adv. Obs. In 3 þuertut, (Orm.) þwerrt ut. [f. thwert, THWART adv. + OE. út OUT.] Thoroughly, completely, utterly, absolutely: = THROUGHOUT B. 3.
c. 1200. Ormin, 194. To ȝarrkenn her onnȝæness Crist All þwerrt ut haliȝ leode. Ibid., 313–6. Forr þatt all iss þwerrt ut soþ, & all þwerrt ut to trowwenn Þatt stanndeþþ o þe Goddspellboc Þatt þwerrt ut nohht ne lezheþþ.
c. 1200. Trin. Coll. Hom., 123. Þat mannisse þe ne understant ne bisecheð god, is þuertut forlore soule and lichame.
Hence † Thwert-ut nay, Early Eng. Law, a complete or absolute ‘Nay,’ a downright ‘No’; a flat denial by the defendant of the plaintiff’s charge.
1272. in Jeaffreson, Index to Leicester MSS., 74–5. Si le defendant taunt tost cum la parole ly fust issue de la buche ne deist thwertutnay, il fut tenu cum non defendu, e ceo apelerent swareles. Ibid. Ke le defendaunt ne poeit a la pleinte le pleintif autre chose respundre for tut granter ou tut dire thwertutnay.
1895. Pollock & Maitland, Hist. Eng. Law, II. 606. A defendant was treated as undefended unless, before he said anything else, be met the plaintiff’s tale with a thwertutnay, that is a downright No. Ibid. Note, The idea of a thwertutnay is preserved in our traverse.
Originally, † Thwert-nay, † Thwert-nik. [f. thwert, THWART adv. or a.: see NICH and NICK v.1, and cf. ON. setja þvert nei to deny flatly.) lit. A traversing or directly contradicting ‘Nay’ or ‘Nik’; also the right or liberty to give such a direct denial.
(Under the influence of Thwert-ut, this became Thwert-ut nay.)
1218. Earl Randal’s Charter to Cheshire (D. of Lanc. Misc. Bks. 12 1f. 25). Per twertnik se defendere poterit.
12[?]. Leges Quat. Burgorum, c. 31, in Acts Parl. Scot. (1844), I. 338. Et est retinendum quod in placitis burgorum utitur Twertnay in defensionibus defendendo wrang and unlawe. [15th-c. transl., And it is to wyt þat in borow mutis þar is hantyd and oysyt thuertnay in defendande wrang and unlawe.]
1275. Close Roll 3 Edw. I., m. 5. Excepta … libertate quam dictus Robertus habuit in terris et tenementis suis in comitatu Cestrie que vocatur Thwertnik.
1296. Chancery Inq. p. mort. Edw. I., 79 (8). Quamdam libertatem que vocatur twertnyc. Ibid., Exchequer Inq. p. mort. 5 (4). Libertatem que vocatur twertnyk.
