Forms: 1 (ʓe)léđran, líđrian, 3 leþere, liđere, 5 lathere, 6– lather, 7 ladder, laver (in lavering ppl. adj.). [OE. *líeðran, léðran, corresponds to ON. løyðra:—OTeut. *lauþrjan, f. *lauþrom: see LATHER sb.1 From the 16th c. the word has been assimilated in form to the sb.; cf. Icel. lauðra.]
1. trans. To cover with or as with a lather; to wash in or with a lather.
c. 950. Lindisf. Gosp., John xi. 2. Maria uutudlice wæs ðio ʓeðuoʓ vel smiride vel leðrede ðone drihten mið smirinise.
c. 1000. Sax. Leechd., II. 124. Lyþre mid sapan. Ibid., III. 2 [see LATHER sb. 1 a].
1654. Gayton, Pleas. Notes, II. i. 33. Their Horses … by excessive heats, continuall evaporations, and sweats … were laundred and ladder’d.
1713. Addison, Guardian, No. 71, ¶ 4. He would rub and lather a man’s head, till he had got out every thing that was in it.
1715. trans. Pancirollus’ Rerum Mem., I. I. iv. 12. Cleaner and brighter, than if it had been … lather’d with a Wash-ball.
1748. Smollett, Rod. Rand., viii. (1804), 36. He lathered my face.
1851. D. Jerrold, St. Giles, xxiii. 235. The self-same brush that had lathered the beard of that very vulgar man.
1862. Geo. Eliot, Romola, xvi. Nello skipped round him, lathered him, seized him by the nose, and scraped him.
Proverb. 1860. Hughes, Tom Brown at Oxf., xxiii. ’Twas waste of soap to lather an ass.
† b. absol. or intr. Obs. rare.
c. 1430. Pilgr. Lyf Manhode, I. lii. (1869), 32. And for that j kan so wel wasshe, so wel lathere … hath god maad me his chambrere.
1630. J. Taylor (Water P.), Praise Cleane Linnen, Wks. II. 169/1. For Laundresses are testy … When they are lathering in their bumble broth.
† c. intr. in quasi-passive sense.
1691. Phil. Trans., XVII. 532. [They] put them over a Fire till they are more than Blood-warm; which will make them [skins] ladder and scour perfectly clean.
2. intr. To become covered with foam; now chiefly of a horse.
a. 1225. Juliana, 16. And beten hire swa luðere þat hire leofliche lich liðeri al oblode. [Similarly a. 1225 Leg. Kath. 1554.]
a. 1225. St. Marher., 5. Hit brek oueral ant litherde o blode.
c. 1275. Lay., 7489. He swang in þan fihte þat he leþerede [c. 1205 lauede] a swote.
1884. St. James’s Gaz., 1 May, 7/1. Harvester … lathered a good deal before being saddled.
3. To produce and form a lather or froth. Said esp. of water when mixed with soap; also of soap.
1608. Armin, Nest Ninn. (1842), 21. The Trotting of this mule made the mingled confection lather.
1677. Plot, Oxfordsh., 36. Water … such as … would lather well.
1715. Gay, Ep. to Earl Burlington, 106. Our shirts her busy fingers rub, While the sope lathers oer the foaming tub.
1789. G. White, Selborne, i. 3. A fine limpid water … but which does not lather well with soap.
1796. Kirwan, Elem. Min. (ed. 2), I. 189. It [indurated lithomarga] does not lather, yet is detersive.
4. trans. To spread on like lather.
1885. Manch. Exam., 10 Feb., 5/3. In other pictures coarse yellow paint appears to have been lathered on with a trowel.
5. To beat, thrash. Also intr. with into. Also fig.
1797. Sporting Mag., X. 320. He was so well lathered that he was near his end.
1850. P. Crook, War of Hats, 54. The uxorious cleric too was … lathered with a cane.
1886. ‘Maxwell Gray,’ Silence Dean Maitland, I. v. 129. He was a latherin’ into Hotspur [a horse] like mad coming down shoot.
Hence Lathered ppl. a., Lathering vbl. sb. and ppl. a. Also Latherer.
1598. Florio, Saponata, a soping, a lathring.
1630. J. Taylor (Water P.), Praise Cleane Linnen, Ded. Wks. II. 164. Not doubting but the lathering suds of your lennitie will wash away all such faults.
1647. H. More, Insomn. Philos., i. 178. Her curbed steeds foaming out lavering tarre.
1814. Southey, Carmina Aulica, Poet. Wks. III. 315. When at the looking-glass with lather’d chin … I sit.
1836. E. Howard, R. Reefer, lvi. A stubble of your growth … requires a double lathering.
1863. Geo. Eliot, Romola, xvi. The doctor had his lathered face turned towards the group.
1865. Carlyle, Fredk. Gt., XVIII. x. (1872), VII. 283. Such a pell-mell…: our King must have given them a dreadful lathering.
1899. Westm. Gaz., 18 May, 2/3. Boys employed as latherers in barbers’ shops.
