CEFR C1
tether
noun/verb
Meaning 1: when describing physical restraint
A rope, chain, or similar restraint used to tie an animal or object to a fixed point to restrict its range of movement.
Examples
- The farmer used a sturdy rope to tether the goat to a post in the meadow.
- Divers often use a safety tether to ensure they do not drift away from the boat in strong currents.
Meaning 2: when describing emotional state
The limit of one's patience or endurance (used in the idiom 'at the end of one's tether').
Examples
- After dealing with the noisy neighbors all night, she was at the end of her tether.
- The constant delays had the project manager at the end of his tether.
Meaning 3: in technology
To connect a mobile device to a computer to share its internet connection.
Examples
- I need to tether my phone to my laptop so I can finish this email.
- You can tether your tablet to your phone's hotspot if the Wi-Fi is down.
Pronunciation: /ˈtɛðər/
How to Use tether
- tether to (prepositional phrase)
- To attach something securely to a specific point. — "The boat was tethered to the dock during the storm."
- at the end of one's tether (idiom)
- Having no more patience or energy left. — "I am at the end of my tether with this broken printer."
Synonyms of tether
Words with a similar meaning to tether: