† for-thonconj.
Obsolete.
1. For this reason, therefore. In Middle English sometimes repeated, forþon..forþon ‘for this reason..that’.
ΘΚΠ
the world > existence and causation > causation > effect, result, or consequence > effect or result [conjunction] > therefore
for-thonc900
for-thyc1000
c900 tr. Bede Eccl. Hist. (1890) iii. xiii. [xv.] 198 He forðon eallum ge þisse worulde aldormonnum wæs leof.
c1000 West Saxon Gospels: Matt. (Corpus Cambr.) vi. 25 Forþam [c1160 Hatton Forþan] ic secge eow þæt [etc.].
c1175 Lamb. Hom. 95 Forðon wes þe halia gast on culfren onlicnesse bufan criste, forðon he wes [etc.].
c1275 (?a1200) Laȝamon Brut (Calig.) (1963) l. 497 For þon [c1300 Otho for þan] ȝif hit eow bi-loueð..fare we from þisse londe.
c1320 Cast. Love 1072 He scholde neuer die for þon.
c1394 P. Pl. Crede 27 By a fraynyng for-þan faileþ þer manye.
1447 O. Bokenham Lyvys Seyntys (1835) 43 Not forthan I wyl not blynne.
1674 J. Ray N. Countrey Words in Coll. Eng. Words 19 Forthen and Forthy, therefore.
2. For the reason that, because.
ΘΚΠ
the world > existence and causation > causation > cause or reason > [conjunction] > because
forth thatc888
for-thonOE
forthy thec1000
for thatc1175
forthon thatc1175
forwhyc1384
for why thata1400
cause1556
'cos1828
OE Beowulf 149 Forþam [secgum] wearð, ylda bearnum undyrne cuð.
c1175 Lamb. Hom. 17 Hit is riht þet me hem spille, forþan betere hit is [etc.].
a1325 (c1250) Gen. & Exod. (1968) l. 1996 Putifar..bogte ioseph, al forðan He wulde don is lechur-hed Wið ioseph.
Derivatives
for-thon the conj. = sense 2.
ΚΠ
c893 tr. Orosius Hist. (1883) i. i. 24 For ðon þe sio sunne þær gæð near on sett þonne on oðrum lande, þær [etc.].
c1000 West Saxon Gospels: Matt. (Corpus Cambr.) xiv. 24 For-þam [c1160 Hatton for-þan] þe hyt wæs strang wind.
c1200 Trin. Coll. Hom. 107 Leomene fader we clepeð ure drihten for þan þe he sunne atend.
forthon that conj. = sense 2.
ΘΚΠ
the world > existence and causation > causation > cause or reason > [conjunction] > because
forth thatc888
for-thonOE
forthy thec1000
for thatc1175
forthon thatc1175
forwhyc1384
for why thata1400
cause1556
'cos1828
c1175 Lamb. Hom. 53 For þon þet he scolde swote smelle.
c1250 Owl & Night. 780 And for þan þat hit no wit not Ne mai his strenghe hit ischilde.
1340 Ayenbite (1866) 184 Vor þan þet roboam..uorlet þane red of þe yealden guode men..he uor-leas þet gratteste del of his kingdome.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1897; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
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conj.c893