tharf

From Middle English therf, from Old English þeorf (“unleavened, fresh, skim”), from Proto-West Germanic *þerb, from Proto-Germanic *þerbaz (“unleavened, simple”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)terbh-, *(s)trebh- (“rigid, stiff, tight”).

Cognate with German derb (“rough, coarse, rude”), Old Frisian therve, Middle Dutch derf, Middle High German derp, Icelandic þjarfur (“unleavened”) and Ancient Greek τέρπω (térpō).

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈθɑː(ɹ)f/
• Rhymes: -ɑː(ɹ)f

tharf (comparative more tharf, superlative most tharf)

1. (obsolete, regional British) Stiff, unsocial, rough in manner.

   a tharf person

• tharf-cake
• tharcake
• tharfish

• The Dictionary of the Scots Language

From Old English þearf, first and third person singular indicative of þurfan (“to be in need, have need of, need to, be required to, be obliged to, owe”), from Proto-Germanic *þurfaną, *þurbaną, *þerbaną (“may, need to, be allowed to”), from Proto-Indo-European *terp-, *trep- (“to saturate, enjoy”).

Cognate with Dutch durf (“(I) dare”) (infinitive durven), German darf (“(I) am allowed to”) (infinitive dürfen), Swedish tarva (“to require”), Icelandic þarf (“(I) need”) (infinitive þurfa).

• darf, þarf

tharf

1. first/third-person singular present indicative of tharen

• English: thair
• Scots: thair

tharf

1. alternative form of therf

From Proto-West Germanic *þarbu.

• IPA^(key): /θɑrf/
• (late Old Saxon) IPA^(key): [ðɑrf]

tharf f (genitive tharvo)

1. need, lack, necessity

• tharfag

• Middle Low German: *darf
  • ⇒ Middle Low German: bedarf