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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. X).
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Thrid, Thred, Third, adj. and n. Also: thride, thridd(e, thryd(e, threde, threid, thrit, thirdd, thyrd(e, therd, thered, trid, tryd, tird, tyrd. [ME and e.m.E. þerdde, þridde (both a1200), þride (Orm), thrid(e, thred, threid (all Cursor M.), þirde (Piers Plowman), tryd (1423), third (1446), thyrd (Caxton), OE þridda, þird(d)a, ON þriðe.]

A. adj. The ordinal number corresponding to the cardinal Thre n.

1. The third in a sequence, that comes after the second. Also, the third and last.The thred hewyne, the third of the seven heavens of Jewish religious belief.For further examples of letters in the thrid (etc.) forme, see Letter n. 7 f.(a) 1375 Barb. v 308.
The thrid day efter followand a1400 Leg. S. i 359.
And I sal ryse the thrid day 14.. Burgh Laws c. 77 (B).
Regrataris … sal nocht by ony thyng befor the thryd oure 14.. Acts I 22/2.
Gif a mute be raisyt betuene a burges and a marchand it sall be endyt wythin the thrid flud of the see a1500 Prestis of Peblis 94 (Asl.).
Quhy burges barnis thryffis nocht to the thrid aire Bot castis away it that thar eldaris wan 1531 Vaus (1531) 3.
Quhair by knaw ȝe thride declinatione of nowne? 1564 St. A. Kirk S. 201.
Tharin summond and monest Jhon Bycartoun for the thrid and last monicion to compeyr [etc.] 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. i 41.
And that land sall remaine in that friedome vntill his thrid heire 1638 Johnston Diary I 358.
He wald not suffer me … to estaiblisch ane house to myselth, quhilk … sould vanisch away befor ever it caime to the thrid aire 16… Macfarlane's Geog. Coll. II 47.
Belongs now to Henry Maull thrid brother to the present Lord Panmure(b) a1400 Leg. S. ii 948.
Paule … thocht that he was rewyst ewine, … to the thred hewyne & syne in paradis c1515 Asl. MS I 161/14.
The thred mouth & se is the Red Se 1561 Inverness Rec. I 66.
This last thred day of Nouember(c) 1515–16 Treas. Acc. V 72.
To Williame Finert to pas with twa lettres under the signet in the threid forme … xiiij s.(d) a1400 Leg. S. xxxvi 691.
Of Cristis byrth the thyrd day(e) 1431 Ayr & W. Coll. I 228.
The fyrst vnlaw xl d.; syn v s.; and the tyrd tym viij s. 1512 Wigtown B. Ct. 8a.
The tyrd day of Marcht(f) a1595 Cullen Chron. Aberd. 31.
Therd(g) c1520-c1535 Nisbet I ix.
Trid

b. With the third hand, ? on a third occasion. 14.. Reg. Maj. c. 125.
Gif ony man has said ony thing in other court than the kingis court quharof him forthlukis he may againnis al the court with the thrid hand suer apone the sacrament him nocht til haf said that

c. absol. or ellipt. 1375 Barb. iii 102.
Off thar cowyne the thrid had thai That wes rycht stout ill and feloune a1400 Leg. S. iv 7.
The thryd that he bar, Wes callyt quhill James the mare a1400 Leg. S. vi 405.
The twelfe greis of vertuse … The threde: that in the hewid of man, Ar wittis four 1393 Reg. Morton II 190.
The ȝere of grace a thousand thre hundreth nynty and the thrid c1420 Wynt. i 17.
Thryde 1456 Hay I 111/10.
In the tyme of gude pape Alexander the thryd c1475 Wall. vi 409.
Than to the thrid said he [etc.] 1479 Acta Conc. I 32/2.
Henry Malevile has reson to na mar of the said landis bot to the twa part … & … the said Vmfra has reson to the thrid becaus our souverain lord has gevin it to him ?a1500 Remembr. Passion 3.
Thrit c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 216/9.
Foure maner of men ar evill to pleis … The thrid dois eik so dourly drink 1549 Compl. 23/23.
I red … the thrid of Ysaye 1573-1600 King Cat. in Cath. Tr. 177/1.
S. Ignatius bischop of Antioch threid efter S. Peter 1600-1610 Melvill 5.
To … mak me sufficient securitie of four hounder markes in stipend; the town of Anstruther Eister bund for the twa part, and the gentlemen to landwart for the thride

d. Thrid(s) (of kin, consanguinite), thred … degre of consanguinite, related in the third degree of consanguinity. c1420 Wynt. vii 1384.
For off consangwnyte The thryd and thryd thai ware in gre 1522 Fife Sheriff Ct. 256.
The lard of Wemys & the said lard Seyfeild wes thrid & ferd of kyne 1562 Inverness Rec. I 79.
He and Margret Waus ar attingent in thred and ferd degreis of consanguinite 1569 Reg. Privy C. II 39.
The said Erll and the said umquhile Johnne Suthirland quha wes slane thrid and ferdis of kin 1569-73 Bann. Memor. 139.
Seing my brotheris sone and I am thriddis of kin to the lord of Morton 1589 Crawford Mun. Invent. II 195 (10 Jan).
Quha servis me in all my effearis and ar off blwid thriddis off my awn hows 1589 Liber Offic. S. Andree 169.
The degres of thrid and ferd of consanguinitie

