† netherern.
Obsolete. rare.
1. The lower parts, the depths.
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > relative position > low position > [noun] > lower part
nethermorea1382
netherer1435
lowera1500
underpart1662
R. Misyn tr. R. Rolle Fire of Love 82 (MED) My hede..þe heyst party of my sawle, be þe qwhik þe nethyrar..ar gouyrnd.
a1500 (c1340) R. Rolle Psalter (Univ. Oxf. 64) (1884) cxxxviii. 14 My bane is noght hid fra the that thou made in pryue and my substaunce in netherere of erth.
2. An inferior, a subordinate.Only in Pecock.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > goodness and badness > inferiority or baseness > inferior person > [noun]
lowerc1175
nethererc1443
inferior?1504
puny1579
under-being1587
puisne1592
subaltern1605
little sistera1634
undermatcha1661
wretch1688
sub-man1840
missing link1863
small-timer1910
society > society and the community > social class > the common people > socially inferior person > [noun]
lowerc1175
afterlingc1275
smalla1325
nethererc1443
undermana1661
lowlife1712
vulgar1763
vulgarian1809
rank outsider1869
low man on the totem1956
c1443 R. Pecock Reule of Crysten Religioun (1927) 288 (MED) Summe be ouerers and souereyns, and summe be neþerers and sugettis.
c1449 R. Pecock Repressor (1860) 1 (MED) Poul ȝeueth instruccioun..which longith oonli to the ouerer anentis his netherer.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2003; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
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n.1435