tether
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a rope, chain, or cable that ties an animal or object to a post so it can move only in a small area.
n.a rope, chain, or similar restraint that attaches an object or animal to a fixed point while permitting limited movement within a specific radius.
Simple“The goat was tied to a long tether so it could graze in the field.”
In context“The astronaut remained attached to the station by a safety tether during the entire duration of the extravehicular activity.”
- 02 C1 Advanced
n.the limit of your patience, strength, or ability to deal with a difficult situation.
n.the limit of one's endurance, resources, or patience; almost exclusively used in the idiom 'at the end of one's tether'.
Simple“After the baby cried for three hours, the tired mother was at the end of her tether.”
In context“Having exhausted all legal avenues and financial reserves, the small business owner felt he was finally at the end of his tether.”
UsageCommonly appears in the fixed phrase 'at the end of one's tether'.
Teacher's tipIn American English, the equivalent idiom is usually 'at the end of one's rope'.
Synonymslimitbreaking point - 03 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to tie an animal or object to a fixed point using a rope or chain.
v.to fasten or restrict an animal or object with a tether. Transitive — requires a direct object.
Simple“Make sure you tether the boat securely to the dock before the storm starts.”
In context“The researchers had to tether the weather balloon to a heavy vehicle to prevent it from drifting away during the calibration process.”
- 04 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to connect a computer or tablet to a mobile phone to use its internet connection.
v.to use a mobile device as a gateway to provide internet access to other devices. Often used in computing contexts.
Simple“I had to tether my laptop to my phone because the office Wi-Fi was down.”
In context“The journalist was able to file her report from the remote village by tethering her tablet to a satellite phone.”
UsageOften used with 'to'.
Synonymshotspotconnect
“She invites visitors to jot down their hopes on small white cards and tether them to branches, a recreation of Yoko Ono ’s Wish Tree.”
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”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.