† lithern.
Obsolete.
A sling.
ΘΚΠ
society > armed hostility > military equipment > weapon > device for discharging missiles > [noun] > sling
litherc725
slinga1387
staff-slingc1386
slacky1653
stick sling1824
c725 Corpus Gloss. (Hessels) F 385 Funda, liðre.
c900 tr. Bede Eccl. Hist. (1890) iv. xvii. [xiii.] 304 Swa micelre brædo swa mon mæge mid liðeran geweorpan.
1297 R. Gloucester's Chron. (Rolls) 8124 Me ne miȝte noȝt ise bote arwen & flon, & stones out of liþeren [v.r. leþeren].
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1903; most recently modified version published online June 2019).
litheradj.adv.
/ˈlɪðə/ A. adj.† 1. † b. absol. quasi-n. singular. Evil in the abstract. plural. Bad men.† 2. † b. of the air: Foul, pestilential. Obsolete.
a. Of persons, their actions, dispositions, etc.: Bad, wicked; base, rascally unjust. Also of an animal: Ill-tempered. Obsolete.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > goodness and badness > badness or evil > [adjective]
woughc888
litherc893
frakeda900
sinnyc950
unrighteouseOE
baleOE
manOE
unfeleOE
ungoodc1000
unwrasta1122
illc1175
nithec1175
wickc1175
hinderfulc1200
quedec1275
wickedc1275
wondlichc1275
unkindc1325
badc1330
divers1340
wrakefula1350
felonousc1374
flagitiousc1384
lewdc1386
noughta1387
ungoodly1390
unquertc1390
diverse1393
felona1400
imperfectc1400
unfairc1400
unfinec1400
unblesseda1425
meschant?c1450
naughtyc1460
feculent1471
sinister1474
noughty?1490
ill-deedya1500
pernicious?1533
scelerous1534
naught1536
goodlyc1560
nefarious1567
iron1574
felly1583
paganish1587
improbate1596
malefactious1607
villain1607
infand1608
scelestious1609
illful1613
scelestic1628
inimicitious1641
infandous1645
iniquous1655
improbous1657
malefactory1667
perta1704
iniquitous1726
unracy1782
unredeemed1799
demoralized1800
fetid1805
scarlet1820
gammy1832
nefast1849
disvaluable1942
badass1955
bad-assed1962
the mind > goodness and badness > harmfulness > [adjective]
litherc893
scathefulc900
balefulOE
orneOE
teenfulOE
evilc1175
venomousc1290
scathela1300
prejudiciala1325
fell?c1335
harmfula1340
grievous1340
ill1340
wicked1340
noisomea1382
venomed1382
noyfulc1384
damageousc1386
mischievousc1390
unwholesomea1400
undisposingc1400
damnablec1420
prejudiciable1429
contagiousc1440
damagefulc1449
pestiferous1458
damageable1474
pestilent?a1475
nuisable1483
nocible1490
nuisible1490
nuisant1494
noxiousa1500
nocent?c1500
pestilential1531
tortious1532
pestilentious1533
nocive1538
offensivea1548
vitiating1547
dangerous1548
offending1552
dispendious1557
injurious1559
offensible1575
offensant1578
baneful1579
incommodious1579
prejudicious1579
prejudical1595
inimicous1598
damnifiable1604
taking1608
obnoxious1612
nocivousc1616
mischieving1621
nocuous1627
nocumentous1644
disserviceable1645
inimical1645
detrimentous1648
injuring1651
detrimental1656
inimicitial1656
nocumental1657
incommodous1677
fatal1681
inimic1696
nociferous1706
damnific1727
inimicable1805