2. One, usu. last, of a set of three. Also with appar. excrescent s. Also proverb. and ellipt. a1400 Leg. S. ii 324.
The knychttis … Longynus and Cestus And thar thred fer, Maiestus a1500 Henr. Fab. 714.
Thow wantis pointis twa Belangand to perfyte confessioun; To the thrid part off pennance let vs ga c1490 Irland Asl. MS 76/24.
I haue nocht trowit in the haly gast the thrid persone in diuinite 1544 Treas. Acc. VIII 285.
To Jhonne Drummond, trumpetour, quha past witht thame to be the thrid preif 1562 Montgomery Mem. 188.
Threidlie, … I … proclamit this threid band of matrimonie betuix the foirsaidis Hew Erle of Eglinton … and Deyme Agnes Drummond 1590 Douglas Corr. 34.
Now sen I ame sa constant in this maitter, and his affection sa laisting, I looke the constancy sall not inlayk at the thridd hande … quhilke otheruayes … ualde turne to my skorne, his skaith and youre small honoure 1602 Lett. Jas. VI to Eliz. 150.
It shoulde be proponed … to take me in for a thridde marrow in that gham 1639 Spalding I 233.
It was condiscendit that a third window sould be maid out in the wast syd theirof ?c1675 J. Gordon Hist. II 116.
At that tyme bishops, abbots, and pryors, made up the third estate of the realme — 1670 Melrose Reg. Rec. II 250.
To tak in Barrand Mein, portioner there to be 3 man with them in the buying off ane stak off oats from James Merser … [defenders denied, and referred it to his oath, who deponed positively] that he was thrids manproverb., ellipt. a1598 Ferg. Prov. MS No. 505.
He that hes tuo hoords is able to gait the thrid

b. Thrid best, the last of three in respect of quality. 1375 Barb. xiii 321.
Schyr Gylis … wes the thrid best knycht … in his day

c. The third grain (cf. Corn n. 3), penny (see also Penny n. 6 b (2)), the proportion of one in three. 1547 Misc. Spald. C. V 312.
To be sawin in the muir hous this instant ȝeir v chalder ij bolls ats, estimat to the third grain a1578 Pitsc. II 315/34.
Thair come in be sie sa meikill victuallis that it come downe the thrid penny

d. At (fra) the third hand (advantage), at third hand, by way of an intermediary. 1553 Reg. Privy C. I 141.
All gudis ar regratit … swa that na maner of gudis can be had nor coft bot at the thrid hand 1561 Reg. Privy C. I 173.
The persewaris … confessis that the gudis war spulyeit of befoir ony tyme of my allegit intromissioun … and … persewis me alanarly for the ressaving … For it mycht stand that I had ressavit sum of the gudis libellit fra the thrid hand — 1589–90 Reg. Privy C. IV 459.
Considdering … quhat exorbitant priceis the buikis and small volumis ar rissin to quhilkis wer brocht hame frome … England and sauld in this realme at the thrid advantage

e. Thryd persoune (partie), a person besides the two primarily concerned (in a crime), ? passing into anyone outside those immediately involved (in a crime). 1596 Crim. Trials I ii 396.
The saidis depositiounis ar maid be tua persounes that ar giltie of the said cryme and wes actuall committeris of the said slauchter quhilk can nawyis prejudge ony thryd partie, seing it is manifest … that socius criminis and he that is giltie of the samyn cryme can nocht be witnes aganis ony thryd persoun 1596 Crim. Trials I ii 396.
The law inhibitis … all judges to speir ony questiounis att sic persounes as confessis the crymis thame selffis quhilk may preiudge onye thryd persoune and declaris all sic depositiounis that ar maid be giltie persounis and that hes tane the cryme vpoun thame to be irrite … insafar as thay may be preiudiciall to ony thryd persoune

