"tharf" meaning in English

See tharf in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Adjective

IPA: /ˈθɑː(ɹ)f/ [Received-Pronunciation] Forms: more tharf [comparative], most tharf [superlative]
Rhymes: -ɑː(ɹ)f Etymology: 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. Etymology templates: {{inh|en|enm|therf}} Middle English therf, {{inh|en|ang|þeorf|t=unleavened, fresh, skim}} Old English þeorf (“unleavened, fresh, skim”), {{inh|en|gmw-pro|*þerb}} Proto-West Germanic *þerb, {{inh|en|gem-pro|*þerbaz|t=unleavened, simple}} Proto-Germanic *þerbaz (“unleavened, simple”), {{der|en|ine-pro|*(s)terbh-}} Proto-Indo-European *(s)terbh-, {{cog|de|derb|t=rough, coarse, rude}} German derb (“rough, coarse, rude”), {{cog|ofs|therve}} Old Frisian therve, {{cog|dum|derf}} Middle Dutch derf Head templates: {{en-adj}} tharf (comparative more tharf, superlative most tharf)
  1. (obsolete, regional UK) Stiff, unsocial, rough in manner. Tags: UK, obsolete, regional Derived forms: tharf-cake, tharcake, tharfish
    Sense id: en-tharf-en-adj-KI3iJhAp Categories (other): British English, Regional English, English entries with incorrect language header, Pages with 3 entries, Pages with entries Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 69 31 Disambiguation of Pages with 3 entries: 48 11 5 35 Disambiguation of Pages with entries: 45 7 3 45
The following are not (yet) sense-disambiguated
Etymology number: 1

Verb

Forms: tharfs [present, singular, third-person], tharfing [participle, present], tharfed [participle, past], tharfed [past]
Etymology: From English tharf, conjugated form of tharen, from Proto-West Germanic *þurban, from Proto-Indo-European *terp- (“to satisfy”). Cognate with German dürfen (“may, to be allowed to; must”) and Ancient Greek τέρπω (térpō, “to delight”). Etymology templates: {{m+|en|tharf}} English tharf, {{inh|en|gmw-pro|*þurban}} Proto-West Germanic *þurban, {{inh|en|ine-pro|*terp-|t=to satisfy}} Proto-Indo-European *terp- (“to satisfy”), {{cog|de|dürfen|t=may, to be allowed to; must}} German dürfen (“may, to be allowed to; must”), {{cog|grc|τέρπω|t=to delight}} Ancient Greek τέρπω (térpō, “to delight”) Head templates: {{en-verb}} tharf (third-person singular simple present tharfs, present participle tharfing, simple past and past participle tharfed)
  1. (obsolete, regional UK) to need Tags: UK, obsolete, regional
    Sense id: en-tharf-en-verb-fCXPH8yL Categories (other): British English, Regional English
The following are not (yet) sense-disambiguated
Etymology number: 2

