| 释义 |
▪ I. mauther dial.|ˈmɔːðə(r)|
Forms: 5 moddyr, moder, 5–8 modder, 6 moether, 6–7 mo(a)ther, 7 modher, mothther, 9 morther, 8– mawther, 7– mauther.
[Of obscure etymology.
Often regarded as a variant of mother, on the ground that in Norwegian dialects mor (‘mother’) is often used vocatively to little girls, as far (‘father’) to boys; but this explanation is not very satisfactory. The suggestion that it may be a derivative or compound of ON. møy-, mǽ-r (see may n.), or of some cognate of OE. mæᵹeð (see maiden) involves difficulties app. insuperable. In vocative use a shortened form maw'r, mor, is common: see E.D.D.]
A young girl.
Chiefly current in East Anglia and the adjoining counties, but instances (with the sense ‘great awkward girl’) are quoted in the Eng. Dial. Dict. from Gloucestershire, Herts., and Sheffield.
c1440Promp. Parv. 341/1 Moder, servaunte, or wenche (S. moddyr), carisia. 1573Tusser Husb. (1878) 37 A sling for a moether, a bowe for a boy. Ibid. 39 With mother or boy that Alarum can cry. 1591Fraunce Yuychurch A iv b, Will Phillis still be a Modder, And not care to be cal'd by the deare-sweete name of a Mother? 1610B. Jonson Alch. iv. vii, Away, you talke like a foolish Mauther. 1674Ray S. & E. C. Words 72 A Modher or Modder, Mothther; a girle or young wench: used all over the Eastern part of England. 1787W. Marshall Norfolk (1795) II. Gloss., Mauther, a little girl (in common use). 1798–1800Bloomfield Richard & Kate xii, When once a giggling Mawther you, And I a red-fac'd chubby Boy. 1849Dickens Dav. Copp. xxxi, ‘Cheer up, my pretty mawther!’ said Mr. Peggotty. 1865W. White E. Eng. I. 70 Throngs of noisy girls, ‘factory mawthers’, as they are called in Norwich. 1893F. B. Zincke Wherstead 100 Down to thirty years ago in this neighbourhood a young woman was always spoken of as a ‘mawther’, or ‘morther’.
▪ II. mauther, mauthern
see mathern. |