I. ˈhȯltə(r) noun
( -s )
Usage: often attributive
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English hælftre; akin to Old High German halftra halter, Middle Low German halchter, Middle Dutch halfter, halchter; derivatives from the root of English helve
1.
a. : a rope or strap with or without a headstall for leading or tying a horse or other animal
b. : a headstall of rope or leather and usually with noseband and throatlatch to which a lead may be attached
2. : a rope for hanging criminals : noose ; also : death by hanging
3.
a. : a woman's or girl's waist typically held in place by bands or straps around the neck and across the back and leaving the back, arms, and midriff bare
b. : an adaptation of this style for the necklines of other garments (as blouses, dresses, bathing suits)
c. or halter strap : sling 3a(3)
[s]halter.jpg[/s] [
halter 1b
]
II. transitive verb
( haltered ; haltered ; haltering -ltəriŋ, -l.triŋ ; halters )
1.
a. : to catch with or as if with a halter : put a halter on (as a horse)
b. : to put a hangman's halter on : hang
2. : to put restraint upon : bridle , fetter , hamper , restrain
halter his conscience
measures that had the effect of haltering the daily press
III. “, ˈhal- noun
or hal·tere -ˌti(ə)r, -iə
( plural hal·teres ̷ ̷ˈti(ˌ)rēz; ˈ ̷ ̷ˌti(ə)rz, -iəz)
Etymology: New Latin, from Latin, jumping weight, from Greek haltēr, from hallesthai to jump — more at sally
: one of the modified second pair of wings in Diptera and the first pair in Strepsiptera that are reduced to club-shaped organs and that function as flight instruments — called also balancer, poiser