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Wether vs Mether - What's the difference?

wether | mether |

As nouns the difference between wether and mether

is that wether is a castrated buck goat while mether is a communal drinking vessel used in Gaelic times for drinking mead. It had squared sides and one drank from a corner. Also, a trophy in this shape.

As a verb wether

is to castrate a male sheep or goat.

wether

English

Alternative forms

* (dialectal)

Noun

(en noun)
  • A castrated buck goat.
  • A castrated ram.
  • * {{quote-book
    • , year=1527 , author=George Joye , title= The storie of my state after the bishop had receyued the pryours letters , chapter= citation , isbn= , page= , passage=There was a great fyer in the chamber, the wether was colde, and I saw now and then a Bishop come out;}} (cited after Samuel Roffey Maitland, 1866, p. 8)

    Derived terms

    * bellwether

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To castrate a male sheep or goat.

    • mether

    English

    (Yan Tan Tethera)

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) numerals.

    Alternative forms

    * (l) (qualifier)

    Cardinal numeral

    (head)
  • (dialect) Four in the old counting system of Northern England.
    • Derived terms
    * mether-a-dick * mether-a-bumfit

    Etymology 2

    Related to (m), (m)

    Alternative forms

    * medar, meather

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (historical, Ireland) A communal drinking vessel used in Gaelic times for drinking mead. It had squared sides and one drank from a corner. Also, a trophy in this shape.
  • * 1912 James Henry Cousins, "The Loving Cup" I ( Etain the Beloved and Other Poems , p.84) (Maunsel & Co):
    • I raise to you, O Queen, this Loving Cup, this Mether ,
    Filled with Mead
    Made from honey of the heather
  • * 1912 "Our Lady Correspondent" "Fashions at Leopardstown" The Irish Times 27 August 1912, p.8:
    • Lord Herbert and Mr. Luke White were to be seen on the roof pouring water down the chimney, while the Marchioness of Ormonde was seen carrying the Regimental Cup (the silver Irish mether to be competed for) from the scene of the fire.

    References

    * P. W. Joyce A Social History of Ancient Ireland (Longmans, Green, and Co; 1903) Vol.2 Chap.XX p.75 * electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language (RIA) M col.117 lin.43 English cardinal numbers ----