Middle English Dictionary Entry

tọ̄̆ther pron.
Quotations: Show all Hide all

Entry Info

Forms tọ̄̆ther pron. Also tothere, tothur(e, (N) totheir, toyere, (chiefly N) toither, (NEM) touther & toder, todir, todur.
Etymology From misanalysis of that def. art. & adj. plus ọ̄̆ther pron. Usu. preceded by thẹ̄̆ def. art. or occas. that def. art. & adj.: in the few cases (in sense 2.) in which there is no def. art. preceding, the word may be a contraction of thẹ̄̆ def. art. and ọ̄̆ther pron.; when at prep. or but conj. precede, the word may result from faulty word division.

Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)

1.
(a) The second of two persons, things, etc., the latter [some quots. may belong to sense 2.(a)]; the ton (that on)..the ~, the first..the second, the former..the latter [some quots. may belong to sense 2.(e)]; (b) the second in a series of three or more persons, things, etc.; also, the next in a group of persons, series of days, etc.; the ton (the first, on, etc.).. the ~..the thrid, etc.
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2.
(a) The other one of two persons, things, etc. [some quots. could also be construed as sense 1.(a)]; also, the other of two groupings [quot. a1450]; (b) those of a group of people, animals, things, etc. other than that one or those specified; the others, the rest; al the ~, the ~ al, all the others, all the rest; everyone else; bothe the ~, the other two; (c) the more remote of two persons, things, etc.; the one not under discussion; this..the ~; (d) that which remains as the consequence of a process or an operation, the leavings; (e) in correlation with the (that, this) on, the to, the ton, etc.: the other one; the other group.
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3.
Something or someone else, another one.
Show 2 Quotations
4.
In literal translations of L alter: (a) the ~..the ~, the one..the other; they..one another; (b) the ~, any one of a group of people; (c) of the ~, than that of the others.
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