Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun A rustic girl; a gawky young woman; a wench.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun Prov. Eng. A girl; esp., a great, awkward girl; a wench.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun archaic, UK, dialect A girl, especially, a great awkward girl.

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

Possibly from Danish moer.

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Examples

  • I therefore suppose the _r_ termination in _mauther_ to be a mere corruption, like that pointed out by Skinner in the Lincoln Folk-speech: or is it possible that it may have arisen from a contusion of the words _maid_ and _mother_ in Roman Catholic times?

    Notes and Queries, Number 55, November 16, 1850 Various

  • "Oal right, Cap'n," replied Israel, "I jist want to go and spaik to mauther, while the Squire do git the oull mare ready."

    The Birthright Joseph Hocking 1898

  • "Away! you talk like a foolish _mauther_" -- says Restive to Dame Pliant in _Ben Jonson.

    Notes and Queries, Number 52, October 26, 1850 A Medium of Inter-communication for Literary Men, Artists, Antiquaries, Genealogists, etc Various 1852

  • Having done with him I took boat again (being mightily struck with a woman in a hat, a seaman's mother, -- [Mother or mauther, a wench.] -- that stood on the key) and home, where at the office all the morning with Sir W. Coventry and some others of our board hiring of fireships, and Sir W. Coventry begins to see my pains again, which I do begin to take, and I am proud of it, and I hope shall continue it.

    Diary of Samuel Pepys — Complete 1666 N.S. Samuel Pepys 1668

  • Having done with him I took boat again (being mightily struck with a woman in a hat, a seaman's mother, -- [Mother or mauther, a wench.] -- that stood on the key) and home, where at the office all the morning with Sir W. Coventry and some others of our board hiring of fireships, and Sir W. Coventry begins to see my pains again, which I do begin to take, and I am proud of it, and I hope shall continue it.

    Diary of Samuel Pepys — Volume 43: May/June 1666 Samuel Pepys 1668

  • Having done with him I took boat again (being mightily struck with a woman in a hat, a seaman's mother, -- [Mother or mauther, a wench.] -- that stood on the key) and home, where at the office all the morning with Sir W. Coventry and some others of our board hiring of fireships, and Sir W. Coventry begins to see my pains again, which I do begin to take, and I am proud of it, and I hope shall continue it.

    Diary of Samuel Pepys — Complete Samuel Pepys 1668

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