violational1821
insalutary1836
detrimentary1841
wronging1845
unsalvatory1850
damaging1856
damnous1870
wack1986
the world > action or operation > harm or detriment > [adjective] > harmful or injurious
litherc893
scathefulc900
orneOE
teenfulOE
atterlichc1050
evilc1175
wicka1250
scathela1300
deringa1325
unkindc1330
harmfula1340
ill1340
wicked1340
shrewdc1380
noisomea1382
venomed1382
noyfulc1384
damageousc1386
infectivea1398
unwholesomea1400
annoying?c1400
mischievous1414
damnablec1420
contagiousc1430
mischievable?a1439
damagefulc1449
damageable1474
unhappy1474
nuisable1483
nocible1490
nuisible1490
nuisant1494
noxiousa1500
nocent?c1500
hurtful1526
sinistral1534
nocive1538
offendent1547
offensivea1548
dangerous1548
naughtya1555
dispendious1557
offensible1575
wrackful1578
baneful1579
hindersome1580
scandalizing1593
damnifiable1604
taking1608
toadish1611
illful1613
nocivousc1616
mischieving1621
nocuous1627
obnoxious1638
nocumentous1644
vicious1656
nocumental1657
abnoxious1680
dungeonable1691
offending1694
hurtsomea1699
nociferous1706
sinister1726
damnific1727
hazardous1748
slaughtering1811
damaging1856
damnous1870
lethal1942
society > morality > moral evil > wickedness > [adjective]
litherc893
unledeeOE
evil971
missOE
murkOE
unrighteousOE
unseelyOE
un-i-seliOE
unselec1050
wickc1175
foul-itowenc1225
unwrast?c1225
un-i-felec1275
wickedc1275
wrakefula1350
felonousc1374
unquertc1390
unperfect1395
felona1400
wanc1440
meschant?c1450
sinnyc1475
unselc1480
poison?1527
pernicious?1533
scelerous1534
viperous?1548
improbate1596
scelestious1609
scelestic1628
spider-like1655
dark-hearted1656
demonic1796
nineteda1798
sinful1863
c893 tr. Orosius Hist. vi. xxxvi Ac se ealdormon hie betæhte lyþrum monnum to healdonne.
c1000 West Saxon Gospels: Luke (Corpus Cambr.) xix. 22 Of þinum muðe ic ðe deme la lyðra þeowa.
a1175 Cott. Hom. 241 Iudas and þat leoðre folc hit repen.
?c1225 (?a1200) Ancrene Riwle (Cleo. C.vi) (1972) 187 & is forþi umben deiȝes & nichtes to vnlimen ow wið wreððe oðer wið luðer onde.
1297 R. Gloucester's Chron. (Rolls) 1873 A luþer emperour biuore þat het maximian.
1340–70 Alex. & Dind. 272 Al luþur bi-leue we loþen in herte.
1362 W. Langland Piers Plowman A. v. 98 Þus I liue loueles lyk A luþer dogge.
a1400–50 Alexander 840 Sa he lost has þe lyfe for his leþer [Dublin MS. lether] wordis.
a1529 J. Skelton Poems against Garnesche in Poet Wks. (1843) I. 130 The follest slouen ondyr heuen, Prowde, peuiche, lyddyr, and lewde.
1546 J. Heywood Dialogue Prouerbes Eng. Tongue i. xii. sig. F All folk thought them..to lyther, To lynger both in one house to gyther.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > goodness and badness > badness or evil > [noun]
woughc888
naughteOE
manOE
evilness1000
fakenOE
witherfulnessc1200
lithera1225
villainy?c1225
lithernessa1240
unwrastshipa1250
felonyc1290
shrewheadc1290
litherhead1297
illa1300
wicknessa1300
follyc1300
iniquity13..
shrewdom13..
