Collins English-English Dictionary

mother ['m^ðə]

1. 1. n a female who has given birth to offspring

2. 2. n (as modifier)

   a mother bird

3. 3. n [often capital, esp as a term of address] a person's own mother

4. 4. n a female substituting in the function of a mother

5. 5. n [often capital] [chiefly archaic] a term of address for an old woman

6. 6. n motherly qualities, such as maternal affection

   it appealed to the mother in her

7. 7. n (as modifier)

   mother love

8. 8. n (in combination)

   mothercraft

9. 9. n a female or thing that creates, nurtures, protects, etc, something

10. 10. n (as modifier)

    mother church

    mother earth

11. 11. n a title given to certain members of female religious orders

    mother superior

12. 12. n [Christian Science] God as the eternal Principle

13. 13. n [modifier] native or innate

    mother wit

14. 14. n short for motherfucker

15. 15. vt. [tr] to give birth to or produce

16. 16. vt. to nurture, protect, etc as a mother

17. 17. vt. [Etymology] Old English modor; compare Old Saxon modar, Old High German muotar, Latin mater, Greek meter

mother ['m^ðə]

1. 1. n a stringy slime containing various bacteria that forms on the surface of liquids undergoing acetous fermentation. It can be added to wine, cider, etc to promote vinegar formation mother of vinegar

2. 2. n [Etymology] C16: perhaps from mother¹, but compare Spanish madre scum, Dutch modder dregs, Middle Low German modder decaying object, mudde sludge