tether

Meanings

1. A rope, cable etc. that holds something in place whilst allowing some movement.
2. The limit of one's abilities, resources, patience, etc.
3. An attachment to a place, time, entity or person.
4. A strong rope or line that connects a sailor's safety harness to the boat's jackstay.

1. To restrict with, or as if with, a tether.
2. To connect to something else.
3. To connect (a smartphone) to a personal computer in order to give the computer access to the phone's Internet connection.

1. Alternative form of tethera.

Etymology

From Middle English tether, teder, from Old English *tēoder and/or Old Norse tjóðr ( > Danish tøjr, Swedish tjuder); both from Proto-Germanic *teudrą (“rope; cord; shaft”), of uncertain origin. Perhaps from Proto-Indo-European *dewtro-, from Proto-Indo-European *dew- (“to tie”), or from Proto-Indo-European *dewk- (“to pull”). Cognate with North German Tüder (“tether for binding the cattle”), Swedish tjuder (“tether for binding cattle”).