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lather

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lath⋅er

1  [lath-er]
Use lather in a Sentence
–noun
1. foam or froth made by a detergent, esp. 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)
4. to form a lather: a soap that lathers well.
5. to become covered with lather, as a horse.
–verb (used with object)
6. to apply lather to; cover with lather: He lathered his face before shaving.
7. Informal. to beat or whip.
Origin:
bef. 950; ME; OE lēathor soap; c. ON lauthr (Icel löthur) lather, foam

Related forms:
lath⋅er⋅er, noun
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lath⋅er

2  [lath-er, lah-ther]
–noun
a worker who puts up laths.
Origin:
lath + -er 1
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To lather
lath·er   (lāth'ər)   
n.  

  1. A foam formed by soap or detergent agitated in water, as in washing or shaving.

  2. Froth formed by profuse sweating, as on a horse.

  3. Informal A condition of anxious or heated discomposure; agitation: The students were in a lather over the proposed restrictions.

v.   lath·ered, lath·er·ing, lath·ers

v.   tr.

  1. To spread with or as if with lather.

  2. Informal To give a beating to; whip.

v.   intr.

  1. To produce lather; foam.

  2. To become coated with lather.


[Probably from Middle English latheren, to wash or soak clothes, from Old English lēthran, to cover with lather; see leu(ə)- in Indo-European roots.]
lath'er·er n., lath'er·y adj.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

lather 
O.E. lauþr "foam, washing soda," from P.Gmc. *lauþran (cf. O.N. lauðr "washing soap, foam"), from PIE *loutrom (cf. Gaul. lautron, O.Ir. loathar "bathing tub," Gk. louein "to bathe," L. lavere "to wash"), which is from base *lou- "to wash" + instrumentative suffix *-tro-. Meaning "state of agitation" (such as induces sweating) is from 1839. The verb is from O.E. laþran, from P.Gmc. *lauþrjan.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Idioms & Phrases

lather

see in a lather.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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