Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 2001 (DOST Vol. X).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Tedder, Tether, n. Also: ted(d)ir, ted(d)yr, tadder, thidder, thethyr, teather, -ir, teether, ta(i)ther. Pl. also tethris. [ME and e.m.E. thether (1376-7, north.), tethir (1394-5, north.), tedyre (15th c.), tedder (1579), teather (1641), ON tjóðr, MLG, MDu. tûder, tudder.] A rope used to restrain animals. Also proverb. Also attrib. with stake.(a) 1463 Lindores A. 161.
Ilka man suld hald on his awyn grys a kow or a hors in tedyr c1500 Rowll Cursing 199 (M).
Thai salbe … led in towis and in tedderis 1504 Treas. Acc. II 449.
For tedderis to tua wedder scheip 1551 Elgin Rec. I 109.
Na bestiall accept horse and meris vpoun tedderis to pas was by the ouer treyne cros 1557 Digest Justiciary Proc. B 144.
Hir seruandis leidand twa hors the ane haueand … ane car with graith bund thairon with ane tedder 1565 Prestwick B. Rec. 69.
Ane harne teddir 1567 Crail B. Ct. MS 17 June.
Ane herin tedder a1568 Bann. MS 138a/68.
Ane thrawcruk to twyne ane tedder 1596 R. Brown Paisley I 166.
That na hors be sufferit ather in tedder or out of tedder, upon the said common … while the corne be ripit 1621 Crim. Trials III 496.
Binding him … with ane coird, or hair-tedder, to ane horse 1627 Rep. Parishes 194.
Twelfe staine butter twelfe stirkis twelfe wedderis fyve hair tedderis 1652 Peebles B. Rec. II 3.
The counsell … Discharges all burgessis … who wantes gras of their awne to keepe any nolt in tedderes 1669 Caldwell P. 133.
Ane hair tedir, 13 s. 4 d. 1678 Kingarth Par. Rec. 111.
He helped to cary home an sheep on a tedder 1689 Banff Ann. I 164.
The long tedders they [sc. cattle] have at them(b) 1671 Forbes Baron Ct. 288.
All tennentis … sall bring tadderes with thair hors in tym of peittes leding(c) 1368 Coldingham Priory lvii.
Item in ferura equorum, capistris, singulis, thethyrs 1522–4 Treas. Acc. V 196.
Small necessar thingis sic as bridillis, girthis, tethris [etc.] 1656 Dumfries Council Min. MS 19 Jan.
Teathir 1681 Foulis Acc. Bk. 93.
For picked towes for a teather to the horse 1684 Symson Descr. Galloway App. 161.
A shackle or teather belonging to a cow or horse 1691 Foulis Acc. Bk. 136.
To William Thomson smith … for 4 pair suills for teathers a1700 Mare of Colinton 140.
He did o'rtack her in Fordel Moor, And pat her in a teather(d) 1666 Lanark Presb. 106.
There black mares teether(e) 1677 Thanes of Cawdor 334.
Putt … the other 2 two yeir old colts in iles or keep in grass on tathers 1678 Argyll Justic. Rec. I 90.
Archibald … stoll … some horse taithers 1678 Fawside Coal Compt 29.
For a hevie tather 8 s.proverb. 1685-8 Renwick Serm. 78.
It is better to hold by a hair, than to draw by a tether; a grip is soon slipt, but it is not soon recoveredattrib. 15.. Lichtoun Dreme 61 (M).
Thair thidder stakis wer maid of grene gers hair 1604 Shetland Sheriff Ct. (ed.) 129.
Jhone Jamesoun for gripstair of ane tether and tetherstaik afe Brita Androisdochter 1656 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. II 1024.
For the stryking of Johne Mitchelsone with ane tether and tetherstaik on the face

b. With reference to the use made of a tether in witchcraft. a1605 Montg. Flyt. 469 (T).
Milk of ane harin tedder 1629 Justiciary Cases I 116.
Jon Bryseoun … deponit … that the tedder was cassin in be the pannell and that thaireftir the seiknes and diseas tuik upone Patrik Brysone 1649 Cupar Presb. 148.
Jonet Miller … did sie hir drawing a cheyne tether and theirafter the said Elspet tooke the tether and did cast it … east and west 1662 Sharpe Witchcraft 131.
Bidding her … take … a harrie tedder, and draw it over the mouth of a mug saying … ‘God send us milk’ 1662 Crim. Trials III 605.
We draw the tedder … in betuixt the cowes hinder foot, and owt betuixt the cowes forder foot 1691 Dalyell Darker Superst. 264.
Tedder 1691 Kirk Secr. Commonw. (1964) 264.
Tedder

c. A hangman's rope; a tether used for this purpose. Also attrib. c1500-c1512 Dunb. Flyt. 176 (M).
With hingit luik … Lyk till ane stark theif glowrand in ane teddyr c1500-c1512 Dunb. Flyt. 240 (M).
Clime ledder fill tedder foull edder 1530 Lynd. Test. Pap. 469.
Thay … On Lawder Bryge syne keppit wer in tedderis 1540 Lynd. Sat. 1951 (B.).
It is full weill thy kynd to lowp and licht in a tedder 1619 Crim. Trials III 474.
Playing the pairt of hangmen … with ane hair tedder, strangillit … him to deid 1656 Boharm Kirk S. 30 Nov.
He wished that he who took his peitts were turned in a tedderattrib. 1630 Dundonald Par. Rec. 296.
His sclandering of Andrew Reid, … calling him a teddir steater loune