thay

See also: thảy, thây, thấy, thầy, and thẩy

English

Etymology 1

Article

thay

1. Pronunciation spelling of the.
   • 1861, Thomas Hughes, Tom Brown at Oxford‎:

     "The chaps as catches the big fishes, sir," went on the keeper, getting confidential, "is thay cussed night-line poachers."

Etymology 2

Verb

thay

1. Pronunciation spelling of say, to indicate a speaker with a speech impediment such as a lisp.
   • 1868, Sophie May, Dotty Dimple at Her Grandmother's‎:

     "Good girlth don't thay tho," said sweet little Charlie rather shocked.

   • 1903, Burt L. Standish, Frank Merriwell's Bravery‎:

     Do you mean to thay I am no gentleman, thir?

Etymology 3

Pronoun

thay

1. Obsolete spelling of they.
   • 1506, Alexander Barclay, The Ship of Fools, Volume 1‎:

     Yet fynde I another sort almoste as bad as thay.

   • 1566, John Knox, The Works of John Knox, Vol. 1 (of 6)‎:

     But potent is he against whome thei faught; for when thay wicked war in greatast securitie, then begane God to schaw his anger.

   • 1838, William Makepeace Thackeray, Memoirs of Mr. Charles J. Yellowplush‎:

     Law bless us! there was four of us on this stairkes, four as nice young men as you ever see: Mr. Bruffy's young man, Mr. Dawkinses, Mr. Blewitt's, and me--and we knew what our masters was about as well as thay did theirselfs.

Anagrams

• Athy

Middle English

Pronoun

thay

1. alternative form of þei (“they”)