3. Third part (party), a third. Also as a place-name. Also attrib. = B noun 1 below.For further examples see Terc(e n. 1.(1) 1375 Barb. ii 308.
The thrid part went to the forray 1375 Barb. xvii 861.
With his bataill halily That off the ost ner thrid part was a1400 Leg. S. xxxiii 24.
A tribone is he That [of] the thred-part of a cyte Or of a cunctre kepare is ?14.. Ship Laws c. 17 (H1).
The schipmene sall haif the ferd part and the maistir the thrid part 14.. Acts I 72/2.
Ilk woman wedow that hes richt til ask the thrydpart of landis eftir the ded of hir husband 1456 Hay I 15/8.
And the thrid party of the erde was brynt, and the thrid part of the treis 1470 Breadalbane P. MS (Reg. H.).
Thyrde 1526 Reg. Privy S. I 528/2.
The thrid part of the landis of Carngulane callit Dalȝellis thrid 1528 Lynd. Dreme 205.
Off haly kirk the patrimonie and rent … Quhilkis suld haue bene trypartit in to thre … the third part, to be gewin to the puris 1594–5 Prot. Bk. J. Inglis 8 Feb.
Dauid Forsytht … be vertew of his chartour & his precept of seising … past to the thrid part of the twa part landis of Baddinspenkinfl. pl. 1508 Reg. Privy S. I 249/2.
Reservand to the said lord ladys thridis partis of the saidis landis(2) 1553 Glasgow Dioc. Reg. I 142.
Entering to the possession of ane xj s. ane penny and trydpairt penny land tharof incontenent 1611 Scrymgeour Invent. 26.
Anent the peciable possessioun of the thrid pairt landis of Dudope 1633 Aberd. Sheriff Ct. II 386.
The court of the third pairt lands of Littill Finersie haldin in [etc.] 1639 Retours I Inq. Spec. Edinburgh (843).
The thrid pairt lands of the Townhead of Balerno 1655 Retours II Inq. Spec. Perth (631).
Ane part of the thrid pairt lands of Gallaray, viz. that thrid part croft callit the Mercat Crofts and Balrage(3) 1499 Glasgow Dioc. Reg. II 55.
De villa et terris wlgariter nuncupatis le Thirdpairt 1589–90 St. A. Kirk S. 659.
Agnes Rekie grantis hir with barn … quhilk wes gottin at Mertimes last wes, in the thrid part, in the auld chalmer under the auld hall, efter supper

B. noun. 1. A third, third part (of something).Also as a place-name element. 1438 Exch. R. V 62.
De firmis duarum parcium de Aldstoun … de Westerthird et Myddilsthrid [etc.] 1456 Exch. R. VI 188.
De le Estirthrid de Petkarne(a) a1400 Leg. S. xl 1115, 1120.
& quhat my thred tharof sal be … thu lat me se! … Ȝe sal haf thred as of ȝure man, Of nowt, schepe, hors and ky 1466 Acts II 85/2.
As to the dowry of the queyne it is ordanit that the thrid of the kingis rent of assise that is to saye of landis ande custumys be assignit til hir for hir terce and dowry alanerly ande na ferrare 1588 Prot. Bk. J. Inglis 20 July.
The … tenentis hed cassin thair pettis in the said moss … on partit or to be knawin to thame quhilk wes thair thrid thairof c1590 Fowler II 82/17.
At ane instant maid a king maister of tua thrids of Italye 1594–5 Skipper's Acc. (Morton) 5b.
For ane therd of ane tone. fraycht 1595 Skipper's Acc. (Morton) 72a.
He is restand awne me ane honderis and xv pound for hes thered to rebet of thes sum vii s. 6 d. for want of monye 1600-1610 Melvill 117.
Of a cable maid a twynde thride to go in at the narow ei of that neidle 1600-1610 Melvill 252.
We hoised seall … and lainshed furthe till almaist the thrid of the passage was past a1603 Tract. Leg. Naval. 63.
The last is a third more then the tun 1636 Edinb. B. Rec. VII 182.
They have ordaynit … ilk Noroway schip … to have ane thrid [of the cargo] frie 1695 Misc. Hist. Soc. 487.
Keep the land in thrids as it is now, it is all limmed, except the floors(b) 1605 Inverurie B. Ct. n.d.
The forsaid persones … hes set the tird of Alexander Ronnaldis hous … to fywe pundis money

