dither

dither

English

Etymology

From didder, from Middle English didderen ("to tremble"), ultimately from Proto-Germanic *titrōną, whence also derived Old High German zittarōn (German zittern) and Old Norse titra (Faroese titra, Icelandic titra).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈdɪðə/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈdɪðɚ/
• Rhymes: -ɪðə(ɹ)

Noun

dither (countable and uncountable, plural dithers)

1. The state of being undecided.
   • 2002, Thomas P. Glynn, A Child's Christmas In Chicago, page 59:

     Everyone was in a dither; either in it or about to get in it or just climbing out of it. Naturally, the Madam was not in a dither. Dither was a foreign concept to her.

2. A form of noise which is intentionally applied to randomize errors which occur in the processing of both digital audio and digital video data.
3. (computer graphics) The use of dot patterns to approximate colors not available in the palette.

Translations

state of being undecided

Finnish: epäröinti (fi)

form of noise

computer graphics: use of dot patterns to approximate colors not available in the palette

Finnish: sirottelu (fi), sekoitussävytys

Verb

dither (third-person singular simple present dithers, present participle dithering, simple past and past participle dithered)

1. To tremble, shake, or shiver with cold.
   • 1913, D.H. Lawrence, Sons and Lovers, chapter 8

     Presently he came running out of the scullery, with the soapy water dripping from him, dithering with cold.

2. To be uncertain or unable to make a decision about doing something.
   • 2012, The Economist, Sept. 22nd issue, Indian Reform: At Last

     The dithering Mr Singh of recent times may worry that his reform proposals are already too bold. The reforming Mr Singh of yore would see them as just the start.

3. To do something nervously.
4. (computer graphics) To render an approximation of (an image, etc.) by using dot patterns to approximate (the features of) colors not in the system palette.
5. To intentionally add noise to a signal to randomize errors.

Derived terms

• ditherer

Related terms

• dodder

Translations

to shiver with cold

Finnish: sirotella (fi)

to be uncertain unable to make a decision

Dutch: treuzelen (nl) Finnish: epäröidä (fi) (uncertain); jahkailla (fi) (unable) Italian: esitare (it), titubare (it)

Maori: mānenei, pōhauhau, takahuirangi, manei Portuguese: indeciso (pt) m

to do something nervously

Finnish: hutiloida

(computing, graphics) to render an approximation of

Finnish: koostaa (fi)

to add noise

Finnish: sirotella (fi)

Further reading

• “dither” in Douglas Harper, Online Etymology Dictionary, 2001–2019.

Anagrams

• drieth, rideth, thirde