Thew Definition
A good quality or habit; virtue.
Origin of Thew
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From Middle English thew, theow, from Old English þēow, þēo (“servant, slave"), from Proto-Germanic *þewaz, *þegwaz (“servant"), from Proto-Indo-European *tekwos (“runner"), from Proto-Indo-European *tekw- (“to run, flow"). Cognate with Old High German diu (“servant"), Gothic [script?] (þius, “bondman, slave, servant"), Dutch dienen (“to serve"), German dienen (“to serve"), Old English þegn (“servant, minister, vassal"). See thegn, thane.
From Wiktionary
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From Middle English thewen, from Old English þēowan, þȳwan (“to press, impress, force, press on, urge on, drive, press with a weapon, thrust, pierce, stab, threaten, rebuke, subjugate, crush, push, oppress, check"), from Proto-Germanic *þewjanÄ… (“to enslave, oppress"), from Proto-Indo-European *tekw- (“to run, flow"). Cognate with Middle Dutch douwen, Middle Low German duwen, Middle High German diuhen, dÅ«hen, diuwen (“to oppress").
From Wiktionary
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From Middle English thew, theaw (often in plural thewes), from Old English þēaw (“usage, custom, general practise of a community, mode of conduct, manner, practise, way, behaviour"), from Proto-Germanic *þawwaz (“custom, habit"), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)tāu-, *(s)te- (“to stand, place"). Cognate with Old Frisian thāw, Old Saxon thau (“custom"), Old High German *gathau, kathau (“discipline").
From Wiktionary
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From Middle English thew, from Old English þēow (“servile, not free, bond"), from Proto-Germanic *þewaz, *þegwaz (“subject, servile"), from Proto-Indo-European *tekwos (“runner"), from Proto-Indo-European *tekw- (“to run, flow"). Cognate with Old High German dio (“unfree").
From Wiktionary
Middle English individual habit, virtue, strength (sense influenced by sinew) from Old English thēaw a custom, habit
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
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