wickhedec1305
shrewdheadc1315
shrewdnessc1315
unwrastnessc1315
wickednessa1340
malicea1382
unequityc1384
lewdnessa1387
mischiefa1387
wickedleka1400
wickedredea1400
badnessc1400
shrewdshipc1400
shrewnessc1425
ungoodlihead1430
wickdomc1440
rudenessc1451
mauvasty1474
unkindliness1488
noughtinessa1500
perversenessa1500
illnessc1500
filthiness?1504
noisomeness1506
naughtiness?1529
noughtihoodc1540
inexcellence1590
improbity1593
flagition1598
meschancy1609
scelerateness1613
pravity1620
meschantnessa1630
flagitiousness1692
flagitiosity1727
nefariousness1727
bale-fire1855
ill-conditionedness1866
iniquitousness1870
society > morality > moral evil > [noun]
evilc1040
darknessOE
lithera1225
illa1300
illnessc1500
society > morality > moral evil > wickedness > [noun] > wicked person > wicked people
lithera1225
unjustc1384
wicked1393
a1225 St. Marher 3 Ne ne let tu neauer mi sawle forleosen wiþ the forlorne ne wiþ the luðere mi lif.
1340–70 Alex. & Dind. 629 Lede clanly ȝour lif & no luþur wirche.
1393 W. Langland Piers Plowman C. xviii. 82 Thus are þe lithere lykned to lussheborue sterlinges.
c1400 (?c1380) Cleanness l. 163 For alle arn laþed luflyly, þe luþer & þe better.
c1400 (?c1380) Pearl l. 566 Oþer ellez þyn yȝe to lyþer is lyfte.
a. Of things: Bad (in various senses, chiefly physical); poor, sorry, ill-conditioned, ill-looking, worthless; hurtful. Of a part of the body: Withered, paralysed, impotent. Obsolete.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > goodness and badness > inferiority or baseness > wretchedness > wretched thing > [adjective]
litherc1000
unornlyOE
unwrasta1122
unornc1175
lewd1362
rascal1519
rascally1600
ratty1867
the world > health and disease > ill health > a disease > disorders of internal organs > convulsive or paralytic disorders > [adjective] > palsy or paralysis > suffering from
lamec725
paralytica1398
palsya1500
lither1513
palsied1551
shrew-run1607
stupid1634
paralysed1763
paretic1822
palsying1834
shrew-afflicted1842
shrew-struck1850
c1000 Ælfric Genesis xli. 27 Þa seofon hlænan oxan and þa seofon hlyðran ear getacniað seofon hungergear.
c1050 in T. Wright & R. P. Wülcker Anglo-Saxon & Old Eng. Vocab. (1884) I. 179/45 Lolium et cetera adulterina genera Boþen and oðre lyðre cynn.
?c1225 (?a1200) Ancrene Riwle (Cleo. C.vi) (1972) 189 Þilke reufule garcen of þe luðere schurgen.
1297 R. Gloucester's Chron. (Rolls) 621 So þat a luþer beuerege to hare biofþe hii browe.
a1330 Otuel 942 Sore he fel oppon þe grounde, & hadde a fol luþer wonde.
1340–70 Alex. & Dind. 868 Þere-fore no like no lud of his luþur fare.
1377 W. Langland Piers Plowman B. xv. 342 As in lussheborwes is a lyther alay and ȝet loketh he lyke a sterlynge.
c1400 (?c1380) Patience l. 156 For be monnes lode neuer so luþer, þe lyf is ay swete.
c1400 Ywaine & Gaw. 599 He passed..mony a playne, Til he come to that lethir sty, That him byhoved pass by.
1513 G. Douglas tr. Virgil Æneid vi. v. 17 His smotterit habit, our his schulderis lidder.
1549 T. Chaloner tr. Erasmus Praise of Folie sig. Fijv They..still daube theyr lither chekes with peintyng.
1567 A. Golding tr. Ovid Metamorphosis (new ed.) xii. f. 152v And in his lither hand he hilld a potte of wyne.
?1567 M. Parker Whole Psalter xxxvi. 95 He careth and carkth for his lytheir gayne.
