douth

English

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

Etymology 1

From Middle English douthe, duwethe (“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. (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
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