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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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TETHER, n., v. Also teather (Sc. 1793 Tam Thrum Look before ye Loup 27); tedder (Ork. 1700 P. Ork. A. S. (1923) II. 20; em.Sc. 1794 W. Marshall Agric. Cent. Highl. 30; Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl.; Uls. 1904 Vict. Coll. Mag. 13; I. and n.Sc. 1972); tadder (Lnk. a.1779 D. Graham Writings (1883) II. 37). See D, letter, 4, T, letter, 9. (2) (ii). Sc. forms and usages. [′tɛðər, ′tɛdər]

I. n. 1. As in Eng. Phrs. (1) a hair to mak a tether, see Hair, 2. (3); (2) in ae tether, fig., united, married; (3) like a tether, continuously and at great length, non-stop; (4) to draw the tether, to draw a rope made from hair, usu. of a cow, round an animal or object as a procedure in witchcraft. Cf. Raip, n., 3. (4). Hist.; (5) to get the wrong end of the tether, to misunderstand, make a mistake, "get the wrong end of the stick" (Ork. 1972).(2) Lnk. 1844 J. Lemon Lays of St Mungo 32:
In the hopes that we'll dee in ae tether.(3) Ayr. 1887 J. Service Dr Duguid 284:
He gied them't like a tether for twa oors in the kirkyaird.(4) Per. 1835 J. Monteath Dunblane Trad. (1887) 55:
The witches' pranks were confined to "drawin' the tether."Sc. 1957 F. M. McNeill Silver Bough I. 145:
The witch usually operated by the method known as 'drawing the tether.' While tugging at a hair rope made by taking a hair from the tail of every cow within reach and twisting them together, she muttered an incantation.(5) Lnk. 1884 T. McLachlan Thoughts 49:
Dinna blether, Ye've got the wrong end o' the tether.

Combs. and deriv.: (1) hair-tether, see Hair, 3. (4); (2) tether-chack, the piece of iron or wood attached to a tether by which it is secured to the ground (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 191); (3) tether-end, the end of a rope; †(4) tether-faced, having an ill-natured aspect (Sc. 1808 Jam.); †(5) tether-garth, a primitive type of machine used in spinning hair (Ork. 1911 J. Omond 80 Years Ago 19); (6) tether-herin, a tether made of hair (Ork. 1866 Edm. Gl.). See Hairen; (7) tether length, the length of a tether, a long distance (Cai. 1905 E.D.D.); ¶(8) tether-safe, a tether, sc. as a means of keeping an animal secure and free from harm; (9) tether stake, = (2). Also in Eng. dial.; the upright post in a stall to which a cow is fastened (Sc. 1887 Jam.); (10) tether stick, = (9); (11) tether string, a tether, rope, halter; also fig.; (12) tedder-tow, id.; (13) tethery(-methery), in an untidy, confused state (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.). Rare in Eng. For methery cf. Moider.(3) Lnk. 1853 W. Watson Poems 11:
While tuggin' at the tether en'.(5) Ork. 1905 Orcadian Papers (Charleson) 35:
The bent bands . . . were made into ropes on a rude machine called the "tether-garth"(7) Rnf. 1791 A. Wilson Poems 217:
A tether-length he back did gae.Cai. 1972:
Ye're at your tether-length, you have gone as far as can be tolerated in your behaviour.(8) Ayr. 1835 Galt in Tait's Mag. (Sept.) 606:
I must . . . gie her rope the day; and whether it shall prove her tether-safe, or her hanging-tow, I wash my hands o' her.(9) Sc. 1725 Ramsay Gentle Shep. i. ii.:
He'll look upon you as his tether-stake.Slk. 1821 Hogg Poems (1865) 318:
His tethe are reide-hot tedderstakis.(10) Ayr. 1822 H. Ainslie Pilgrimage 175:
Clansmen riving up the auld deep dauded tether sticks o' their allegiance.wm.Sc. 1854 Laird of Logan 503:
Hangy aye keeps the tether-stick in his ain hand.(11) Ayr. 1786 Burns Death of Mailie 52:
Gude keep thee frae a tether string.(12) Abd. 1946 J. C. Milne Orra Loon 14:
Neist day Jock shortened Dobbin's tedder-tow.

