tether

A tether is a rope, chain, strap, or cord used to secure a person or object to a fixed point or to restrain movement. The term can refer to both the securing device and the act of tying or binding.

In practical use, tethers secure animals, equipment, or cargo. In farming and animal care, tethers confine livestock, horses, or dogs to a designated area, typically with a stake, collar, or halter. Safety considerations include preventing entanglement, allowing sufficient movement to avoid distress, and complying with local animal welfare or property laws. Tethers are also used to secure items during transport, maintenance, or outdoor activities.

In space and engineering contexts, a tether is a cable or rope that connects spacecraft, satellites, or robotic systems. Space tethers enable momentum exchange, deorbiting, or power generation in electrodynamic tether concepts. Demonstrations such as tethered satellite systems have explored these ideas, illustrating how a tether can influence orbit, provide drag, or harvest electrical energy.

Tether also refers to a cryptocurrency: Tether, with the ticker USDT. It is a stablecoin designed to maintain a one-to-one peg with the US dollar through reserves and other mechanisms. USDT is widely used for trading, settlement, and liquidity across crypto platforms, though it has faced scrutiny regarding reserve adequacy, transparency, and regulatory compliance.

As a verb, tether means to tie or fasten something with a tether. The term can also describe actions such as tethering a device to a network or a data plan. Overall, tethering conveys the idea of restraint or connection across physical, technological, and financial domains.