tiller Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun a shoot that sprouts from the base of a grass
  2. noun someone who tills land (prepares the soil for the planting of crops)
  3. noun lever used to turn the rudder on a boat
  4. noun a farm implement used to break up the surface of the soil (for aeration and weed control and conservation of moisture)
    cultivator.
  5. verb grow shoots in the form of stools or tillers
    stool.

WordNet

Till"er noun
Etymology
From Till, v. t.
Definitions
  1. One who tills; a husbandman; a cultivator; a plowman.
Till"er noun
Etymology
AS. telgor a small branch. Cf. Till to cultivate.
Definitions
  1. (Bot.) (a) A shoot of a plant, springing from the root or bottom of the original stalk; a sucker. (b) A sprout or young tree that springs from a root or stump.
  2. A young timber tree. Prov. Eng. Evelyn.
Till"er intransitive verb
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Tillered ; present participle & verbal noun Tillering
Definitions
  1. To put forth new shoots from the root, or round the bottom of the original stalk; as, wheat or rye tillers; some spread plants by tillering. Sometimes written tillow.
Till"er noun
Etymology
From OE. tillen, tullen, to draw, pull; probably fr. AS. tyllan in fortyllan to lead astray; or cf. D. tillen to lift up. Cf. Till a drawer.
Definitions
  1. (Naut.) A lever of wood or metal fitted to the rudder head and used for turning side to side in steering. In small boats hand power is used; in large vessels, the tiller is moved by means of mechanical appliances. See Illust. of Rudder. Cf. 2d Helm, 1.
  2. The stalk, or handle, of a crossbow; also, sometimes, the bow itself. Obs.
    You can shoot in a tiller. Beau. & Fl.
  3. The handle of anything. Prov. Eng.
  4. A small drawer; a till. Dryden.

Webster 1913