thwite

present singular third person thwites · participle present thwiting · participle past thwited · past thwited

1. UKobsoleteTo cut or clip with a knife; to whittle.

   Other shot forth theyr Boltes, and wyth theyr Prouerbes proceedyng from their malicious Mouthes thwited the pore Women at their pleasure.

   1580, William Painter, “Two Gentlewomen of Venice”, in Joseph Jacobs, editor, The Palace of Pleasure, volume 3, Tome II, London: David Nutt in the Strand, published 1890, page 145 of 56–57

   3 more examples

   I knowe one of your crew who would not sweare for no good, and vsed ordinarilie to pray with his mé in his chamber, and yet beeing at a Knights house, where hee had good entertaynemét, they prayed so hartilie amongst them, that for conscience sake they faire thwited me of a valence of a bedde, and caried that & a piece of plate with them to the value of twentie nobles at the least.

   1601, Certaine Questions by way of Conference betwixt a Chauncelor and a Kinswoman of his concerning Churching of Women, page 32

   Now then: this great storme, we see is past, and ouerblowne: and this terrible accusation, is much like to a Sampsons post, thwited to a pudding pricke, as the Prouerbe is. Well now: what more? We must not yet so go away. […]

   1602, Roger Marbecke, A Defence of tabacco: with a friendly answer to the late printed booke called Worke for chimny-sweepers, &c., London: Richard Field for Thomas Man, page 1602

   The Iewes say, it was his Nic-name, or name of disgrace; that in scorne they called him so. For that, all his credit (forsooth) came, by casting a stone, and hitting Goliah, by chance, right in the fore-head: and so, they thwited him with that name. They gave it him, in scorne: but he bare it, in earnest.

   1611 March 24, Lancelot Andrewes, “A Sermon Preached Before the Kings Maiestie at White-Hall on the XXIV. of March, A.D. MDCXI. being Easter Day, and being also the day of the Beginning of His Majestie's most Gracious Reigne”, in XCVI. Sermons, 2nd edition, Richard Badger, published 1732, page 442