1622 J. Mabbe tr. M. Alemán Rogue ii. 7 I like them [radishes] better..being thus lyther, and withered as you see, then when they are fresh and cripsie.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > cleanness and dirtiness > dirtiness > pollution or defilement > environmental pollution > [adjective] > bad air
lither1393
muddya1628
unrespirable1720
unbreathable1846
1393 W. Langland Piers Plowman C. xvi. 220 Founde ich þat..hus [the pope's] bulle myghte Letten þis luþer eir..Thenne wolde ich [etc.].
3.
a. Lazy, sluggish, spiritless; also absol. Now dialect.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > inaction > disinclination to act or listlessness > [adjective] > sluggish or heavy
slowOE
sluggy?c1225
dull1393
slowfulc1400
sluggedc1430
sluggingc1430
slugc1440
sluggishc1450
lithera1500
peakish1519
lumpish1528
sopit1528
loiterous1566
slugring1566
drowsy1570
slow-bellied1576
snailish1581
blate1597
druggly1611
jacent1611
clammy1622
loggish1642
ignave1657
sliving1661
druggle-headed1694
slow-coachish1844
loggy1847
logy1859
tardigradous1866
tardigrade1883
a1500 (a1460) Towneley Plays (1994) I. xiii. 132 Crystys curs, my knaue, Thou art a ledyr hyne!
1529 D. Lindsay Compl. 75 Thocht I be, in my askyng, lidder.
?1553 (c1501) G. Douglas Palice of Honour (London) iii. l. 1588 in Shorter Poems (1967) 100 Behald ȝe men that callys ladyis lidder.
c1560 A. Scott Poems (S.T.S.) ii. 68 Thair lanciss come to lidder & slaw.
1600 Looke about You xi. c 4 b Ile bring his lyther legges in better frame.
1611 J. Florio Queen Anna's New World of Words Badalone,..a lubbard, a lither, a loger head.
1632 J. Hayward tr. G. F. Biondi Eromena 143 The qualitie of the Princesse her servants, was not so lither and effeminate..as [etc.].
1675 T. Hobbes tr. Homer Odysses xviii. 217 The man to see to was both great and tall, Though but a lither fellow.
1820 W. Scott Abbot I. iv. 85 Thine own laziness..that doest nothing but drink and sleep..and leaves that lither lad to do the work.
1884 J. C. Egerton Sussex Folk iv. 61 ‘Lither’..was quite familiar to him in the sense of ‘idle, lazy’.
b. lither lurden: = ‘lazy lout’. Hence the lither lurden: the disease of laziness = fever-lurden n.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > inaction > disinclination to act or listlessness > sloth or laziness > [noun] > as a disease
fever-lurdenc1500
lither lurdena1590
Lombard fever1678
the world > action or operation > inaction > disinclination to act or listlessness > sloth or laziness > [noun] > lazy person > loutish or stupid
lubber1362
slouch?1518
lubber-wort1547
litherback1577
lubbard1586
lither lurdena1590
litherby1598
a1590 Marr. Wit & Wisd. (Shaks. Soc.) 13 I am alwayes troubled with the litherlurden.
1615 R. Brathwait Strappado 129 What Iockie (lither lurden) lesse for wea, Thou'st be so tattert.
4. Pliant, supple; (of the air, sky) yielding. archaic. Also, in modern dialects (influenced by lithe adj.): Agile, nimble.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > constitution of matter > softness > pliableness > [adjective]
tougha700
lithyc1000
softc1330
weak?a1366
plianta1382
persha1398
plyinga1398
lithec1400
supplec1400
plicable?a1425
curvable?1440
lethec1440
scretec1440
pliablec1475
bowable1483
bowing1483
waldinc1485
supple1513
flexible1548
limber1565
lither1565
bending1567
osier1577
wiry1588
buxom1590
withy1598
suppliable1599
renderingc1600
fluxible1607
winding1609
bendable1611
flippant1622
flexive1629
flexile1633
maniable1633
compliant1667
flectible1705
limp1706
yieldy1757
complying1774
limberly1782
willowy1791
switchy1810
wandy1825
twistable1853
bendsome1861
whippy1867
swack1868
bendy1873
the world > matter > gas > air > [adjective] > specific qualities of (the) air > yielding
