lather

¹

[ lath-er ]

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.
3. 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.

lather

²

[ lath-er, lah-ther ]

noun

1. a worker who puts up laths.

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
3. informal.
   a state of agitation or excitement

verb

1. to coat or become coated with lather
2. intr to form a lather

Derived Forms

• ˈlathery, adjective

Other Words From

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of lather¹

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

Origin of lather²

lath + -er ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of lather¹

Old English lēathor soap; related to Old Norse lauthr foam

Idioms and Phrases

see in a lather .

Example Sentences

Trump tends to be more oblique on this front, but he frequently works himself into a lather over defending slave-owners against those who keep saying slavery was a bad thing.

From Salon

“Soap doesn’t lather as well with hard water,” said Campbell.

From Los Angeles Times

The apes picked leaves, chewed them into a green-white lather, and rubbed the substance onto their arms and legs.

From Science Magazine

Yet the only Wild Unknown deck on her bookshelf is the very first she printed — her “OG deck,” as she calls it, its box now lathered in black paint.

From Los Angeles Times

Natural emulsifiers, such as xanthan gum and cetyl alcohol, are sometimes used to prevent organic shampoo from separating and enhance its soapy lather.

From Science Daily

Related Words

• froth