Inflected forms

Alternative forms

{
  "etymology_number": "1",
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "enm",
        "3": "therf"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle English therf",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ang",
        "3": "þeorf",
        "t": "unleavened, fresh, skim"
      },
      "expansion": "Old English þeorf (“unleavened, fresh, skim”)",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "gmw-pro",
        "3": "*þerb"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-West Germanic *þerb",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "gem-pro",
        "3": "*þerbaz",
        "t": "unleavened, simple"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-Germanic *þerbaz (“unleavened, simple”)",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ine-pro",
        "3": "*(s)terbh-"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-Indo-European *(s)terbh-",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "de",
        "2": "derb",
        "t": "rough, coarse, rude"
      },
      "expansion": "German derb (“rough, coarse, rude”)",
      "name": "cog"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "ofs",
        "2": "therve"
      },
      "expansion": "Old Frisian therve",
      "name": "cog"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "dum",
        "2": "derf"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle Dutch derf",
      "name": "cog"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "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”).\nCognate with German derb (“rough, coarse, rude”), Old Frisian therve, Middle Dutch derf.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "more tharf",
      "tags": [
        "comparative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "most tharf",
      "tags": [
        "superlative"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "tharf (comparative more tharf, superlative most tharf)",
      "name": "en-adj"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "adj",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "British English",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Regional English",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "69 31",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "48 11 5 35",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with 3 entries",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "45 7 3 45",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with entries",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "derived": [
        {
          "word": "tharf-cake"
        },
        {
          "word": "tharcake"
        },
        {
          "word": "tharfish"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              2,
              7
            ]
          ],
          "text": "a tharf person",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Stiff, unsocial, rough in manner."
      ],
      "id": "en-tharf-en-adj-KI3iJhAp",
      "links": [
        [
          "regional",
          "regional#English"
        ],
        [
          "Stiff",
          "stiff"
        ],
        [
          "unsocial",
          "unsocial"
        ],
        [
          "rough",
          "rough"
        ],
        [
          "manner",
          "manner"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(obsolete, regional UK) Stiff, unsocial, rough in manner."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "UK",
        "obsolete",
        "regional"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈθɑː(ɹ)f/",
      "tags": [
        "Received-Pronunciation"
      ]
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-ɑː(ɹ)f"
    }
  ],
  "word": "tharf"
}

{
  "etymology_number": "2",
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "tharf"
      },
      "expansion": "English tharf",
      "name": "m+"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "gmw-pro",
        "3": "*þurban"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-West Germanic *þurban",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ine-pro",
        "3": "*terp-",
        "t": "to satisfy"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-Indo-European *terp- (“to satisfy”)",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "de",
        "2": "dürfen",
        "t": "may, to be allowed to; must"
      },
      "expansion": "German dürfen (“may, to be allowed to; must”)",
      "name": "cog"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "grc",
        "2": "τέρπω",
        "t": "to delight"
      },
      "expansion": "Ancient Greek τέρπω (térpō, “to delight”)",
      "name": "cog"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From English tharf, conjugated form of tharen, from Proto-West Germanic *þurban, from Proto-Indo-European *terp- (“to satisfy”). Cognate with German dürfen (“may, to be allowed to; must”) and Ancient Greek τέρπω (térpō, “to delight”).",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "tharfs",
      "tags": [
        "present",
        "singular",
        "third-person"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "tharfing",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "present"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "tharfed",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "past"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "tharfed",
      "tags": [
        "past"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "tharf (third-person singular simple present tharfs, present participle tharfing, simple past and past participle tharfed)",
      "name": "en-verb"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "verb",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "British English",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Regional English",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "to need"
      ],
      "id": "en-tharf-en-verb-fCXPH8yL",
      "links": [
        [
          "regional",
          "regional#English"
        ],
        [
          "need",
          "need"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(obsolete, regional UK) to need"
      ],
      "tags": [
        "UK",
        "obsolete",
        "regional"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "tharf"
}
{
  "categories": [
    "English adjectives",
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English lemmas",
    "English terms derived from Middle English",
    "English terms derived from Old English",
    "English terms derived from Proto-Germanic",
    "English terms derived from Proto-Indo-European",
    "English terms derived from Proto-West Germanic",
    "English terms inherited from Middle English",
    "English terms inherited from Old English",
    "English terms inherited from Proto-Germanic",
    "English terms inherited from Proto-Indo-European",
    "English terms inherited from Proto-West Germanic",
    "English verbs",
    "Pages with 3 entries",
    "Pages with entries",
    "Rhymes:English/ɑː(ɹ)f",
    "Rhymes:English/ɑː(ɹ)f/1 syllable"
  ],
  "derived": [
    {
      "word": "tharf-cake"
    },
    {
      "word": "tharcake"
    },
    {
      "word": "tharfish"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_number": "1",
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "enm",
        "3": "therf"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle English therf",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ang",
        "3": "þeorf",
        "t": "unleavened, fresh, skim"
      },
      "expansion": "Old English þeorf (“unleavened, fresh, skim”)",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "gmw-pro",
        "3": "*þerb"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-West Germanic *þerb",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "gem-pro",
        "3": "*þerbaz",
        "t": "unleavened, simple"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-Germanic *þerbaz (“unleavened, simple”)",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ine-pro",
        "3": "*(s)terbh-"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-Indo-European *(s)terbh-",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "de",
        "2": "derb",
        "t": "rough, coarse, rude"
      },
      "expansion": "German derb (“rough, coarse, rude”)",
      "name": "cog"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "ofs",
        "2": "therve"
      },
      "expansion": "Old Frisian therve",
      "name": "cog"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "dum",
        "2": "derf"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle Dutch derf",
      "name": "cog"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "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”).\nCognate with German derb (“rough, coarse, rude”), Old Frisian therve, Middle Dutch derf.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "more tharf",
      "tags": [
        "comparative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "most tharf",
      "tags": [
        "superlative"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "tharf (comparative more tharf, superlative most tharf)",
      "name": "en-adj"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "adj",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "British English",
        "English terms with obsolete senses",
        "English terms with usage examples",
        "Regional English"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              2,
              7
            ]
          ],
          "text": "a tharf person",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Stiff, unsocial, rough in manner."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "regional",
          "regional#English"
        ],
        [
          "Stiff",
          "stiff"
        ],
        [
          "unsocial",
          "unsocial"
        ],
        [
          "rough",
          "rough"
        ],
        [
          "manner",
          "manner"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(obsolete, regional UK) Stiff, unsocial, rough in manner."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "UK",
        "obsolete",
        "regional"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈθɑː(ɹ)f/",
      "tags": [
        "Received-Pronunciation"
      ]
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-ɑː(ɹ)f"
    }
  ],
  "word": "tharf"
}

