The word "doth" is a form of the verb "do" which means "does" in modern English. It is pronounced /dʌθ/ in IPA phonetic transcription. The spelling of "doth" is characteristic of Early Modern English, which was spoken in the sixteenth, seventeenth, and early eighteenth centuries. The spelling of many common words was different from modern English. "Doth" is an example of a verb form that became archaic, and is now only used in literary or poetic contexts.
Doth is an archaic form of the third-person singular present tense of the verb "do" in the English language. It is primarily used in old English literature and poetry, and is seldom encountered in modern usage. In its essence, doth denotes an action or a state of being performed by a singular entity.
Typically, doth is employed to convey a sense of action, achievement, or existence in relation to an individual or object referred to in the third person. It is commonly used in questions, statements, or exclamations, either as a main verb or as an auxiliary verb in conjunction with other verbs.
The term doth carries a certain quaintness and antiquity. It evokes a sense of the bygone era and is often associated with the language of Shakespearean plays and other works from the Renaissance period. Its usage contributes to a more formal, archaic, or poetic tone within a literary context.
In summary, doth is an archaic third-person singular present tense of the verb "do" that signifies an action or state of being by an individual or object. While its usage has largely faded from contemporary English, it remains emblematic of the language's rich historical and literary heritage.
• 3d sing. pres. tense; this will do, this will answer the purpose; how do you do, how are you in health; how do you get on-usually a mere salutation of respect; done up, ruined; to do with, to make use of; to employ; to do away, to remove; to destroy; to do up, to envelop; to pack up; to do with, to dispose of; to employ; to do for, to answer for; to suit; colloquially, to baffle completely; to ruin; to do without, to be able to dispense with; to get along without; do is used along with a verb to render it emphatic, as, "I do love.".
• 3d pers. sing. pres. of do, which see.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
The word "doth" is a form of the verb "do" in the third person singular present tense. Its etymology can be traced back to Old English, where the verb "do" was conjugated as "dōþ" in the third person singular. This Old English form evolved from the earlier Proto-Germanic verb "dēþ" or "dōþi", which meant "to do" or "to act". Ultimately, the origin of "doth" can be traced back to the Proto-Indo-European root "*dhe-", which had a similar meaning of "to put" or "to place".