9 results for: Nether

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This

neth·er

Audio Help [neth-er] Pronunciation Key

–adjective

1.	lying or believed to lie beneath the earth's surface; infernal: the nether regions.

2.	lower or under: his nether lip.

[Origin: bef. 900; ME nethere, OE neothera, nithera, deriv. of nither down (c. G nieder), lit., further down, equiv. to ni- down + -ther comp. suffix

]

—Related forms

neth·er·ward, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
Nether

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American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

neth·er Audio Help (něth'ər) Pronunciation Key
adj. Located beneath or below; lower or under: the nether regions of the earth.

[Middle English, from Old English neothera, from neother, down.]

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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
nether

O.E. niþera, neoþera "down, downwards, below, beneath," from P.Gmc. *nitheraz (cf. O.S. nithar, O.N. niðr, O.Fris. nither, Du. neder, Ger. nieder), comp. of PIE *ni- "down, below" (cf. Skt. ni "down," nitaram "downward," Gk. neiothen "from below," O.C.S. nizu "low, down"). Has been replaced in most senses by lower. The Netherlands formerly included Flanders and thus were equivalent geographically and etymologically to the Low Countries.

WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This

nether
adjective
1.	lower; "gnawed his nether lip"
2.	dwelling beneath the surface of the earth; "nether regions" [syn: chthonian]
3.	located below or beneath something else; "nether garments"; "the under parts of a machine"

U.S. Gazetteer - Cite This Source - Share This

Nether Providence Township, PA (CDP, FIPS 53112) Location: 39.89793 N, 75.36818 W
Population (1990): 13229 (5045 housing units)
Area: 12.2 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water)

U.S. Gazetteer, U.S. Census Bureau

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Nether

Be*neath"\, prep. [OE. benethe, bineo[eth]en, AS. beneo[eth]an, beny[eth]an; pref. be- + neo[eth]an, ny[eth]an, downward, beneath, akin to E. nether. See Nether.]

1. Lower in place, with something directly over or on; under; underneath; hence, at the foot of. "Beneath the mount." --Ex. xxxii. 19.

Beneath a rude and nameless stone he lies. --Pope.

2. Under, in relation to something that is superior, or that oppresses or burdens.

Our country sinks beneath the yoke. --Shak.

3. Lower in rank, dignity, or excellence than; as, brutes are beneath man; man is beneath angels in the scale of beings. Hence: Unworthy of; unbecoming.

He will do nothing that is beneath his high station. --Atterbury.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Nether

Nest\, n. [AS. nest; akin to D. & G. nest, Sw. n["a]ste, L. nidus, for nisdus, Skr. n[=i]?a resting place, nest; cf. Lith. lizdas, Arm. neiz, Gael. & Ir. nead. Prob. from the particle ni down, Skr. ni + the root of E. sit, and thus orig., a place to sit down in. [root] 264. See Nether, and Sit, and cf. Eyas, Nidification, Nye.]

1. The bed or receptacle prepared by a fowl for holding her eggs and for hatching and rearing her young.

The birds of the air have nests. --Matt. viii. 20.

2. Hence: the place in which the eggs of other animals, as insects, turtles, etc., are laid and hatched; a snug place in which young animals are reared. --Bentley.

3. A snug, comfortable, or cozy residence or situation; a retreat, or place of habitual resort; hence, those who occupy a nest, frequent a haunt, or are associated in the same pursuit; as, a nest of traitors; a nest of bugs.

A little cottage, like some poor man's nest. --Spenser.

4. (Geol.) An aggregated mass of any ore or mineral, in an isolated state, within a rock.

5. A collection of boxes, cases, or the like, of graduated size, each put within the one next larger.

6. (Mech.) A compact group of pulleys, gears, springs, etc., working together or collectively.

Nest egg, an egg left in the nest to prevent the hen from forsaking it, and to induce her to lay more in the same place; hence, figuratively, something laid up as the beginning of a fund or collection. --Hudibras.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Nether

Neth"er\, a. [OE. nethere, neithere, AS. ni?era, fr. the adv. ni?er downward; akin to neo?an below, beneath, D. neder down, G. nieder, Sw. nedre below, nether, a. & adv., and also to Skr. ni down. [root]201. Cf. Beneath.] Situated down or below; lying beneath, or in the lower part; having a lower position; belonging to the region below; lower; under; -- opposed to upper.

'Twixt upper, nether, and surrounding fires. --Milton.

This darksome nether world her light Doth dim with horror and deformity. --Spenser.

All my nether shape thus grew transformed. --Milton.

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