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Loath vs Lather - What's the difference?

loath | lather |

As an adjective loath

is unwilling, reluctant; averse, disinclined.

As a noun lather is

the foam made by rapidly stirring soap and water.

As a verb lather is

to cover with lather.

loath

English

Alternative forms

* loth (mostly UK)

Adjective

(er)
  • unwilling, reluctant; averse, disinclined
    • I was loath to return to the office without the Henderson file.
  • * 1911 , (Jack London), The Whale Tooth
  • *:The frizzle-headed man-eaters were loath to leave their fleshpots so long as the harvest of human carcases was plentiful. Sometimes, when the harvest was too plentiful, they imposed on the missionaries by letting the word slip out that on such a day there would be a killing and a barbecue.
  • (obsolete) hostile, angry, loathsome, unpleasant

    • Usage notes

    * Often confused in meaning and pronunciation with loathe, a related transitive verb. * This spelling is about four times as common as "loth" in the UK and fifty times as common in the US.

    Synonyms

    * unwilling, reluctant, averse, disinclined

    Related terms

    * loathe

    Anagrams

    *

    lather

    English

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) lather, from (etyl) . More at (l).

    Noun

  • The foam made by rapidly stirring soap and water.
  • Foam from profuse sweating, as of a horse.
  • A state of agitation.
    • Derived terms
    * in a lather * lathery

    Etymology 2

    Frm (etyl) . See above.

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To cover with lather.
  • To beat or whip.
  • To form lather or froth, as a horse does when profusely sweating.
    • Derived terms
    * (l)

    Anagrams

    * *