lather

[ lath-er ]

/ ˈlæð ər /

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noun

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.

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

Informal. a state of excitement, agitation, nervous tension, or the like: He was in a lather over my delay.

verb (used without object)

to form a lather: a soap that lathers well.

to become covered with lather, as a horse.

verb (used with object)

to apply lather to; cover with lather: He lathered his face before shaving.

Informal. to beat or whip.

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His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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Origin of lather

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

OTHER WORDS FROM lather

lath·er·er, nounun·lath·ered, adjective

Other definitions for lather (2 of 2)

lather²

[ lath-er, lah-ther ]

/ ˈlæθ ər, ˈlɑ θər /

noun

a worker who puts up laths.

Origin of lather

lath + -er¹

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use lather in a sentence

“The work that I began my practice with is the Lathering and Shaving,” he said.
The Original Apple Icon|Anthony Haden-Guest|October 6, 2010|DAILY BEAST
Strategies run the gamut from freezing everything you own to lathering your body in a mix of rubbing alcohol and lavender oil.
Vigilante Bedbug Exterminators|Brian Ries|August 27, 2010|DAILY BEAST
Possibly, he would not shy at such monstrosities after twenty miles of a lathering ride.
The Red Year|Louis Tracy
Work slackened at the capstan, and for the moment the guards forgot to drive their lathering slaves there.
Cursed|George Allan England

For a time I even succeeded in working myself up into a lathering frenzy of belief in what I was doing.
Tramping on Life|Harry Kemp
Such a pell-mell, such a welter, cavalry and musketeers all jumbled: our King must have given them a dreadful lathering.
History of Friedrich II. of Prussia, Vol. XVIII. (of XXI.)|Thomas Carlyle
One will mean the Rockies or the misty mountain, saddels, foamy bits and lathering horses.
The Hive|Will Levington Comfort

British Dictionary definitions for lather

lather

/ (ˈlɑːðə, ˈlæ-) /

noun

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

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

informal a state of agitation or excitement

verb

to coat or become coated with lather

(intr) to form a lather

Derived forms of lather

lathery, adjective

Word Origin for lather

Old English lēathor soap; related to Old Norse lauthr foam

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with lather

lather

see in a lather.

lather

Origin of lather

OTHER WORDS FROM lather

Other definitions for lather (2 of 2)

Origin of lather

Words related to lather

How to use lather in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for lather

Derived forms of lather

Word Origin for lather

Other Idioms and Phrases with lather