WITHER

shrivel, shrivel up, shrink, wither

(verb) wither, as with a loss of moisture; “The fruit dried and shriveled”

fade, wither

(verb) lose freshness, vigor, or vitality; “Her bloom was fading”

Source: WordNet® 3.1

Etymology 1

Verb

wither (third-person singular simple present withers, present participle withering, simple past and past participle withered)

(intransitive) To shrivel, droop or dry up, especially from lack of water.

(transitive) To cause to shrivel or dry up.

(intransitive, figurative) To lose vigour or power; to languish; to pass away.

(intransitive) To become helpless due to emotion.

(transitive) To make helpless due to emotion.

Usage notes

• Not to be confused with whither.

Etymology 2

Noun

wither (plural withers)

singular of withers (“part of the back of a four-legged animal that is between the shoulder blades”).

Etymology 3

Adverb

wither (comparative more wither, superlative most wither)

(obsolete or chiefly in compounds) Against, in opposition to.

Etymology 4

Verb

wither (third-person singular simple present withers, present participle withering, simple past and past participle withered)

(obsolete) To go against, resist; oppose.

Anagrams

• whiter, writhe

Proper noun

Wither (plural Withers)

A surname.

Anagrams

• whiter, writhe

Source: Wiktionary

With"er, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Withered; p. pr. & vb. n. Withering.] Etym: [OE. wideren; probably the same word as wederen to weather (see Weather, v. & n.); or cf. G. verwittern to decay, to be weather- beaten, Lith. vysti to wither.]

1. To fade; to lose freshness; to become sapless; to become sapless; to dry or shrivel up. Shall he hot pull up the roots thereof, and cut off the fruit thereof, that it wither Ezek. xvii. 9.

2. To lose or want animal moisture; to waste; to pin This is man, old, wrinkled, faded, withered. Shak. There was a man which had his hand withered. Matt. xii. 10. Now warm in love, now with'ring in the grave. Dryden.

3. To lose vigor or power; to languish; to pass away. "Names that must not wither." Byron. States thrive or wither as moons wax and wane. Cowper.

With"er, v. t.

1. To cause to fade, and become dry. The sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth. James i. 11.

2. To cause to shrink, wrinkle, or decay, for want of animal moisture. "Age can not wither her." Shak. Shot forth pernicious fire Among the accursed, that withered all their strength. Milton.

3. To cause to languish, perish, or pass away; to blight; as, a reputation withered by calumny. The passions and the cares that wither life. Bryant.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition