▪ I. ter
(tə)
repr. vulg. and dial. pronunc. of to prep., conj., adv. Cf. oughta, oughter; useter.
| 1867 Harper's New Monthly Mag. Feb. 274/2 This yere is Colonel N―., who wants ter know yer. 1895 W. J. Locke At Gate of Samaria v. 49 She's bloomin' well got ter. 1926 J. K. Strecker in J. F. Dobie Rainbow in Morning (1965) 61 Ef he sting yo, yo sho gwine ter die. 1934 [see quarter-turn s.v. quarter n. 31]. 1944 E. Thompson Robert Bridges i. 7 One he used in print..that of the cockney who saw on his medicine chart the words ter die, and fled in terror to escape his scheduled destruction. 1952 [see kin (var. can v.1)]. 1976 Southern Even. Echo (Southampton) 13 Nov. 2/7 You gence wan' anyfing ter drink? |
▪ II. ter
obs. f. tar, tare, tear; var. tor a. Obs.