dial. [cf. MDu. elder of same meaning; perh. repr. OTeut. *aliþro(m, f. *alan to nourish. (Not etymologically connected with UDDER.)] The udder of a cow or mare.

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1674.  Ray, N. C. Wds., 17. The Elder:s the Udder.

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1679.  Plot, Staffordsh. (1686), 262. Which was a yard and an inch high at 2 days old, and had … milk in its elder.

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1797.  J. Downing, Disord. Horned Cattle, 87. The beast should be … milked quite clean out of the elder.

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1875.  Lanc. Gloss., s.v. (E. D. S.), Hur [the cow’s] elder ’s a bit sore.

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1880.  Miss Jackson, Shropsh. Gloss., s.v. (E. D. S.), The mar’ … wuz glad to see the cowt for ’er elder wuz as ’ard as a stwun.

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