See Also: Mother's Day(dictionary)
mother(4)(dictionary)
mother(3)(dictionary)
mother(2)(dictionary)
mother(1)(dictionary)
Age of mother(health)
mother-in-law(dictionary)
mother's boy(dictionary)
mother yaw(medicine)
eel-mother(medicine)

mother(2) (iou)



mother noun2. LME.
[Prob. a use of MOTHER noun1: corresp. in form and sense to Middle Dutch moeder (Dutch moer), German Mutter, and in sense to French mere (de vinaigre), Spanish & Italian madre.]
Dregs, scum, orig. that of oil, later that rising to the surface of fermenting liquors. obsolete exc. in mother of grapes = MARC noun 1. LME.
In full mother of vinegar. A ropy mucilaginous substance produced on the surface of alcoholic liquids during acetogenic fermentation, and used to initiate such fermentation in other alcoholic liquids. E17.