Thrash (?), Thresh (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Thrashed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Thrashing.] [OE. reschen, reshen, to beat, AS. erscan, rescan; akin to D. dorschen, OD. derschen, G. dreschen, OHG. dreskan, Icel. reskja, Sw. troska, Dan. taerske, Goth. riskan, Lith. traszketi to rattle, Russ. treskate to burst, crackle, tresk' a crash, OSlav. troska a stroke of lighting. Cf. Thresh.]
1.
To beat out grain from, as straw or husks; to beat the straw or husk of (grain) with a flail; to beat off, as the kernels of grain; as, to thrash wheat, rye, or oats; to thrash over the old straw.
The wheat was reaped, thrashed, and winnowed by machines.
H. Spencer.
2.
To beat soundly, as with a stick or whip; to drub.
© Webster 1913.
Thrash, Thresh, v. t.
1.
To practice thrashing grain or the like; to perform the business of beating grain from straw; as, a man who thrashes well.
2.
Hence, to labor; to toil; also, to move violently.
I rather would be Maevius, thrash for rhymes,
Like his, the scorn and scandal of the times.
Dryden.
© Webster 1913.
Thresh (?), v. t. & i. [imp. & p. p. Threshed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Threshing.]
Same as Thrash.
He would thresh, and thereto dike and delve.
Chaucer.
© Webster 1913.