▪ I.†thester,n.Obs.Forms: 1 ðiostru, -tro, þeostru, ðiestru, þystru, -o, 2 þeostre, 3 þuster, 4 þustre, 4 þestri, þester, 4–5 thestre, 5 thestur.[OE.ðíestru, þéostru,fem.(orig.of the -î decl.)=OS.thiustrî; alsoOE.ðíestre, þéostre,pl.-ru, neut.;f.thester a.]Darkness. lit.and fig.Beowulf 87Seþe in þystrum bad.
c897K. ælfredGregory's Past. C. xxxv. 244Se dæᵹ bið ierres dæᵹ & ðiestra ðæᵹ.
a900tr.Bæda'sHist.v. xiii.[xii.](1890) 426He mec forlet in middum þæm þeostrum.
c1000Ags.Gosp.Matt.xxii. 13Wurpaþ hyne on þa uttran þystro[c 1160 Hatton G. þeostran, Rushw. ðiostre, Lindisf. ðiostrum].
c1175Lamb.Hom.131He ledde heom of þeostran and of scadewe.
a1250Owl & Night. 230Hit luuyeþ þuster & hateþ lyht.
c1315Shoreham v. 130Þaȝ hyt were þustre of nyȝt.
13..E.E.Allit.P. B. 1775Þay þrongen þeder in þe þester.
c1400Destr. Troy 4629Thunret in the thestur throly with all.
a1400–50Alexander 4627Quen it walows & wannes all oure thestres.
Hence †ˈthesterful, þeosterful a., full of darkness; †theosterleyk (Orm. þeossterrleȝȝc), darkness.c1000ælfricHom.II. 350Se engel me lædde..to anre þeostorfulre stowe.
c1000Ags.Gosp.Matt.vi. 23Eall þin lic-hama byð ðysterfull[c 1160 Hatton G. þeosterful].
c1200Ormin 2964,I þiss lifess þeossterrleȝȝc.
▪ II.†thester,a.Obs.Forms: 1 ðiostre, *ðiestre, þystre, þiostor, 1–2 þeoster (-or, -ur), 1–3 þeostre, 2 þiestre, þostre, 2–3 þestre, 2–4 þester, 3 þuster, -re, þestere, (Orm. þessterr), 4 þyestre, þister, þyster, 4–5 thester, -ir, 5 thestur.[OE.þíostre, þéostre, inWS.(with umlaut) þíestre, þýstre,=OS.thiustri,OFris.thiustere,MDu.dûster (Du.duister,MLG.,LG., G. düster),:—OTeut.*þiustr-joz. Ulterior etymology uncertain.]Dark. lit.and fig.Beowulf 2332Breost innan weoll þeostrum ᵹeþoncum.
a900tr.Bæda'sHist.v. xiii.[xii.](1890) 426Under ðæm scuan þære ðeostran nihte.
c1000Ags.Ps.(Th.) xvii[i]. 11Þa hangode swiðe þystru wæter on þam wolcnum.
c1175Cott.Hom.233H[e]sweueð hus mid þiestre nicht.
c1200Trin.Coll.Hom.39Al þis lif..is to nihte iefned, for þat it is swa þester of ure ateliche synnes.
c1200Ormin 16774Nicodem, Þatt comm till ure Laferrd O þessterr nahht.
a1300XI Pains Hell 121 in O.E.Misc.150Þe stude is þustrore þene þe nyht.
Ibid.225Þustrur þane þe nyht.
c1315Shoreham v. 146Be hyt þyster, be hyt lyȝt.
1340Ayenb. 45Þise zelleres of cloþ þet chieseþ þe þyestre stedes huer hi zelleþ hare cloþ.
c1400Destr. Troy 2362He þrong into þicke wodes, þester within.
a1500Chester Pl. (Shaks.Soc.) I. 226He maie goe no thester waie.
▪ III.†thester,v.Obs.Forms: 1 ð-, þeostrian, þiestrian, þystrian, 2 þestrian, 2–3 þ(e)ostren, 3 þustren, 4 þester.[OE.þéostrian, þíestrian,f.þéostre, thester a.Cf.G. düstern.]1.intr.To become dark, growdim.a900tr.Bæda'sHist.v. xiii.[xii.](1890) 426Þa ᵹeseah ic..onginnan ðeostrian ða stowe.
c1000ælfricGen.xlviii. 10Israheles eaᵹan þystrodon for þære micclan ylde.
1154O.E.Chron.an. 1135 (LaudMS.)Þa þestrede þe dæi ouer al landes.
c1175Lamb.Hom.143Steorren sculen þeostren.
c1205Lay.4574Þeostrede[c 1275 þustrede]þa wolcne.
2.trans.To make dark, darken; todim.c888K. ælfredBoeth. xxxviii. §5Se dæᵹ blent & þiostrað heora eaᵹan.
c950Lindisf.Gosp.Mark xiii. 24Sunna bið ᵹe-ðiostrod.
a1225Ancr. R. 94Þet heo her þeostreð nu ham suluen.
