Obs. Forms: 1 treʓa, 2 treȝe, 3 treiȝe, 34 treie, 4 trei, treye, trai, traie, 45 trey, tray, 5 trye, 56 traye, 6 Sc. tra. [OE. treʓa (wk. masc.) trouble, pain = ON. tregi (wk. masc.), Goth. trigô (wk. fem.):OTeut. *treʓ-on-, -ôn-, f. *treʓ-: see TRAY v.1] Pain, grief, affliction, trouble, vexation; esp. in alliterative phr. tray and teen, teen and tray.
c. 700. Cædmons Gen., 2274 (Gr.). Ic fleah wean, treʓan and teonan.
a. 1000. Boeth. Metr., v. 42. Forðæm þa tweʓen treʓan teoð tosomne.
c. 1020. Rule St. Benet, iv. (Logeman), 20/10. Treʓan debemus, ʓedonne dæde ʓeþyldelice ah forþyldian.
a. 1200. Moral Ode, 371. Þer is blisse abuten treȝe [v.r. treiȝe].
a. 1240. Ureisun, 61, in Cott. Hom., 193. Muruhðe moniuold wið-ute teone and treie.
1357. Lay Folks Catech., 26. With-outen travaile or trey [v.r. tray] or passyng of tyme.
c. 1450. Life St. Cuthbert (Surtees), 112. Tene and tray of tormentoures.
1560. Rolland, Seven Sages, 17. Sum gettis plesure, vthers gettis tray and tene.