noun
tether
TEH-thuh
noun
1
A rope or chain that keeps an animal or object within a limited range while still allowing some movement.
"The goat grazed at the end of its tether."
2
The limit of someone's patience, resources, or ability to cope.
"After three sleepless nights, she was at the end of her tether."
verb
1
To tie something up so it cannot move far.
"They tethered the boat to the dock overnight."
2
To connect a phone to another device so it can share its internet connection.
"I tethered my laptop to my phone when the café Wi-Fi went down."
How to Use Tether
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA rope that limits how far something can move, or figuratively, the point where someone runs out of patience — also used for sharing a phone's internet connection.
Common pairings
at the end of one's tether
tether a phone
tethered to the dock
Word Forms
tethered past tense, tethers plural, tethers singular
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The goat grazed at the end of its _____.
Etymology
From Old English or Old Norse roots meaning "rope" or "cord", ultimately traced back to an ancient root meaning "to tie" or "to pull".