Terve

Origin

From Middle English terven, tervien, from Old English *tyrfian ("to cast down, tumble, fall") (in compound Ä¡etyrfan, Ä¡etyrfian ("to assail with missiles; attack, assault"), Ä¡etorfian ("to stone")), from Proto-Germanic *tirbijanÄ…, *tarbijanÄ… ("to wind, twirl, fling"), from Proto-Indo-European *derbÊ°- ("to wind, twist"). Cognate with Old High German zerben ("to spin, rotate"). Also in compound in Middle English overterven, in toppe overterve >

topsytervy >

English topsyturvy. Compare tervy, tirfe.

Full definition of terve

Verb

1. (intransitive) To fall; be thrown down.
2. (transitive) To dash down; cast; throw: in combination with over; to overthrow; overturn.
3. (transitive) To turn down or back; roll or fold over.

Related terms

• topsyturvy