tether

American  

[teth-er] / ˈtɛð ər /

noun

1. a rope, chain, or the like, by which an animal is fastened to a fixed object so as to limit its range of movement.

2. the utmost length to which one can go in action; the utmost extent or limit of ability or resources.

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verb (used with object)

1. to fasten or confine with or as if with a tether.

2. Digital Technology.  to use (an electronic device, usually a smartphone or tablet) to enable a wireless internet connection on another nearby device, often a laptop.

   There's no Wi-Fi, so I'll have to tether my phone to my laptop.

verb (used without object)

1. Digital Technology.  to use an electronic device to enable a wireless internet connection on another device.

idioms

1. at the end of one's tether,  at the end of one's resources, patience, or strength.

tether British  

/ ˈtɛðə /

noun

1. a restricting rope, chain, etc, by which an animal is tied to a particular spot

2. the range of one's endurance, etc

3. distressed or exasperated to the limit of one's endurance

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verb

1. (tr) to tie or limit with or as if with a tether

tether More Idioms  

1. see end of one's rope (tether).

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Other Word Forms

• untethering adjective

Etymology

Origin of tether

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English (noun); compare Old Norse tjōthr, Dutch tuier

Example Sentences

An arbitrator ends the “reserve clause” that had tethered players to one employer for life, triggering the largest salary gains of any group of employees, anywhere—and changing labor practices in all U.S. sports.

From The Wall Street Journal

Taking steroids, he added, had been a "stupid decision of my own", adding that he was "tired of being tethered to this solution".

From BBC

If Hungary’s strongman prime minister, Viktor Orbán, remains firmly tethered to the Trumpist right and the cosplay intellectuals of the “national conservative” movement, he also looks to be sui generis in several ways.

From Salon

Our slow collective drift from one another isn’t just about screens, after all, but the endless micro-obligations that keep us tethered to them.

From The Wall Street Journal

Alternatively, a homeowner with a portable mortgage could be less tethered to a house that no longer suits their needs.

From Barron's

Related Words

• cord
• harness
• leash
• rope
• shackle