lather

1
[ lath-er ]
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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.

  1. 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.

Origin of lather

1
before 950; Middle English; Old English lēathor soap; cognate with Old Norse lauthr (Icelandic löthur) lather, foam

Other words from lather

  • lath·er·er, noun
  • un·lath·ered, adjective

Other definitions for lather (2 of 2)

lather2
[ lath-er, lah-ther ]

noun
  1. a worker who puts up laths.

Origin of lather

2

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use lather in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for lather

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

  1. informal a state of agitation or excitement

verb
  1. to coat or become coated with lather

  2. (intr) to form a lather

Origin of lather

1
Old English lēathor soap; related to Old Norse lauthr foam

Derived forms of lather

  • lathery, adjective

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.

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.