a. [f. THANK sb. + -FUL.]
1. Feeling or expressing thanks or gratitude; prompted by feelings of gratitude; grateful.
971. Blickl. Hom., 169. Wesað þancfulle þon Hælende eoweres andleofan.
1500–20. Dunbar, Poems, lxxvii. 72. Be thankfull to this burgh of Aberdein.
1535. Coverdale, 1 Sam. ii. Contents, The thankfull songe of Anna.
1592. Shaks., Rom. & Jul., III. v. 149. Not proud you haue, But thankfull that you haue.
1685. Dryden, Thren. August., 383. Live then, thou great encourager of arts: Live ever in our thankful hearts!
1748. Butler, Serm., Wks. 1874, II. 317. The generality of mankind have cause to be thankful that their station exempts them from so great temptations.
1856. Froude, Hist. Eng., I. v. 430. We have reason to be thankful that the thing, well or ill, was over.
† b. Satisfied, content. Obs.
a. 900. trans. Bæda’s Hist., V. xxii[i]. (1890), 478. Scottas … wæron þoncfulle heora gemærum.
c. 1050. Gloss., in Wr.-Wülcker, 367/18. Contentus, ðancful.
c. fig. Cf. GRATEFUL a. 2 b.
1610. Holland, Camden’s Brit. (1637), 273. The ground … is thankefull to the husbandman, in so much as it doth affoord corn to be carried forth.
† 2. Worthy or deserving of thanks, gratitude, or credit; pleasing, acceptable, grateful, agreeable.
c. 1000. in Anglia (1890), XIII. 381. We halsiaþ … god þæt þeow þin cync ure … to þe … þancfull he mæȝe becuman.
c. 1050. Suppl. Ælfric’s Voc., in Wr.-Wülcker, 191/15. Gratiosus, ðoncful.
1375. Barbour, Bruce, V. 278. He had done mony a thankfull deid.
1456. Sir G. Haye, Law Arms (S.T.S.), 68. Unrychtwis offerandis ar nocht acceptable na thankfull to his godhede.
1511. Hen. VIII., Lett., in Burton & Raine, Hemingbrough, 380. Wherby ye shall ministre unto us right singler and thankfull pleasore.
1552. Huloet, Thanckefull, acceptus.
1596. Dalrymple, trans. Leslie’s Hist. Scot., I. (S.T.S.), I. 130. The name of king was maist grate and thankful to thame al.
1611. Tourneur, Ath. Trag., I. ii. His good successe shall be most thankeful to your trust.
† b. Sc. Of a payment: Giving satisfaction, satisfactory. Obs.
1497. Acc. Ld. High Treas. Scot., I. 315. I resauit … for the Erle Marschael his thankfull and reddy payment.
1527. Caldwell Pap. (Maitland), I. 61. Alslang and howlang ye said Johnne and his airs mak to me and my airs gud and thankful service.
1612. Sc. Acts Jas. VI. (1816), IV. 472/1. To mak thame thankfull teynding.
1671. in Proc. Soc. Ant. Scot. (1892), XXVI. 194. To make tymeous and thankfull payment.
† 3. ? Done without reward or payment; gratuitous: cf. next, 3. Obs. rare.
c. 1380. Wyclif, Serm., Sel. Wks. I. 282. Þe fifte manere þat prestis shulden have shulde be þankful traveilinge; for ȝir þei wolen have þank of God, þei shulden here fle symonie, and neiþer sille her preching ne oþer workes þat þei done.
