mothers

8 definitions • 17 examples

a female parent:

My mother was 21 when she got married.

mothers and fathers All the mothers and fathers had been invited to the end-of-term concert.

The little kittens and their mother were all curled up asleep in the same basket.

[ as form of address ] formal or old-fashioned May I borrow your car, Mother?

the title of a woman who is in charge of, or who has a high rank within, a convent (= house of religious women):

Mother Theresa

mother superior She is our convent's mother superior.

[ as form of address ] Good morning, Mother.

a mixture used for making sourdough bread, consisting of flour and water that has been allowed to ferment (= to undergo a chemical process of being broken down by bacteria or yeasts) and has been kept from a previous occasion when bread was made:

Head baker Saci made his mother nearly twenty years ago.

He shows them how to mix older mother dough with fresh new dough for the perfect balance of flavour.

a substance used for making any food or drink that is fermented (= that undergoes a chemical process of being broken down by bacteria or yeasts), that is kept from a previous occasion when the food or drink was made :

The kefir mother grows slowly from batch to batch.

Here's how to grow a kombucha mother.

Organic, unfiltered apple cider vinegar also contains "mother", strands of proteins, enzymes and friendly bacteria that give the product a murky appearance.

to treat a person with great kindness and love and to try to protect them from anything dangerous or difficult:

Stop mothering her - she's 40 years old and can take care of herself.

a female parent:

My mother was 20 when I was born.

Mother, where’s my red blouse?

the largest or most extreme example of something:

They got caught in a mother of a storm.

to treat someone with kindness and affection and try to protect that person from danger or difficulty:

Leave me alone – I don’t need to be mothered.