Library / English Dictionary

LATHER

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

The foam resulting from excessive sweating (as on a horse)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural objects (not man-made)

Hypernyms ("lather" is a kind of...):

foam; froth (a mass of small bubbles formed in or on a liquid)

Derivation:

lather (rub soap all over, usually with the purpose of cleaning)

lather (form a lather)

Sense 2

Meaning:

The froth produced by soaps or detergents

Synonyms:

lather; soapsuds; suds

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural objects (not man-made)

Hypernyms ("lather" is a kind of...):

foam; froth (a mass of small bubbles formed in or on a liquid)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "lather"):

shaving cream; shaving soap (toiletry consisting of a preparation of soap and fatty acids that forms a rich lather for softening the beard before shaving)

Derivation:

lather (rub soap all over, usually with the purpose of cleaning)

lather (form a lather)

lathery (resembling lather or covered with lather)

Sense 3

Meaning:

A workman who puts up laths

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Hypernyms ("lather" is a kind of...):

working man; working person; workingman; workman (an employee who performs manual or industrial labor)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Agitation resulting from active worry

Example:

he's in a sweat about exams

Synonyms:

fret; lather; stew; sweat; swither

Classified under:

Nouns denoting stable states of affairs

Hypernyms ("lather" is a kind of...):

agitation (a mental state of extreme emotional disturbance)

 II. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Rub soap all over, usually with the purpose of cleaning

Synonyms:

lather; soap

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

Hypernyms (to "lather" is one way to...):

clean; cleanse (clean one's body or parts thereof, as by washing)

"Lather" entails doing...:

lave; wash (cleanse (one's body) with soap and water)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Sentence example:

Did he lather his foot?

Derivation:

lather (the foam resulting from excessive sweating (as on a horse))

lather (the froth produced by soaps or detergents)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Exude sweat or lather

Example:

this unfit horse lathers easily

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

Hypernyms (to "lather" is one way to...):

froth (exude or expel foam)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Sense 3

Meaning:

Form a lather

Example:

The shaving cream lathered

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "lather" is one way to...):

effervesce; fizz; foam; form bubbles; froth; sparkle (become bubbly or frothy or foaming)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Derivation:

lather (the foam resulting from excessive sweating (as on a horse))

lather (the froth produced by soaps or detergents)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Beat severely with a whip or rod

Example:

The children were severely trounced

Synonyms:

flog; lash; lather; slash; strap; trounce; welt; whip

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Hypernyms (to "lather" is one way to...):

beat; beat up; work over (give a beating to; subject to a beating, either as a punishment or as an act of aggression)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "lather"):

flagellate; scourge (whip)

leather (whip with a leather strap)

horsewhip (whip with a whip intended for horses)

switch (flog with or as if with a flexible rod)

cowhide (flog with a cowhide)

cat (beat with a cat-o'-nine-tails)

birch (whip with a birch twig)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Sentence example:

They want to lather the prisoners

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