# thresh

> English word · Verb · IPA /θɹɛʃ/ · frequency rank #75,489

## Definitions
1. To separate the grain from the straw or husks (chaff) by mechanical beating, with a flail or machinery, or by driving animals over them.
2. To separate the grain from the straw or husks (chaff) by mechanical beating, with a flail or machinery, or by driving animals over them.
3. To beat soundly, usually with some tool such as a stick or whip; to drub.
4. To violently toss the limbs about.
5. To belabor; to go over repeatedly, especially an argument.
6. To drive through adverse conditions (wind, waves).

## Etymology
Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *terh₁-der.?
Proto-Germanic *þreskaną
Old English þrescan
Middle English threschen
English thresh
From Middle English thresshen, threshen, threschen, from Old English þrescan, from Proto-Germanic *þreskaną.
Compare West Frisian terskje, Dutch dorsen, Low German dörschen, German dreschen, Danish tærske, Swedish tröska, Yiddish דרעשן (dreshn). Doublet of thrash.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/thresh