Thorow

Thorow is an archaic or dialectal English spelling that appeared as a variant of through and thorough in Middle English and early Scots texts. In surviving manuscripts dating roughly from the 13th to 16th centuries, thorow was used in senses corresponding to moving from one side to the other, passing through, or being thorough, similar to the modern through and thorough. The spelling reflects historical orthographic variation, where the same root could be written as thorow, thur, thor, and other forms, before standardized spelling became common.

Etymology and relationship to modern forms: Thorow is related to the modern words through and thorough, sharing a common root in the Old English and broader Germanic family. The form with the -ow ending is one of several Middle English spellings that editors and philologists encounter when studying historical texts.

Usage in historical texts: As a preposition, adverb, or adjective, thorow conveyed meanings of passage, extent, or completeness. Its usage coexisted with the later spellings through and thorough, with scribal preference and regional habits determining which form appeared in a given document.

Modern relevance: Today thorow is encountered primarily in philological work, dictionaries of Middle English, and studies of dialect variation. It is not in common modern use and is generally treated as a historical spelling variant rather than a separate contemporary term. When referenced, thorow is cited as an obsolete form illustrating the diversity of English orthography before standardization.

See also: Through, Thorough, Middle English orthography, Scots English.