Dree

Pronunciation

• IPA: /dɹiː/

From Middle English dreen, dreghen, dreogen, from Old English drēogan ("to do, work, perform, fulfill, take part in, conduct, lead a (certain) life, pass life, fight, wander, commit, perpetrate, do battle, wage war, experience, bear, suffer, endure, sustain, tolerate, act, labor, enjoy, be employed, be busy"), from Proto-Germanic *dreuganą ("to work, act, do military service"), from Proto-Indo-European *dhereugh- ("to hold fast"), from Proto-Indo-European *dher- ("to hold, hold fast, support"). Cognate with Scots dree, drie ("to endure, thole, suffer, bear"), Gothic (driugan, "to do military service"), Icelandic drýgja ("to commit, connect, perpetrate, lengthen"). See also dright, drighten.

Full definition of dree

Verb

1. (transitive) To suffer; bear; thole; endure; put up with; undergo.
• 1885: And redoubled pine for its dwellers I dree — Richard F. Burton, The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night (Volume 8)
2. (intransitive) To endure; brook; be able to do or continue.

Derived terms

• adree
• dree one’s weird

From Middle English dreȝ, dregh, dryȝ ("long, extended, great"), from Old English *drēog ("fit, sober, earnest") and/or Old Norse drjúgr ("extensive, sufficient"); both from Proto-Germanic *dreugaz ("extensive, firm"), from Proto-Indo-European *dhereugh- ("to hold fast"), from Proto-Indo-European *dher- ("to hold, hold fast, support"). Cognate with Scots dreich ("extensive, lasting, long-lasting, tedious, tiresome, slow"), West Frisian drege ("extensive, long-lasting"), Danish drøj ("tough, solid, heavy"), Swedish dryg ("lasting, liberal, hard, large, ample"), Icelandic drjúgur ("long, substantial, ample, heavy").

Alternative forms

• dreigh, dreegh Scotland

Adjective

1. (Now chiefly dialectal) Long; large; ample; great.
2. (Now chiefly dialectal) Great; of serious moment.
3. (Now chiefly dialectal) Tedious; wearisome; tiresome.

Derived terms

• dreely

From Middle English dreghe, dregh, from dregh, dreȝ ("long, extended, great"). See above.

Noun

1. (Now chiefly dialectal) Length; extension; the longest part.

Anagrams

• deer
• dere, de re
• rede
• reed, Reed