douth

English

Pronunciation

• enPR: douth, IPA^(key): /daʊθ/
• Rhymes: -aʊθ

Etymology 1

(deprecated template usage)

From Middle English douth, douthe, duweðe (“body of retainers, people, might, dignity, worth”), from Old English duguþ (“manhood, host, multitude, troops”), from Proto-Germanic *dugunþō (“power, competency, notefulness, virtue”), from *duganą (“to be useful”), from Proto-Indo-European *dʰewgʰ- (“to be ready, be sufficient”). Cognate with North Frisian døgd, døged (“ability, good deed”), Dutch deugd (“virtue”), German Tugend (“virtue”), Swedish dygd (“virtue”), Icelandic dygð, dyggð (“virtue”). Related to dow, doughty.

Noun

douth (usually uncountable, plural douths)

1. (obsolete) Virtue; excellence; atheldom; nobility; power; riches.
2. (obsolete) A group of people, especially a army or retinue.
3. (dialectal) Reliability; ease; security; shelter.

   There's no^[sic] much douth in a wire fence.

Adjective

douth (comparative more douth, superlative most douth)

1. (dialectal) Snug; comfortable; in easy circumstances.

Etymology 2

Noun

douth (plural douths)

1. Alternative form of dought

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Middle English

Alternative forms

• douthe, duthe, douþe
• dugeð, duweðe, duȝeðe, doȝeðe, duȝeþe, duheðe, duhþe, duȝd

Etymology

From Old English duguþ, from Proto-Germanic *dugunþō.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈduːəθ/
• IPA^(key): /duːθ/

Noun

douth (uncountable)

1. A group, band, or company of people:
   1. The personal military force of a ruler or potentate.
   2. Any group of armed people; an army or troop.
2. (rare) Potency, might, worth.
3. (rare) An individual person.
4. (rare) Something beneficial; a boon.
5. (rare) The state of being mature.

Related terms

• doughty

Descendants

• English: douth (obsolete)
• Scots: duthe, douth

References

• “douth, n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2019-06-05.