{
  "categories": [
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English lemmas",
    "English terms derived from Proto-Indo-European",
    "English terms derived from Proto-West Germanic",
    "English terms inherited from Proto-Indo-European",
    "English terms inherited from Proto-West Germanic",
    "English verbs",
    "Pages with 3 entries",
    "Pages with entries"
  ],
  "etymology_number": "2",
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "tharf"
      },
      "expansion": "English tharf",
      "name": "m+"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "gmw-pro",
        "3": "*þurban"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-West Germanic *þurban",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ine-pro",
        "3": "*terp-",
        "t": "to satisfy"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-Indo-European *terp- (“to satisfy”)",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "de",
        "2": "dürfen",
        "t": "may, to be allowed to; must"
      },
      "expansion": "German dürfen (“may, to be allowed to; must”)",
      "name": "cog"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "grc",
        "2": "τέρπω",
        "t": "to delight"
      },
      "expansion": "Ancient Greek τέρπω (térpō, “to delight”)",
      "name": "cog"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From English tharf, conjugated form of tharen, from Proto-West Germanic *þurban, from Proto-Indo-European *terp- (“to satisfy”). Cognate with German dürfen (“may, to be allowed to; must”) and Ancient Greek τέρπω (térpō, “to delight”).",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "tharfs",
      "tags": [
        "present",
        "singular",
        "third-person"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "tharfing",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "present"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "tharfed",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "past"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "tharfed",
      "tags": [
        "past"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "tharf (third-person singular simple present tharfs, present participle tharfing, simple past and past participle tharfed)",
      "name": "en-verb"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "verb",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "British English",
        "English terms with obsolete senses",
        "Regional English"
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "to need"
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "regional",
          "regional#English"
        ],
        [
          "need",
          "need"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(obsolete, regional UK) to need"
      ],
      "tags": [
        "UK",
        "obsolete",
        "regional"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "tharf"
}

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This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2026-08-20 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2026-08-05 using wiktextract (872fc7b and 4deed51). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.