Kirk S. 7 Sept.
Afternoon no sermon by reason of a throng of souldierspl. 1699 Cramond Ch. Aberdour 40.
John West, elder, and John Birnie [are to stand] at each end of the [communion] table one to keep off throngs and to conduct the people in and out

b. Crowded condition; overcrowding. 1564 Edinb. B. Rec. III 189.
Vpoun consideratioun of the thraing of mercattis abone the ovir tolbuth, and that the passege vpoun all mercat dayis is sa stoppit be confluence of peple that nane may pas by ane vther 1640 Lothian and Tweeddale Synod 105.
The thirdth, the throng of their kirks which they promised to cause amend

3. Pressure, pressing nature (of business, etc.), or an instance of this.(1) 1678 Edinb. B. Rec. X 359.
Scandales might escape all notice … through the throng of there affairs 1689 Leven & Melv. P. 3.
The throng of bussiness 1693 Rothesay Par. Rec. 95.
[He] could not appear for the throng of his labour at the dyets to which he was cited 1689 Representation to Parliament of Some Grievances in the Colledge of Justice 12.
Some … grievances, whereof the grandure and throng of a Parliament can only be expected to judge(2) 1683 Cloud of Witnesses (1714) 195.
Falling more and more engaged in worldly affairs … so that some throngs in these, abated that life, which I had

b. The busiest, most pressing point or time. 1684 Erskine Diary 79.
The Council was still sitting … tho' it was the throng of harvest 1690 Leven & Melv. P. 490.
Becaus of the shortnes of tyme, and throng of harvest