treow

treow¹ tree

Pronunciation

• /tre͜oːw/^[1]

Forms

trēow n (strong a-stem; genitive singular trēowes, nominative plural trēowu)^[1] Also trēo, trīow and trȳw;^[1][2][3] trew in the Vespasian Psalter gloss.^[1][2][3]

Etymology

The tree is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *treu, from Proto-Germanic *trewą (“tree”).^[1][4] The Proto-Germanic neuter is continued by Gothic 𐍄𐍂𐌹𐌿 (triu, “stick, piece of wood”), Old Norse tré (“tree, mast, beam”), Old Frisian trē and Old Saxon trio.^[4][5][6] In German the word is lost, except in compounds.^[7]

Kroonen calls it the Indo-European word for “wood” and “tree” and sets up Proto-Indo-European *dréu-o-;^[4] Wiktionary derives the Germanic form from the oblique stem *dréw- of Proto-Indo-European *dóru (“tree”).^[4][1] Holthausen and de Vries compare Ancient Greek δόρυ (dóru, “wood, spear”) and Old Irish daur (“oak”).^[8][9] Köbler puts it under Pokorny's root Proto-Indo-European *deru- (“tree”).^[10] De Vries rejects Benveniste's view that the root first meant “firm, strong” and the tree was named from that: the tree, he argues, has to be the starting point.^[9] Kroonen and Holthausen refer from it to the words behind teoru “tar” and trog “trough”.^[4][8]

Earliest recorded meaning

The word is first recorded in the mid-ninth century: the Old English gloss of the Vespasian Psalter writes trew his over the Latin “arbusta eius” of Psalm 79:11, “its trees” (or “shrubs”) beside the cedars that the vine covers.^[11][3] In the Pastoral Care (Hatton 20, 890×897) a man goes into the wood “treow to ceorfanne”, to cut wood, when the axe flies off its handle and kills his companion.^[12][3]

Semantic evolution

Bosworth and Toller give the senses in the order a living tree, wood as a material, trees collectively (a wood), and a piece of wood: a beam, log, stake, staff or cudgel.^[2] Sweet adds the gallows and the Cross: the dreamer of the Dream of the Rood sees “syllicre treow”, the most wondrous tree, raised in the air.^[13][14][3] In the charters it names trees used as boundary marks, such as a “Frigedæges treow”.^[15] The laws fine a man for each great tree he cuts in another's wood without leave.^[2][16]

The word lived on as Middle English tre, now English tree.^[17][18]

Timeline

• s. ix med. – trew his “its trees” in the Vespasian Psalter gloss.^[11][3]
• 890×897 – treow to ceorfanne “to cut wood” in the Pastoral Care (Hatton 20).^[12][3]
• s. x med. – the tree that is clad in bark against winter storms in the Old English Boethius.^[19][3]
• s. x² – syllicre treow, the Cross, in the Dream of the Rood (Vercelli Book).^[14][3]

Meanings

Noun

1. a tree.^[2][10]
2. wood as a material.^[2][13]
3. (collective) trees, a forest.^[2]
4. a piece of wood: a beam, log, stake, staff or cudgel.^[2]
5. the gallows; the cross of Christ.^[13][15]

Word family

• æppeltrēow
• ċedertrēow
• eletrēow
• fīctrēow
• palmtrēow
• pīntrēow
• wudutrēow
• trēowcynn
• trēowwyrhta
• trīewen

Descendants

• Middle English tre (→ English tree; Middle Scots tre; Middle Scots tree)^[1]

treow² loyalty

Pronunciation

• /tre͜oːw/^[1]

Forms

trēow f (strong ō-stem; genitive singular trēowe, nominative plural trēowa)^[1]

Etymology

The loyalty is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *treuwu, from Proto-Germanic *trewwō (“fidelity, pledge”).^[1][20] Orel takes the noun to be the adjective Proto-Germanic *trewwaz used as a noun;^[20] Wiktionary derives it from the adjective Proto-Germanic *triwwiz (“true, faithful”), the source of Old English trīewe.^[20][1] The noun is continued by Gothic 𐍄𐍂𐌹𐌲𐌲𐍅𐌰 (triggwa, “covenant”), Old Frisian triūwe, Old Saxon treuwa and Old High German triuwa.^[20][21][22]

Kroonen reconstructs the adjective as Proto-Germanic *trewwu- (“loyal, trustworthy”) and compares Old Prussian druwit (“to believe”) and Old Irish derb (“certain”).^[23] He adds that it may be connected with the Indo-European word for “wood” behind the tree word, with a shift of meaning like that of Latin rōbustus (“made of oak; strong”) from rōbur (“oak”).^[23] Köbler too sets the loyalty word beside the root of the tree word in Pokorny.^[21] Holthausen compares Greek, Old Irish, Lithuanian and Welsh words for “firm, sure, strong” and refers to Walde and Pokorny.^[8]

Earliest recorded meaning

The noun is first recorded in the Pastoral Care (Hatton 20, 890×897), where a man who leaves the chill of unbelief and yet becomes of lukewarm faith is said to be “wlacra treowa”, and true repentance shows God one's humility and treowa, devotion.^[15][12] The Parker Chronicle (from s. ix/x) uses the plural of pledges given to King Alfred: the Northumbrians and East Angles had sworn oaths, “& þeh ofer þa treowa” they joined the raiding armies, “and yet in spite of those pledges”.^[24][3]

Semantic evolution

Bosworth and Toller arrange the senses as faith kept to a promise, troth; loyalty to a person, fealty; the faith of the stronger to the weaker, grace, favour and help; a pledged word, promise, covenant or league; and faith in something, belief and trust.^[2] The plural is often used with the force of the singular.^[2][13] In Beowulf Hildeburh had no cause to praise the good faith of the Jutes.^[2][25] The plural of the Middle English form, Middle English trewe “faith, covenant”, gave English truce.^[18]

Timeline

• 890×897 – wlacra treowa “of lukewarm faith” in the Pastoral Care.^[15][12]
• s. ix/x – ofer þa treowa “in spite of the pledges” in the Parker Chronicle.^[24][3]
• s. x/xi – Eotena treowe “the good faith of the Jutes” in the Beowulf manuscript.^[26][25]

Meanings

Noun

1. faith kept to a promise, good faith, troth.^[2][25]
2. fidelity, loyalty to a person.^[2][13]
3. grace, favour, help shown by the stronger to the weaker.^[2]
4. a pledged word; a promise, agreement, covenant or league.^[2][13]
5. faith in something, belief, trust.^[2]

Word family

• trēowloga

Descendants

• Middle English trewe (→ English truce)^[18]