Fother \Foth"er\, n. [OE. fother, foder, AS. f[=o]?er a cartload; akin to G. fuder a cartload, a unit of measure, OHG. fuodar, D. voeder, and perh. to E. fathom, or cf. Skr. p[=a]tr[=a] vessel, dish. Cf. {Fodder} a fother.] 1. A wagonload; a load of any sort. [Obs.] [1913 Webster] Of dung full many a fother. --Chaucer. [1913 Webster] 2. See {Fodder}, a unit of weight. [1913 Webster]
Fother \Foth"er\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Fothered}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Fothering}.] [Cf. {Fodder} food, and G. f["u]ttern, futtern, to cover within or without, to line. [root]75.] 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. [1913 Webster]