Dictionary.com
definitions

thew

[thyoo]
See more synonyms for thew on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. Usually thews. muscle or sinew.
  2. thews, physical strength.

Origin of thew

before 900; Middle English; Old English thēaw custom, usage; cognate with Old High German thau (later dau) discipline; akin to Latin tuērī to watch
Related formsthew·y, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words for thew

backbone, body, brawn, clout, courage, durability, energy, firmness, force, fortitude, health, healthiness, might, muscle, nerve, physique, pith, potence, potency, power

Examples from the Web for thew

Historical Examples of thew

  • But do not count us by what we are in thew and muscle, but by what our summons can do among our countrymen.

    Red Gauntlet

    Sir Walter Scott

  • Alice Sheltoir, charged with being a common scold—to the thew.

    London

    Walter Besant

  • Thou art a man of many inches—of thew and sinew—Hey, but thou art a man!

  • Nick, larger than his brother, was a tower of thew and muscle.

    In the Brooding Wild

    Ridgwell Cullum

  • And she thew herself into Ralph's arms, while the tears of sorrow were quickly turned to tears of joy.

    The Young Bridge-Tender

    Arthur M. Winfield

British Dictionary definitions for thew

thew

noun
  1. muscle, esp if strong or well-developed
  2. (plural) muscular strength
Derived Formsthewy, adjectivethewless, adjective

Word Origin for thew

Old English thēaw; related to Old Saxon, Old High German thau discipline, Latin tuērī to observe, tūtus secure
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for thew
n.

Old English þeaw; see thews.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper