A frothy white mass of bubbles produced by soap or detergent when mixed with water. Also means a state of agitation or nervous excitement.
From Old English 'leathor' meaning foam or soap-suds, possibly related to Old Norse 'lauðr' meaning soap or foam. The figurative sense of being in an agitated state comes from the frothy, turbulent appearance of soap lather.
The dual meaning of 'lather' - both soap bubbles and emotional agitation - reflects how our ancestors saw similarities between physical and mental turbulence. When someone 'works themselves into a lather,' the metaphor perfectly captures the frothy, unstable nature of extreme excitement or anger.
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