| 释义 |
▪ I. † tewtaw, n. Obs.
Also 8 tewtow, 9 dial. tewter.
[Goes with next.
If the n. was the earlier, its derivation would prob. be from tew v.1 + taw n.1, or tow n. = ‘that which tews taw or tow’; but if the vb. was the earlier, taw would naturally be the vb., and tew either tew n.1 or some other word. The origin of the second element was app. lost before the word became tewter. Johnson knew only the vb. which he considered a reduplicated form of tew.]
An implement for breaking hemp or flax.
1649W. Blithe Eng. Improv. Impr. (1653) 262–3 As to the working of it, you must provide your Brakes and Tewtawes both,..the brake which bruises and toughens the harl, and the Tewtaw that cuts and divides out the coare. 1727Bailey vol. II, A Tew-tow, a Tool to break or beat Flax with. 1847–78Halliwell, Tewter, an instrument for breaking flax, as a brake for hemp. Chesh. 1879G. F. Jackson Shropsh. Word-bk., Tewter.
▪ II. † tewtaw, v. Obs.
Also 9 dial. tewter.
[Goes with prec., q.v.]
trans. To beat or dress (hemp or flax); = taw v.1 Hence tewtawing vbl. n.
1601Holland Pliny (1634) II. 2 Before it can be occupied, it must be watered, dried, braked, tew-tawed, and with much labor..reduced..to be as soft and tender as wooll. 1669Worlidge Syst. Agric. (1681) 333 To Tew-taw Hemp. 1707Mortimer Husb. (1721) I. 155 The Method and Way of Watering, Pilling, Braking, Tew-tawing, &c. of Hemp and Flax. 1755Johnson, Te′wtaw (formed from tew by reduplication), to beat, to break. 1879G. F. Jackson Shropsh. Word-bk., Tewter, to beat and break the hemp⁓stalk after it had been subjected to the action of fire. |