wither
wither Lexical Profile
wither Game Scores & Validity
• verb
To become dry, shriveled, and decayed, or to cause a plant or body part to lose its freshness and vitality.
"Without regular rainfall, the wildflowers along the hillside began to wither in the summer heat."
To gradually decline, weaken, or fade away in strength, influence, or intensity.
"Initial enthusiasm for the costly infrastructure project began to wither as budget deficits grew."
To mortify, abash, or stun someone with a scornful look or harsh remark.
"The professor's stern gaze was enough to wither the unprepared student into silence."
• noun
The ridge between the shoulder blades of a horse or other four-legged mammal, typically used as the standard reference point for measuring the animal's height (usually used in the plural, "withers").
"The veterinarian measured the stallion from the ground to the top of its withers."
Word Nuance & Usage
Do not confuse "wither" (to shrivel, dry up, or fade away) with its homophone in many dialects, "whither" (an archaic or literary adverb meaning "to what place" or "where").
• Rhymes for wither
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
The verb originates from Middle English "witheren", an alteration of "wederen" meaning "to expose to the weather", derived from the Old English noun "weder" (weather). The anatomical noun sense comes from an obsolete sense of "wither" meaning "resistance" or "opposition", referring to the part of a horse's back that pushes against the collar when pulling a load.