What does "lathe" mean?
An administrative division of the county of Kent, in England, from the Anglo-Saxon period until it fell entirely out of use in the early twentieth century.
Lathe
/leɪð/ noun, verb
noun, verb ·Moderate ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: An administrative division of the county of Kent, in England, from the Anglo-Saxon period until it fell entirely out of use in the early twentieth century.
- Grammar: lathe is listed as noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: alembic, anvil, awl, bale breaker.
- Useful contrasts: grinder, milling, serra.
- Usage evidence: The characteristic feature of a turret lathe is the turret which is mounted upon a carriage and contains the tools which are successively brought into the working position.
How to use "lathe"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "lathe" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "lathe" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "lathe" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "lathe" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "lathe" is acting as noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "alembic" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
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Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "lathe", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 An administrative division of the county of Kent, in England, from the Anglo-Saxon period until it fell entirely out of use in the early twentieth century. obsolete
- 2 A machine tool used to shape a piece of material, or workpiece, by rotating the workpiece against a cutting tool.
"He shaped the bedpost by turning it on a lathe."
- 3 machine tool for shaping metal or wood; the workpiece turns about a horizontal axis against a fixed tool wordnet
- 4 The movable swing frame of a loom, carrying the reed for separating the warp threads and beating up the weft.
- 5 A granary; a barn. obsolete
"[…]lathe, a barn, is still used in some parts of Yorkshire, but chiefly in local designations, being otherwise obsolescent ; see the Cleveland and Whitby glossaries. ‘The northern man writing to his neighbor may say, “My lathe standeth neer the kirkegarth,” for My barn standeth neere the churchyard’"
Verb
- 1 To invite; bid; ask. UK, dialectal, transitive
- 2 To shape with a lathe.
- 3 To produce a three-dimensional model by rotating a set of points around a fixed axis.
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"The characteristic feature of a turret lathe is the turret which is mounted upon a carriage and contains the tools which are successively brought into the working position."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "lathe"?
Common synonyms include: alembic, anvil, awl, bale breaker, bar, battering ram.
How do you use "lathe" in a sentence?
The characteristic feature of a turret lathe is the turret which is mounted upon a carriage and contains the tools which are successively brought into the working position.
How do you pronounce "lathe"?
Pronounced /leɪð/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From Middle English lathen, from Old English laþian (“to invite, summon, call upon, ask”), from Proto-West Germanic *laþōn, from Proto-Germanic *laþōną (“to invite”), from Proto-Indo-European *lēy- (“to want, desire”). Cognate with German laden (“to invite”), Icelandic laða (“to attract”).
Etymology 2
From Middle English *lath, leth, from Old English lǣþ (“a division of a county containing several hundreds, a district, lathe”), from Proto-West Germanic *lāþ.
Etymology 3
From Middle English lathe (“turning-lathe; stand”), from Old Norse hlað (“pile, heap”)—compare dialectal Danish lad (“stand, support frame”) (as in drejelad (“turning-lathe”), savelad (“saw bench”)), dialectal Norwegian la, lad (“pile, small wall”), dialectal Swedish lad (“folding table, lay of a loom”)—from hlaða (“to load”). More at lade.