What does "thou" mean?
A unit of length equal to one thousandth of an inch (25.4 µm).
Thou
/ðaʊ/ adv, conj, noun, pron, verb, slang
adv, conj, noun, pron, verb, slang ·Moderate ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A unit of length equal to one thousandth of an inch (25.4 µm).
- Grammar: thou is listed as adv, conj, noun, pron, verb, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: 1000, chiliad, g, grand.
- Useful contrasts: thee.
- Usage evidence: Search not the wound too deep lest thou make a new one.
How to use "thou"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "thou" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "thou" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "thou" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "thou" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "thou" is acting as adv, conj, noun, pron, verb, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "1000" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "thou", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A unit of length equal to one thousandth of an inch (25.4 µm).
"We just wanted to take off a few thou, which we easily did with fine sandpaper."
- 2 A thousand, especially a thousand of some currency (dollars, pounds sterling, etc.). slang
"Whoa there, big spender — that'll cost you a few thou. Are you sure you can afford it?"
- 3 the cardinal number that is the product of 10 and 100 wordnet
Verb
- 1 To address (a person) using the pronoun thou, especially as an expression of contempt or familiarity. transitive
"Don’t thou them as thous thee! – a Yorkshire English admonition to overly familiar children"
- 2 To use the word thou. intransitive
"The hardcore role-players will wake up one day feeling, like a dead weight on their chest, the strain of endless texting in Renaissance Faire English—yet dutifully go on theeing and thouing all the same."
Adverb
- 1 Misspelling of though. alt-of, misspelling, not-comparable
Pronoun
- 1 Nominative singular of ye (“you”). archaic, dialectal, form-of, literary, nominative, singular
"[...] Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall giue thee light."
- 2 Honorific alternative letter-case form of thou, sometimes used when referring to God or another important figure who is understood from context. alt-of, honorific
Conjunction
- 1 Misspelling of though. alt-of, misspelling
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"Search not the wound too deep lest thou make a new one."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "thou"?
Common synonyms include: 1000, chiliad, g, grand, k, kilo.
How do you use "thou" in a sentence?
Search not the wound too deep lest thou make a new one.
How do you pronounce "thou"?
Pronounced /ðaʊ/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From Middle English thou, tho, thogh, thoue, thouȝ, thow, thowe, tou, towe, thu, thue, thugh, tu, you (Northern England), ðhu, þeou, þeu, þou (the latter three early Southwest England), from Old English þū, from Proto-West Germanic *þū, from Proto-Germanic *þū (“you (singular), thou”), from Proto-Indo-European *túh₂ (“you, thou”). cognates and usage evolution The English word is cognate with Saterland Frisian du (“thou”), West Frisian do (“thou”), dialectal Dutch du, dou, douw (“thou”), Limburgish doe (“thou”), Low German du (“thou”), German du (“thou”), Danish du (“thou”), Swedish du (“thou”), Norwegian Nynorsk du (“thou”), Faroese tú (“thou”), Icelandic þú (“thou”), Gothic 𐌸𐌿 (þu, “thou”), Latin tu, Ancient Greek σύ (sú) (Doric Ancient Greek τύ (tú), Greek εσύ (esý)), Irish tu, Lithuanian tu, Old Church Slavonic тꙑ (ty), Welsh ti, Armenian դու (du), Albanian ti, Persian تو (to). The informality of thou and its replacement by ye in formal situations date only to the 14th century and come from French influence, since French (as many European languages, but not Old English) uses the second-person plural (vous) instead of the second-person singular (tu) as a mark of politeness or respect.
Etymology 2
From Late Middle English thouen, theu, thew, thou, thowe, thowen, thui, thuy (“to address (a person) with thou, particularly in a contemptuous or polite manner”), from the pronoun thou: see etymology 1 above.
Etymology 3
Clipping of thou(sandth).
Etymology 4
Clipping of thou(sand).
Etymology 5
See though.