different between withers vs zithers

English

Etymology

From dialectal English wither (“against”) (compare wither-) +? -s; see with. So-named because it is the part of the horse that pushes against a load. Compare German Widerrist (“withers”), from wider (“against”) + Rist (“wrist”).

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /?w?ð.?z/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?w?ð.?z/
• Hyphenation: with?ers

Noun

withers pl (normally plural, singular wither)

1. The part of the back of a four-legged animal that is between the shoulder blades; in many species the highest point of the body and the standard place to measure the animal's height. [from 1580]

Usage notes

Even in the plural, this noun refers to one object. The synonymous singular, wither, is less common.

Hyponyms

• nape

Coordinate terms

• scruff

Derived terms

• fistulous withers
• wither-wrung
• wring one's withers

Translations

Further reading

• withers on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

Verb

withers

1. Third-person singular simple present indicative form of wither

References

Anagrams

• swither, whister, wishter, writhes

English

Noun

zithers

1. plural of zither

Anagrams

• Hritzes