pother means A commotion, a tempest. Lexicurio rates it Rare gem — a strength score of 80 out of 100.
pother is pronounced /ˈpʌðə/.
Why “pother” is a great word
POTHER — [Noun, Verb] A flurry of agitated but often ineffectual activity; as a noun, a fussy commotion; as a verb, to bustle about in a perplexed or bothered state. Origin uncertain; first recorded 1585–95. Possibly related to or a variant of 'pudder' and 'potter' (to busy oneself in a desultory manner), with a comparison to Dutch 'peuteren' (to rummage, poke). Unlike a “commotion,” which implies public chaos, or a “fuss,” which centers on excessive concern, a pother is a dense, personal fog of flustered confusion. It is the frantic patting of pockets for keys already in hand, the spiraling debate over which teacup to use for an indifferent guest, the dizzying swirl of dust raised by sweeping the same spot again and again—a small, suffocating tempest in a very anxious teapot.
Etymology
Origin uncertain. Compare Dutch peuteren (“to rummage, poke”), and English potter, pudder.
noun
- A commotion, a tempest.“Let the great gods, / That keep this dreadful pother o’er our heads, / Find out their enemies now.”
verb
- To make a bustle or stir; to be fussy.
- To puzzle or perplex.