lither1565
buxom1590
cessile1599
1565 T. Cooper Thesaurus s.v. Brachium, Cerea brachia, Nice and liether armes.
a1616 W. Shakespeare Henry VI, Pt. 1 (1623) iv. vii. 21 Thou antique Death..Two Talbots winged through the lither Skie, In thy despight shall scape Mortalitie. View more context for this quotation
?a1640 J. Day & H. Chettle Blind-beggar (1659) sig. G4v Vanish, I know thou art but lither Ayr, Thy hand fell lightly on me.
1643 J. Burroughes Expos. Hosea (1652) 102 They have wide, checker, lyther consciences.
1658 J. Rowland tr. T. Moffett Theater of Insects in Topsell's Hist. Four-footed Beasts (rev. ed.) 957 The Butterfly is a volatile Insect, having..two lither cornicles growing forth from before his eyes.
1807 J. Hogg Mountain Bard 103 With limbs as lydder and as lythe As duddis hung out to dry.
1860 M. F. Maury Physical Geogr. Sea (ed. 8) iv. §239 We see, as in a figure, the lither sky filled with crystal vessels full of life-giving air.
1891 ‘M. Gray’ In Heart of Storm I. 38 Boys..are made that lither and sprack they can't bide quiet long together.
Badly, wickedly; ill, poorly. Obsolete.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > goodness and badness > inferiority or baseness > wretchedness > [adverb]
noughtlyeOE
litherOE
naughtlyOE
litherlya1225
simplya1325
miseaselyc1330
wretchedlyc1340
lewdlyc1386
unhappily1390
miserably?a1425
lodderlyc1425
sorrily1496
singly1548
naughtily1574
sillily1581
lamentably1585
evilly1587
woefully1592
scurvily1616
execrably1633
grievously1742
miscreantly1744
queasily1845
fecklessly1862
God-forsakenly1913
OE Christ & Satan 62 Habbað we alle swa for ðinum leasungum lyðre gefered.
a1225 Juliana 33 Þu biwistest daniel bimong þe wode liuns ilatet se luðere.
c1275 (?a1200) Laȝamon Brut (Calig.) (1963) l. 1391 Ah toward his lifes ende him ilomp wel luðere [c1300 Otho luþre].
c1300 Proverbs of Hendyng in T. Wright & J. O. Halliwell Reliquiæ Antiquæ (1845) I. 114 Lyht chep luthere ȝeldes.
Derivatives
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > inaction > disinclination to act or listlessness > sloth or laziness > [noun] > lazy person > loutish or stupid
lubber1362
slouch?1518
lubber-wort1547
litherback1577
lubbard1586
lither lurdena1590
litherby1598
1577 H. I. tr. H. Bullinger 50 Godlie Serm. II. iii. i. sig. Bb.iii/1 He must be no litherbacke, vnapt, or slouthfull fellow.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > goodness and badness > badness or evil > [noun]
woughc888
naughteOE
manOE
evilness1000
fakenOE
witherfulnessc1200
lithera1225
villainy?c1225
lithernessa1240
unwrastshipa1250
felonyc1290
shrewheadc1290
litherhead1297
illa1300
wicknessa1300
follyc1300
iniquity13..
shrewdom13..