2. specif. A third part of lands, rents, property or produce. a. Of the revenues, in money or kind, of ecclesiastical benefices, exacted by the monarch for the support of clergy in the post-Reformation church. Also thrids of benefices, and const. of the fruits in question.For a detailed account of the thirds, see the Introduction to Thirds of Benefices (SHS 3 Ser. XLII), q.v. for many further examples. 1561 Thirds of Benefices 45.
The compt of Schir Johnne Wyishart of Pittarro … comptrollare to oure soverane lady and universale collectoure of the thridis of the benefices of this realme 1561 Thirds of Benefices 45.
In the first the comptare charges him with the thrid of the provestrie of Orknay, extending the yeir compted to [£33 6 s. 8 d.] And with the thrid of Sanct Magnus prebendarie [etc.] 1561 Thirds of Benefices 51.
A chalder twa bollis tua firlottis tua pectis twa pairt pect for the thrid of the quheit of the bischoiprik of Abirdene 1561 Thirds of Benefices 89.
The thrid of the money of the nonerie of the Scenis of the yeir compted, remitted [gap] to the priores thairof 1562 Bk. Univ. Kirk I 22.
The pure laborars of the ground ar so oppressed by the cruelty of those that pay thair thrid, that thay for the most pairt advance upon the pure quhatsoever they pay to the quene or to any uther 1566–7 Reg. Privy C. I 496.
The thridis of benefices, commoun kirkis, freris landis, or utheris rentis of the collectorie 1567 Inverness Rec. I 152.
For intacking of the threddis of the bunficis within the parochin 1572 Wynrame in Knox VI 621.
That all things done in prejudice of the kirk's assumptions of the thrids … be declared null 1573 Davidson in Sat. P. xlii 807.
That was the thriddis of all and haill Of beneficis to thair daill 1573 Coll. Rebus Alban. 8.
Rorie McCloid of the Lewes for the kyndnes … schewin to ws be ane reverend fader in God, Johne Bischope of the Ilis … in the forgeoin vs the by-rune fructis of the kirkis and bischope thriddis of Lewes 1581 Acts III 236/1.
The saidis abbot and convent ar nocht able to pay the feall thride of the said abbay according to the first assumptioun 1586–7 Reg. Dunferm. 449.
Albeit the haill prelaceis of ovr reallme ar bund … to warrand thair thridis to ws 1627 Orkney Rentals iii 76.
The minister hes in stipend … bott thrie hundrethe merkes, my lord bischope payis this thrie hundrethe markis outt off the superplus off his lordships thredes a1633 Hope Major Pract. I 74.
Found that pensiones disponed out of benefices befoir the assumptione of the thirds ar subject to pey ane third as weel as the rest of the benefice a1633 Hope Major Pract. I 75.
The thirds of the haill benefices within the realme is ordained to be peyed to the ministers and their successors for ansering of their stipends first, and the rest and superplus to be applyed to the king's use. The proper patrimonie of the kirk is the teyndis a1633 Hope Major Pract. II 28.
Ane letter produced from the king for exeeming of the ordinar lords from peyment of thirdds

b. Of a person's moveable estate, a third part of which could be disposed of before death. Also, the dedis thrid Dede n.³ 1. 1562 Inverness Rec. I 81.
As partinar and pairt takar of his faderis thred and legasie for tuay lastis salmond 1579 Misc. Bann. C. II 203.
Thomas Bassinden … leuis his thrid, the ane half thairof to his wyf, and the vthir half to his mother, and Michael, and his bairnes 1590 Edinb. Test. XXI 303b.
I leif my thrid to the payment and the furthering of the kinbuite that happynnis to be grantit to the laird 1611 Dunblane Test. III 152.
The said James … leiffis his haill threid of the frie geir … to … his spous

c. The third part of the personal property (etc.) of a deceased husband allowed to his widow. = Terc(e n. 1.Cf. the quot. 1508 Reg. Privy S. in A 3 (1) above. 1381 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 4.
Our systir in hir wedowhed has set to ferme till vs … for the terme of hir lyve all hir thrid of al the landes rentez & possessiouns … till hir pertenantz 1396 Sc. Ant. XIV 218.
Scher Jone sal haf the malys of Ouchytrtyre and garden and swa mykyl as pertenys to the modyr of the forsaid Erle of the forsaid landis be resone of hir thryd 1489–90 Acta Conc. I 125/1.
The quhilkis landis of Duchquhaly extendis in avale bot to x markis & the said Williamz moder has hir tercis therof … the said landis of Duchale extendis bot to vj markis viij s. x d. ȝerely the thrid beand takin out of it 1497–8 Acta Conc. II 128.
The malis … proffittis and dewiteis … pertenyng to the sade Countasse be ressone of teyrce and conjunct feftment, with thriddis of al mansys and placis liand within the schirefdomes of … Forfare and Forthir 1562 Reg. Privy S. V i 302/2.
Oure soverane ladiis thrid of the abbay of Dunfermling 1563 Prot. Bk. J. Drummond 28b.
Be vertu of the said precept kennit and enterit the said Catarine … to hir thrid rig toft croft [etc.] 1597 Edinb. Test. XXXI 85b.
To Violet Kyd his ȝoungest dochter four hundretht merkis quhairof tua hundretht aff hir moderis thrid 1616 Douglas of Morton 699.
[Reserving from the said tack the] thrid and terce [of the Mill of Moffet … to be uplifted by the said Janet and John her future spouse]