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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1974 (SND Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

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.