a. [ OE. nethere, neithere, AS. niðera, fr. the adv. niðer downward; akin to neoðan below, beneath, D. neder down, G. nieder, Sw. nedre below, nether, a. & adv., and also to Skr. ni down. √201. Cf. Beneath. ] Situated down or below; lying beneath, or in the lower part; having a lower position; belonging to the region below; lower; under; -- opposed to
'Twixt upper, nether, and surrounding fires. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]
This darksome nether world her light
Doth dim with horror and deformity. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]
All my nether shape thus grew transformed. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]
a. Lower, nether. [ Obs. ] Holland. [ 1913 Webster ]
a. [ AS. niðemest. See Nether, and cf. Aftermost. ] Lowest;
‖n. pl. [ Heb., pl. of nāthīn given, granted, a slave of the temple, fr. nāthan to give. ] (jewish Antiq.) Servants of the priests and Levites in the menial services about the tabernacle and temple. [ 1913 Webster ]