wickhedec1305
shrewdheadc1315
shrewdnessc1315
unwrastnessc1315
wickednessa1340
malicea1382
unequityc1384
lewdnessa1387
mischiefa1387
wickedleka1400
wickedredea1400
badnessc1400
shrewdshipc1400
shrewnessc1425
ungoodlihead1430
wickdomc1440
rudenessc1451
mauvasty1474
unkindliness1488
noughtinessa1500
perversenessa1500
illnessc1500
filthiness?1504
noisomeness1506
naughtiness?1529
noughtihoodc1540
inexcellence1590
improbity1593
flagition1598
meschancy1609
scelerateness1613
pravity1620
meschantnessa1630
flagitiousness1692
flagitiosity1727
nefariousness1727
bale-fire1855
ill-conditionedness1866
iniquitousness1870
society > morality > moral evil > wickedness > [noun]
woughc888
manOE
evilness1000
evilc1040
un-i-thora1200
witherfulnessc1200
mixshipc1225
quedeship?c1225
lithernessa1240
unwrastshipa1250
felonyc1290
shrewheadc1290
litherhead1297
wickedheada1300
wicknessa1300
follyc1300
shrewdom13..
wickhedec1305
shrewdheadc1315
shrewdnessc1315
unwrastnessc1315
wickc1330
wickednessa1340
quedehead1340
quedeness1340
lewdnessa1387
felona1400
wickedleka1400
wickedredea1400
badnessc1400
shrewdshipc1400
shrewnessc1425
wickdomc1440
noughtinessa1500
naughtiness?1529
sinfulness1530
noughtihoodc1540
meschancy1609
scelerateness1613
meschantnessa1630
nefariousness1727
devilness1853
1297 R. Gloucester's Chron. (Rolls) 9488 Þe godemen of þe lond hire luþerhede iseye.
c1305 St. Kenelm 88 in Early Eng. Poems & Lives Saints (1862) 50 Heo turnede to folie & to liþerhede al hire þoȝt.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1903; most recently modified version published online September 2021).
† litherv.1
Obsolete.
a. transitive. To hurl, shoot forth from (or as from) a sling.
ΚΠ
1297 R. Gloucester's Chron. (Rolls) 11438 Hii wolde sir edward vawe out to hom sende Iliþered wiþ a mangenel, hom wiþ hom to lede.
b. intransitive. To sling stones, to let fly. Const. to (= at).
ΘΚΠ
society > armed hostility > military equipment > operation and use of weapons > action of propelling missile > discharge missile [verb (intransitive)] > use sling
lither?c1225
slingc1440
?c1225 (?a1200) Ancrene Riwle (Cleo. C.vi) (1972) 214 Liðere to him luðerliche Mid þe halirode staf.
1393 W. Langland Piers Plowman C. xix. 48 Þese lourdeines litheren þer-to þat alle þe leues fallen, And feccheth a-way this frut.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1903; most recently modified version published online June 2019).
† litherv.2
Obsolete.
intransitive. To act wickedly, to do harm.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > goodness and badness > badness or evil > [verb (intransitive)] > be evil
misliveOE
lithera1300
pimp1639
society > morality > moral evil > wrong conduct > evildoing or wrongdoing > do evil or wrong [verb (intransitive)]
misdoOE
lithera1300
malignc1425
to do (also play the) naught1594
to hold a candle to the devil1598
a1300 E.E. Psalter xxv. 5 Kirke of liþerand [L. ecclesiam malignantium] hated I.
a1300 E.E. Psalter xxxvi. 9 For þat liþeres, outend sal þai.
a1300 E.E. Psalter civ. 15 In mine prophetes nil lithre þou.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1903; most recently modified version published online December 2020).
<
n.c725
adj.adv.c893v.1?c1225v.2a1300- to make an arse of
- to make an arse of oneself
- to make an arse of someone
- to make an arse of something
- to make an ass
- to make an ass of
- to make an ass of oneself
- to make an ass of someone
- to make an attempt
- to make an end
- to make an entrance
- to make an epoch
- to make an errand
- to make an estate
- to make an estate of a thing to
- to make an estate of a thing to a person
- to make an estate of to
- to make an estate of to a person
- to make an esteem
- to make an example of
- to make an example out of
- to make an exception
- to make an exhibition of oneself
- to make an exhortation
- to make an experiment