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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.

Thraw(i)n, Throw(i)n, Thraw, adj. (adv.). Also: thrawine, thrawyn, thrauin, thrawen, thrawing, thrawne, thrain, thrayne, throwen, throvin, throuin, throwne, thronne, threw. [Late ME and e.m.E. throwen (1463-4), thrawen, thrawne (both Cath. Angl.), throwne (1535); Thraw(e v.]

A. adj. 1. Twisted, crooked, bent; coiled; gnarled; curving, rounded. Also in fig. context. Also comb.(a) 1513 Doug. ii i 70.
And in ionyngis of the thrawyn wame [L. curvam alvum] of tre festynnyt the lance 1513 Doug. v v 66 (Sm.).
[The adder] In lowpis thrawin 1635 Dickson Wr. 123.
If he [sc. Christ] have ado with a thrawn knotty piece of work, he drives a hard wedge(b) 1494 Deidis of Armorie 45.
His cluvis ar clovin as ane ox, and teith as a bair, and a thrain tail(c) c1590 Fowler I 51/103.
Thay can hawe no licence for to walk with tham that way, But for to tak the throwen streit, and evin of that denyde c1590 Fowler I 58/10.
The throwin wayes, the crwiked lanis(d) 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 437.
Thir megir bellis, Sum round, sum thraw, in sound the quhilks excellis … Quhilks with the wind concordandlie sa knellis a1578 Pitsc. II 86/13.
Tuo great cannonis, thraw mow [Pitsc. I 331/3, thrawinmouth] and hir marrow(e) 1513 Doug. ii iv 30.
Bot thai [sc. the serpents] about hym lowpit in wympillis threw [: reskew]

b. Fashioned out of strands twisted together; ? bearing a twisting or interlacing pattern. Also comb.(1) 1574 Cal. Sc. P. V 34.
[Although hemp and tow were scant, yet to that execution there was no lack of] thrawin wideis 1583 Edinb. Test. XII 339b.
Foure thrawne craip stringis 1584 Edinb. Test. XIV 161.
vj vnce of thrawin threid 1597 Edinb. Test. XXX 161.
Sevin round thrawin stringis … twa thrawin blak stringis 1625 Brechin Test. IV 183b.
Tua vnce thraw threid 1610 Edinb. Test. XLV1 159b.
Ane pund of thrawin threid 1620 Edinb. Test. L 282.
Thrawing(2) 1512 Treas. Acc. (14 Aug.) in Cochran-Patrick Coinage I 53.
[Silver vessels] vnius le thrawin coupe cum coopertorio eiusdem 1534 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 144.
Ane throvin ryng of silver 1540 Acta Conc. MS XIII 83.
Ane thrawn ring of gold weyand ane quarter of ane vnce 1685 Soc. Ant. LVIII 354.
A dozen of silver spoons with thrawen chefts(3) comb. 1578 Edinb. Test. VI 361.
Twa pund wecht of thrawne hedit threid 1619 Edinb. Test. L 217.
Aucht siluver sponis thrawin heidit

2. fig. a. That is twisted out of true; distorted, perverted. b. comb. Thronne-mouthed, that requires awkward or distorted mouth movements.a. 1531 Vaus in Innes Sketches 272 n.
For les offendis the eir … facile fluand congruite thane thrawine effekkit eloquens apperand ouyr crafty a1561 Q. Kennedy Breif Tract. (ed.) 126/10.
The scriptures allegit be tham to fortifye thair thravin interpretacione seruis of nocht to thair vickit intent 1581 Hamilton Cath. Tr. 46b.
To gif credit to ane inuentit and thrauin exposition [of scripture]b. 1660 Laing MSS 313.
Becaus the Ireish is so thronne mouthed a language that I could not mouth band it

3. Contrary, obstinate, perverse; crabbed, ill-natured, peevish. Also in fig. context.(a) a1500 Rauf C. 129.
Sa mot I thriue, I am thrawin, Begin we to threip a1500 Henr. Fab. 2830 (H).
Ane thrawin [Bann. frawart, Bass. thrawart] will, ane thrawin phisnomy c1475 Wall. x 593.
Thar salusyng was bot boustous and thrawin 1581-1623 James VI Poems I 35/320.
The curr That barks at strangers … sparing alwaies those are to him knowin, To them most gentle, to the others throwin 1581-1623 James VI Poems I 175/576.
Into the hoarie headdis & throuin Of men quho uorne & brokkin uith a laboure too ingrait [etc.] 1581-1623 James VI Poems II 55/15.
The wicked generatioun and the throwen Defyles thame selffis with vices of thair owen 1635 Dickson Wr. 27.
Here a notable vantage whilk thrawn crops have, when they are dung with judgments, albeit they stood long out pingling with God 1684 Wodrow Hist. IV (1830) 174.
Stonehouse said, he would not quit his old illnatured thrawn principles for all that is come to him 16… Pleugh-Song in Wode's Psalter (ed.) 240.
He was never half so throwne(b) 1563–4 Inverness Rec. I 110.
In conspirit maner and thrayne … the forsaidis personis vald nocht gif weche

4. Of the face, facial expression, looks, etc.: Twisted with anger, vexation, peevishness, etc.; surly. Also comb. a1500 Henr. Fab. 238.
Ane modicum is mair for till allow, Swa that gude will be keruer at the dais, Than thrawin vult and mony spycit mais 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 1711.
I saw Raf Coilȝear with his thrawin brow 1513 Doug. iii ix 89 (Sm.).
His mekle e, That lurkit allane vnder his thrawn front 1513 Doug. iii x 41.
A huge pepill … Of Ciclopes … with thar lukis thrawyn 1513 Doug. ix xiii 37.
[A lion] full fers, with thrawin wlt 1533 Boece 212b.
The Argathelis … persaving Scottis at the flicht, with thrawin luke … and terribill schowtis ruschit apon Romanys 1561 Digest Justiciary Proc. D 16.
Mr. Williame in dispytfull maner and with thrawin countinance haueing na thing to do at that tyme in the said kirk bot to trubill the said examinacioune a1585 Polwart Flyt. 817 (T).
Jok blunt, thrawin frunt 1581-1623 James VI Poems I 137/209.
Ye ministers of Pluto uith the throuin & stormie brou 1600-1610 Melvill 133.
With thrawin brow, and bosting langage 1638 Adamson Muses Thr. I 30.
Thrown 1688 Wodrow Hist. IV (1830) 458.
‘Why do you look with so thrawn a countenance?’ The other replied, ‘My countenance is not thrawn, I look as I ordinarily use to do.’ The bishop said, ‘If your countenance be ordinarily so, it is a very thrawn countenance’comb. a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 1571.
The bairne gotten aganst the fathers will is ay thrawin faced

B. adv. 1. With a twisting motion; sinuously. 1513 Doug. vii vi 19.
Thys eddir … Went thrawin [L. volvitur] so that nane felt quhar scho glidis

2. In an ill-tempered or peevish manner. c1450-2 Howlat 918 (A).
Thus wycit he the walentyne thraly & thrawin