Emily Dickinson Lexicon

THEIR, a. [adj. pronom. Sax. hiora; Ice. theirra.]

1. Their has the sense of a pronominal adjective, denoting of them, or the possession of two or more; as, their voices; their garments; their horses; their land; their country.
2. Theirs is used as a substitute for the adjective and the noun to which it refers, and in this case, it may be the nominative to a verb. “Our land is the most extensive, but theirs is the best cultivated.” Here theirs stands as the representative of their land, and is the nominative to is. Nothing but the name of zeal appears, / 'Twixt our best actions aud the worst of theirs. Denham. In this use, theirs is not in the possessive case, for then there would be a double possessive.

THE'ISM, n. [from Gr. Θεος, God.]

The belief or acknowledgment of the existence of a God, as opposed to atheism. Theism differs from deism, for although deism implies a belief in the existence of a God, yet it signifies in modern usage a denial of revelation, which theism does not.

THE'IST, n.

One who believes in the existence of a God.

THE-IST'IC, or THE-IST'IC-AL, a.

Pertaining to theism, or to a theist; according to the doctrine of theists.

THEM, pron. [the objective case of They; and of both genders. In our mother tongue, them is an adjective, answering to the, in the dative and ablative cases of both numbers. The common people continue to use it in the plural number as an adjective, for they say, bring them horses, or them horses are to be led to water.]

Go ye to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. Matth. xxv. Then shall the king say to them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father. Matth. xxv.

THEME, n. [L. thema; Gr. θεμα, from τιθημι, to set or place.]

1. A subject or topic on which a person writes or speaks. The preacher takes a text for the theme of his discourse. When a soldier was the theme, my name / Was not far off. Shak.
2. A short dissertation composed by a student. Milton.
3. In grammar, a radical verb, or the verb in its primary absolute sense, not modified by inflections; as, the infinitive mode in English. But a large portion of the words called themes in Greek, are not the radical words, but are themselves derivative forms of the verb. The fact is the same in other languages.
4. In music, a series of notes selected as the text or subject of a new composition.

THE'MIS, n. [Gr.]

In the mythology of the Greeks, the goddess of law.

THEM'SELVES, pron.

A compound of them and selves, and added to they by way of emphasis or pointed distinction. Thus we say, they themselves have done the mischief; they can not blame others. In this case, themselves is in the nominative case, and may be considered as an emphatical pronoun. In some cases, themselves is used without they, and stands as the only nominative to the following verb. Themselves have done the mischief. This word is used also in the objective case after a verb or preposition. Things in themselves innocent, may under certain circumstances cease to be so. They open to themselves at length the way. Milton.

THEN, adv. [Goth. thanne; Sax. thanne; G. dann; D. dan. See Thence.]

1. At that time, referring to a time specified, either past or future. And the Canaanite was then in the land. Gen. xil. That is, when Abram migrated and came into Canaan. Now I know in part, but then shall I know even as I am known. 1 Cor. xii.
2. Afterward; soon afterward or immediately. First be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. Matth. v.
3. In that case; in consequence. Gal. iii. Job iii. If all this be so, then man has a natural freedom. Locke.
4. Therefore; for this reason. Now then be all thy weighty cares away. – Dryden.
5. At another time; as, now and then, at one time and another. – Milton.
6. That time. Till then who new / The force of those dire arms? – Milton.

THENCE, adv. [thens; Sax. thanan, thanon; G. dannen; from than, dann, then, supra. Then signifies properly place, or set time, from setting, and thence is derived from it. So the Germans say, von dannen, from thence.]

1. From that place. When you depart thence, shake off the dust of your feet. – Mark vi. It is more usual, though not necessary, to use from before thence. Then will I send and fetch thee from thence. – Gen. xxvii.
2. From that time. There shall be no more thence an infant of days. – Is. lxv.
3. For that reason. Not to sit idle with so great a gift / Useless, and thence ridiculous about him. – Milton.

THENCE-FORTH', adv. [thens'forth. thence and forth.]

From that time. If the salt hath lost its savor, it is thenceforth good for nothing. – Matth. v. This is also preceded by from, though not from any necessity. And from thenceforth Pilate sought to release him. – John xix.

THENCE-FOR'WARD, adv. [thence and forward.]

From that time onward. – Kettlewell.

THENCE-FROM', adv. [thence and from.]

From that place. [Not in use.] – Smith.

THE-OC'RA-CY, n. [Fr. theocracie; It. teocrazia; Sp. teocracia; Gr. Θεος, God, and κρατος, power; κρατεω, to hold.]

Government of a state by the immediate direction of God; or the state thus governed. Of this species the Israelites furnish an illustrious example. The theocracy lasted till the time of Saul.

THE-OC'RA-SY, n. [Gr. θεος, and κρασις, mixture.]

In ancient philosophy, an intimate union of the soul with God in contemplation.

THE-O-CRAT'IC, or THE-O-CRAT'IC-AL, a.

Pertaining to a theocracy; administered by the immediate direction of God; as, the theocratical state of the Israelites. The government of the Israelites was theocratic.

THE-O-CRIST'IC, a. [Gr. θεος and χριστος.]

Anointing by God.

THE'OD-I-CY, n. [Gr. Θεος, and L. dico, to speak.]

The science of God; metaphysical theology. – Leibnitz. Encyc.

THE-OD'O-LITE, n. [Qu. Gr. θεω, to run, and δολιχος, long.]

An instrument for taking the hights and distances of objects, or for measuring horizontal and vertical angles in land-surveying. – Johnson. Cyc.

THE-OG'ON-IST, n.

A writer on theogony.

THE-OG'O-NY, n. [Fr. theogonie; Gr. θεογονια; Θεος, God, and γονη, or γινομαι, to be born.]

In mythology, the generation of the gods; or that branch of heathen theology which taught the genealogy of their deities. Hesiod composed a poem concerning that theogony, or the creation of the world and the descent of the gods.

THE-OL'O-GAS-TER, n.

A kind of quack in divinity; as, a quack in medicine is called medicaster. Burton.

THE-O-LO'GI-AN, n. [See Theology.]

A divine; a person well versed in theology, or a professor of divinity. Milton.

THE-O-LOG'IC, or THE-O-LOG'IC-AL, a. [See Theology.]

Pertaining to divinity, or the science of God and of divine things; as, a theological treatise; theological criticism. Swift. Cyc.

THE-O-LOG'IC-AL-LY, adv.

According to the principles of theology.