Forms: α. 4 tethir, (thether), 6 teyther, 6–8 teather, 7 tither, teither, 6– tether. β. 4–5 tedyr, 5 -yre, 5–7 teder, 6 teddir, tedure, teeder, 6–8 (9 dial.) tedder, 7 teddar (tedir). [At first a northern word: app. a. ON. tjóðr ‘tether’ (Icel. and Fær. tjóður, Sw. tjuder); corresp. to 15th c. WFris. tyader, tieder; MLG., MDu. tûder, tudder, LG. tüder, tüdder, töder, tider, tier, tir, Du. tuier, all in sense ‘tether.’ Cf. also OHG. *ziotar, zeotar, MHG. zieter (still in Bav. dial., Hess. zetter) in sense ‘fore-pole or team.’ A corresponding OE. *téoðor has not been found.
The word points to an OTeut. *teudra-, pre-Teut. *deutro-, from a vb.-stem. *deu- to fasten, with instr. suffix -tro.]
1. A rope, cord, or other fastening by which a horse, cow, or other beast is tied to a stake or the like, so as to confine it to the spot.
1376–7. Durham Acc. Rolls (Surtees), 386. In duobus thethers et j feterlok pro equis. Ibid. (1394–5), 599. In iij Tethirs cum paribus de langalds. Ibid. (1396–7), 214. j tedyr.
14[?]. Nominale, in Wr.-Wülcker, 728/1. Hoc ligatorium, a tedyre.
1523. Fitzherb., Husb., § 148. But make thy hors to longe a tedure.
1562. Wills & Inv. N. C. (Surtees), I. 207. ij wayne roopes, j haire teder xijd.
1589. Greene, Menaphon (Arb.), 38. Who coueteth to tie the Lambe and the Lion in one tedder maketh a brawle.
1641. Best, Farm. Bks. (Surtees), 145. A peece of an olde broken teather.
1669. Caldwell Papers (Maitl. Cl.), I. 133. Ane hair tedir 0. 13. 4.
1688. Lond. Gaz., No. 2368/4. Stolen out of the Tether…, a dark brown Gelding.
1782. Burns, Death of Mailie, 2. As Mailie, an her lambs thegither, Were ae day nibbling on the tether.
a. 1854. H. Reed, Lect. Brit. Poets (1857), II. 70. A delicate colt at the end of each tether.
2. Applied to a rope used for other purposes.
† a. A boat’s painter; a tow-rope. Obs.
1503. Hawes, Examp. Virt., ii. 1. Wher was a boote tyed with a teeder.
1818. W. Muir, Poems, 12 (E.D.D.). I saw her in a tether Draw twa sloops after ane anither.
b. A rope for hanging malefactors; a halter.
1508. Dunbar, Flyting, 176. Lyke to ane stark theif glowrand in ane tedder.
a. 1578. Lindesay (Pitscottie), Chron. Scot. (S.T.S.), I. 175. They luik ane hardin tedder and hangit him ower the brige of Lawder.
17[?]. Sheriff-Muir, xvii., in Sel. Coll. Sc. Ballads (1790), III. 65. Then in a tether He’ll swing from a ladder.
1819. W. Tennant, Papistry Storm’d (1827), 11. Weems cried out, ‘Hang it in a tether.’
3. fig. The cause or measure of one’s limitation; the radius of one’s field of action; scope, limit.
1579. Tomson, Calvin’s Serm. Tim., 18/1. Men must not passe their tedder.
1651. N. Bacon, Disc. Govt. Eng., II. xxx. (1739), 137. A large Teather, and greater privilege than ever the Crown had.
1706. Baynard, in Sir J. Floyer, Hot & Cold Bath., II. (1709), 272. The length of his short Tedder of Understanding.
1734. Pope, Lett. to Swift, 19 Dec. We soon find the shortness of our tether.
1865. G. Macdonald, A. Forbes, 51. Gin his mither has been jist raither saft wi’ him, and gi’en him ower lang a tether.
b. A bond or fetter.
1609. F. Geevil, Mustapha, Chorus ii. We scorne those Arts of Peace, that ciuile Tether, Which, in one bond, tie Craft and force together.
1817. Byron, Beppo, xviii. When weary of the matrimonial tether.
1878. Browning, La Saisiaz, 413. Why should we expect new hindrance, novel tether?
4. Phrases: † Within (obs.), beyond one’s tether, within, beyond the limits of one’s ability, position, or reasonable action; the end († extent, length) of one’s tether, the extreme limit of one’s resources.
1523. Fitzherb., Husb., § 148. As longe as thou etest within Tedure.
1549. Latimer’s 2nd Serm. bef. Edw. VI., To Rdr. (Arb.), 51. Learne to eat within thy teather.
1627. Sanderson, Serm., I. 276. He shall not be able to go an inch beyond his tedder.
1690. Locke, Hum. Underst., I. i. § 4. To prevail with the busy Mind … to stop, when it is at the utmost Extent of its Tether.
a. 1734. North, Exam., III. viii. § 57 (1740), 627. As to the last Order … which properly belongs to the next Reign and so beyond my Tedder.
1809. Malkin, Gil Blas, X. ii. ¶ 8. At length she got to the end of her tether, and I began.
1860–70. Stubbs, Lect. Europ. Hist. (1904), I. ii. 23. They had got to the length of their tether.
5. attrib. and Comb., as tether-end, -length, -rope, -string; tether-ball, a ball fastened to or suspended from a pole by a string; the game played with this (Webster, Suppl., 1902); tether-peg, -stake, -stick, -stone, a pin or stake of wood or iron, or a stone, fixed in the ground, to which an animal is tethered.
1725. Ramsay, Gentle Sheph., I. ii. He’ll look upon you as his tether-stake.
1782. Burns, Death of Mailie, 52. Gude keep thee frae a tether string.
a. 1800. Kempy Kaye, in Child, Ballads, I. 302/1. His teeth they were like tether-sticks.
1859. Cornwallis, Panorama New World, I. 144. They took my tether rope, and commenced making me fast to a tree.
1884. Lays & Leg. N. Irel., 13. Put a tether-stone up on the face av the hill.
