lather

¹

[lath-er]

noun

1. foam or froth made by a detergent, especially soap, when stirred or rubbed in water, as by a brush used in shaving or by hands in washing.

2. foam or froth formed in profuse sweating, as on a horse.

3. Informal.,  a state of excitement, agitation, nervous tension, or the like.

   He was in a lather over my delay.

verb (used without object)

1. to form a lather.

   a soap that lathers well.

2. to become covered with lather, as a horse.

verb (used with object)

1. to apply lather to; cover with lather.

   He lathered his face before shaving.

2. Informal.,  to beat or whip.

lather

²

[lath-er, lah-ther]

noun

1. a worker who puts up laths.

lather

/ ˈlɑːðə, ˈlæ- /

noun

1. foam or froth formed by the action of soap or a detergent in water

2. foam formed by other liquid, such as the sweat of a horse

3. informal,  a state of agitation or excitement

verb

1. to coat or become coated with lather

2. (intr) to form a lather

Other Word Forms

• latherer noun
• unlathered adjective
• lathery adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of lather¹

before 950; Middle English; Old English lēathor soap; cognate with Old Norse lauthr ( Icelandic löthur ) lather, foam

Origin of lather²

lath + -er ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of lather¹

Old English lēathor soap; related to Old Norse lauthr foam

Idioms and Phrases

see in a lather.

Example Sentences

Three days later he returned, the horses lathered and winded as if they had run the Derby.

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A good sport, he changed into a towel and robe and patiently waited for his cue to start lathering up.

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"You can see the problem from Mars," another party insider says, "there's not enough political direction of what he wants to do – so the policies don't lather up into anything". they reckon.

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Now he says he's frightened by the sun and lathers himself up in SPF before even thinking about stepping outdoors.

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Featuring questionable special effects, costumes and rock star Sting lathered in baby oil, the Guardian's Charles Bramesco wrote that Lynch's experiments left the franchise "radioactive for decades".

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Related Words

• froth