leather

¹leath·er

noun \ˈle-thər\

Definition of LEATHER

1

: animal skin dressed for use

2

: the flap of the ear of a dog — see dog illustration

3

: something wholly or partly made of leather

— leather adjective

— leath·er·like \-ˌlīk\ adjective

Examples of LEATHER

1. <the company claims to use only the finest leathers for its shoes and handbags>
2. <this jacket was made from real leather>

Origin of LEATHER

Middle English lether, from Old English lether-; akin to Old High German leder leather, Old Irish lethar

First Known Use: 13th century

Related to LEATHER

Synonyms

hide, skin

Related Words

coat, fleece, fur, pelt; alligator, antelope, buckskin, cabretta, calfskin, capeskin, chamois, cordovan, cowhide, crocodile, deerskin, doeskin, goatskin, horsehide, kid, kidskin, lambskin, morocco, ostrich, pigskin, seal, sharkskin, sheepskin, snakeskin; nubuck, patent leather, suede

Rhymes with LEATHER

feather, heather, nether, tether, weather, wether, whether

²leather

transitive verb

leath·eredleath·er·ing \ˈle-thə-riŋ, ˈleth-riŋ\

Definition of LEATHER

1

: to cover with leather

2

: to beat with a strap : thrash

Examples of LEATHER

1. <an expert rider will find almost no reason to leather a horse>

First Known Use of LEATHER

13th century

Related to LEATHER

Synonyms

birch, cowhide, flagellate, flail, flog, hide, horsewhip, lash, whip, rawhide, scourge, slash, switch, tan, thrash, whale

Related Words

knout, quirt, strap; cut; flick, touch up; blackjack, cane, club, cudgel, fustigate; pistol-whip; bang, bop, box, bust, clap, clip, clobber, clout, crack, cuff, hit, knock, lam, paste, punch, slap, slug, smack, smite, sock, spank, swat, swipe, thwack, wallop, whack; bash, baste, bat, batter, beat, belabor, belt, bludgeon, buffet, bung, drub, fib [British], hammer, lace, lambaste (or lambast), lather, lick, mangle, maul, paddle, pelt, pommel, pound, pummel, rough, slate, slog, thresh, thump, tromp, whop (or whap), whup, work over

leather

noun    (Concise Encyclopedia)

Animal skins and hides treated to preserve them and make them suitable for use. Tanning converts the otherwise perishable skin to a stable and nondecaying material. Though the skins of such diverse animals as ostrich, lizard, eel, and kangaroo have been used, the more common leathers come from cattle, including calf and ox; sheep and lamb; goat and kid; horse, mule, and zebra; buffalo; pig and hog; and seal, walrus, whale, and alligator. Leather making is an ancient art that has been practiced for more than 7,000 years. See also parchment.