douth

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

From Middle English douthe, douth, duweðe (“body of retainers, people, might, dignity, worth”), from Old English duguþ (“manhood, host, multitude, troops”), from Proto-West Germanic *dugunþu, *dugunþi, 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.

douth (usually uncountable, plural douths)

1. (obsolete) Virtue; excellence; atheldom; nobility; power; riches.
2. (obsolete) A group of people, especially an army or retinue.
3. (dialectal) Reliability; ease; security; shelter.

   There's no^[sic] much douth in a wire fence.

douth (comparative more douth, superlative most douth)

1. (dialectal) Snug; comfortable; in easy circumstances.

douth (plural douths)

1. Alternative form of dought

douth

1. Alternative form of douthe