2. In fig. senses: scope, range of action, the limits (of conduct, resources, endurance, etc.), "rope" (I. and n.Sc. 1972).Edb. 1811 H. Macneill Bygane Times 17:
If I gae her length o' tether.Abd. 1865 G. MacDonald Alec Forbes xiv.:
His mither has been jist raither saft wi' him, and gi'en him ower lang a tether.

Freq. in phrs.: (1) to go the length of one's tether, to use up one's resources, exhaust one's means (Sc. 1905 E.D.D.; Uls. 1953 Traynor; Sh. 1972). Also in Eng. dial.; (2) to put a tether to someone's tongue, to silence, restrain from speaking (Sh., Cai. 1972); (3) to rin one's tether, to come to the end of one's resources; (4) to rin to the tether's end, to go to extremity, to go as far as possible; (5) to slip the tether, to break loose, throw of restraint (Sh. 1972); (6) to take the tether, to take licence, to permit oneself the liberty; (7) to win to the end o' one's tether, to reach the limit of one's resources (I. and n.Sc. 1972).(2) Edb. 1828 D. M. Moir Mansie Wauch i.:
A rebuke of this kind would put a tether to his tongue for a wee.(3) Ayr. 1879 H. White Jottings 142:
When they their tether baith had run.Bwk. 1897 R. M. Calder Poems 254:
I let them rin their tether.(4) Edb. 1773 Fergusson Poems (S.T.S.) II. 157:
Shall Man, a niggard, near-gawn elf! Rin to the tether's end for pelf.(5) Gall. 1814 W. Nicholson Poems 116:
Unlike them skilled in city wiles, That aften slip the tether.(6) Ayr. 1892 H. Ainslie Pilgrimage 300:
The tether ye hae taen, Sir Knight, Has baith been lang an' wide.(7) Abd. 1882 W. Alexander My Ain Folk 121:
Sandy begood to fin' oot that he had wun to the en' o's tether.

3. A hawser, tow-rope for a boat. Comb. tether-tow, id.Slg. 1818 W. Muir Poems 12:
I saw her in a tether Draw twa sloops after ane anither.Sc. 1838 Whistle-Binkie 40:
Her tether-tow maist stapp'd my breath And journey down the water.

4. A halter or hangman's noose.Sc. 1715 Jacobite Relics (Hogg 1821) II. 4:
Then in a tether, he'll swing from a ladder.Sc. 1724 A. Pennecuik Poems (1750) 21:
I do nae mind a Word I spake When in the Teather.Sc. 1738 Ramsay Poems (S.T.S.) III. 249:
And heezd the Leaguers up the Ladders To swing aloft in hempen Tedders.Ayr. 1785 Burns Ep. to W. Simpson xvii.:
May envy wallop in a tether.

5. Something which hinders or holds one back, an excuse to stop or dawdle.Ayr. 1879 R. Adamson Lays 86:
Tho' folk that's gi'en a wee tae blether Are seldom ill-aff for a tether.

II. v. 1. To confine, restrict the freedom of, to tie (Ork., ne.Sc. 1972).Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 191:
She niver gangs oot our the door bit tethers hirsel at haim wee that bairn o' hirs.

2. To moor (a vessel), tie up.Abd. 1748 R. Forbes Ajax 4:
The Trojan shore, an' a' the barks That tedder'd fast did ly Alang the Coast.Kcd. 1901 R. Trotter Gall. Gossip 391:
The teeth — ye could 'a' tether't a vessel tae ony o' them.

3. Fig. To marry, unite in marriage gen. in a sarcastic sense (n.Sc. 1972).Edb. 1812 W. Glass Cal. Parnassus 53:
The neebours assembled to see Wattie tether'd.Cld. 1880 Jam.:
Tethered to a tawpie.Abd. 1955 W. P. Milne Eppie Elrick v.:
Gweed peety the umman boddy 'at's teddert tae him gin 'e iver bit tak a wife.