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Definition 2024

douth

douth

English

Noun

douth ‎(usually uncountable, plural douths)

  1. (rare or obsolete) Virtue; excellence; atheldom; nobility; power; riches.
    • 2012, Yahoo! Canada Answers - What does the Bible say about a Christian going into debt?
      The Book warns against debt, and extols the douth of not going into debt, but does not forbid debt.
  2. (obsolete) A good deed; a benefit.
  3. (obsolete) Manhood.
  4. (collectively) Men; people.
  5. A company; army; retinue.
  6. Reliability; ease; security; shelter.
    There's no [sic] much douth in a wire fence.
Derived terms
  • douth-king
  • douthly
  • douthman
  • douthwight

Adjective

douth ‎(comparative more douth, superlative most douth)

  1. Snug; comfortable; in easy circumstances.

Etymology 2

Noun

douth ‎(plural douths)

  1. Alternative form of dought

Etymology

From Middle English douthe, duwethe ‎(“body of retainers, people, might, dignity, worth”), from Old English duguþ ‎(“manhood, host, multitude, troops”), from Proto-Germanic *dugunþiz ‎(“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.

Pronunciation

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

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