Seethe

Pronunciation

• IPA: /siːð/

• Rhymes: -iːð

Alternative forms

• seeth

Origin

From Middle English sethen, from Old English sēoþan ("to seethe, boil, cook in a liquid; subject to a fiery ordeal, try as with fire; subject to great pain, afflict, afflict grievously, disturb; prepare food for the mind; subject the mind with occupations; be troubled in mind, brood"), from Proto-Germanic *seuþaną ("to seethe, boil"), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂seut-, *h₂sut-, *h₂sew- ("to move about, roil, seethe"). Akin to Scots seth, seith ("to seethe"), Dutch zieden ("to seethe, boil"), Low German seden ("to seethe"), German sieden ("to seethe, boil"), Danish syde ("to seethe, boil"), Swedish sjuda ("to seethe, boil"), Icelandic sjóða ("to seethe, boil"). Related also to Gothic 𐍃𐌰𐌿𐌸𐍃 (sauþs, "burnt offering, sacrifice"). Other cognates include Albanian zjej ("boil, seethe").

Full definition of seethe

Verb

1. (transitive) To boil.
• 1485, Sir Thomas Malory, Le Morte Darthur, Book VI:And so that venyson was rosted, sodde, and bakyn.
• 1933, Herbert Danby, The Mishnah - Page 289:When he had cooked or seethed the Peace-offering, the priest took the sodden shoulder of the ram and one unleavened cake out of the basket and one unleavened wafer and put them upon the hands of the Nazirite and waved them.
• 1960, James Enge, Travellers' Rest:“Seethe some of that in Gar Vindisc's good water and bring it to us. Bread, too, as long as you don't make it from shellbacks.”
2. (intransitive, of a liquid) To boil vigorously.
3. (intransitive, of a liquid) To foam in an agitated manner, as if boiling.
4. (intransitive, of a person, figuratively) To be in an agitated or angry mental state, as if boiling.
5. (intransitive, of a place, figuratively) To buzz with activity.