Forms: 2–5 þi (ti), 4 þy (ty), 4–6 thi, (6 yi), 4– thy. [Early ME. þī, reduced form of þīn, THINE, used in ME. bef. consonants exc. h, but occurring before vowels in 15th c., and ultimately universal in prose use as the possessive adj. preceding its sb., = Ger. dein, deine, F. ton, ta, tes.]
Of or belonging to thee, that thou hast.
For restriction of use see note to THOU pers. pron. 1.
c. 1175. Cott. Hom., 225. Þe … and ti wif, and þine þreo sunes.
c. 1175. Pater Noster, in Lamb. Hom., 57. Þi nome beo iblecced. Ibid., 59. Cume þi riche.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 98. Þi stefne is me swete, & ti hwite schene.
13[?]. in Rel. Ant., I. 145. Wer es ty sire, wer es ty dame?
13[?]. E. E. Allit. P., B. 330. Enter þis ark with þyn aþel barnez & þy wedded wyf.
1388. Wyclif, Ruth i. 16. Thi puple is my puple, and thi God is my God.
c. 1450. Bk. Curtasye, 71, in Babees Bk., 301. Let not þi spone stond in þy dysche.
1502. Atkynson, trans. De Imitatione, I. xx. 169. Lyft vp thy iyen to heuen.
1513. Douglas, Æneis, IV. iv. 42. Apon thi top, mont Cynthus, walkis he.
1552. Lyndesay, Monarche, 4131. Perfytlie prent in yi remembrance Off this Inconstante warld the variance.
1552. Huloet, Thy owne selfe, te ipsum, temet.
1667. Milton, P. L., V. 153. These are thy glorious works, Parent of good.
1852. Mrs. Stowe, Uncle Tom’s C., xiii. [The Quaker Settlement]. ‘Where’s thy baby, Ruth?’ said Rachel…. ‘Thy Mary caught him as I came in.’
1859. Tennyson, Enid, 347. Turn, Fortune, turn thy wheel and lower the proud.
