withers
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See also: Withers
English[edit]
Etymology[edit]
From dialectal English wither (“against”) (compare wither-) + -s; see with. So-named because it is the part of the horse that pushes against a load. Compare German Widerrist (“withers”), from wider (“against”) + Rist (“wrist”).[1]
Pronunciation[edit]
- (General American) IPA(key): /ˈwɪð.ɚz/
- (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈwɪð.əz/
- Hyphenation: with‧ers
Audio (UK): (file)
Noun[edit]
withers pl (normally plural, singular wither)
- The part of the back of a four-legged animal that is between the shoulder blades; in many species the highest point of the body and the standard place to measure the animal's height. [from 1580]
Usage notes[edit]
Even in the plural, this noun refers to one object. The synonymous singular, wither, is less common.
Hyponyms[edit]
Coordinate terms[edit]
Derived terms[edit]
Translations[edit]
part of the back of a draft animal
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Further reading[edit]
Verb[edit]
withers
- third-person singular simple present indicative of wither
References[edit]
- ^ Douglas Harper (2001–2024) “withers”, in Online Etymology Dictionary.