fother

Foth"er, n. Etym: [OE. fother, foder, AS. fo a cartload; akin to G. fuder a cartload, a unit of measure, OHG. fuodar, D. voeder, and perh. to E. fathom, or cf. Skr. patra vessel, dish. Cf. Fodder a fother.] 1. A wagonload; a load of any sort. [Obs.] Of dung full many a fother. Chaucer. 2. See Fodder, a unit of weight. Foth"er, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Fothered; p. pr. & vb. n. Fothering.] Etym: [Cf. Fodder food, and G. füttern, futtern, to cover within or without, to line. *75.] Defn: To stop (a leak in a ship at sea) by drawing under its bottom a thrummed sail, so that the pressure of the water may force it into the crack. Totten.

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