Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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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.

(Thredebare,) Thred bar, Threidbair, adj. Also: thredbaire, threedbare. [ME and e.m.E. þred-bare (Piers Plowman), thredbare (Chaucer), threde-bare (Hoccleve), thread-bare (1672); Thred(e n. and Bare adj.]

1. Of a garment: Having the nap or pile worn off so that the warp and weft threads are exposed, threadbare; worn, shabby. Also fig. c1475 Wall. vi 449.
Thow put off syne … thi ald hud, becaus it is thred bar a1500 K. Hart 503.
His courtlie cloke begouth to fayd of hew Thriftles, threidbair and reddy for to spill a1508 Kennedy Flyt. 30.
Thrys scheild trumpir with ane threid bair goun a1568 Bann. MS 64b/24.
With welwet bordour abowt his threidbair coit a1568 Wedderburn in Bann. MS 260b/60.
Hir subtill wylis gart me spend all my gud Quhill that my clayis grew threidbair on my back 1644 Rutherford Serm. preached to the House of Commons 31 Jan. 1644 48.
As a sute of clothes … shall bee laid by, as an old threed-bare cloak 1687 New Mills Manuf. 157.
Pices of mixed cloath … quhich are threed bare and soe not vendablefig. ?c1675 J. Gordon Hist. III 223.
He was hearde saye that the Lords Prayer was a threed bare prayer

2. Of a person: Having a threadbare appearance; shabby.Chiefly, forming an alliterative pair with thriftles (cf. the K. Hart quot. in 1 above). c1500 Rowll Cursing 38 (B).
Now cursit and wareit be thair werd … Graceles thriftles and threid bair All tymes in thair legasie c1568 Lauder Minor P. i 558.
Ȝe ar nedye, thriftles, and threid-bair a1570-86 Maitl. F. 241/18.
Now mon I to the court fayr Thriftles and threid bair a1585 Polwart Flyt. 53 (H).
First faire, thred baire, withe fundred feite, … In pilgrimag to Allareitt

b. fig. Pitiable, sorry. 15.. Dunb. App. iii 19.
Sum strykis down a threid bair cheik For luve, war bettir lat it be