ABSTRACT
I. Athirst, ME ofthurst, is a blf from OE ofthyrsted, pp of ofthyrstan: of-, here vaguely int+ thyrstan, whence 'to thirst'. OE thyrstan derives from OE thurst, whence ME thurst, later thirst, retained by E: and OE thurst is akin to OS thurst, 00 thalirstei (cf thaursus, dry), ON thorsti (cf Da torst), OHO-O durst, MD durst, MD-D dorstHomeric Or tersesthai, to become dry, Or tersainein, to dry up (vt), and Skt tarsdyati, he dries up (vt), trlyati, he thirsts, torlUs, thirsty-and also L torrire, (vt) to dry, dry up. The IE r is ·ters-, to dry (vt).
