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wither

Pronunciation: /ˈwɪðə/

The English word “wither” has 7 meanings listed here.

verb

  1. To shrivel, droop or dry up, especially from lack of water.
  2. To cause to shrivel or dry up.
  3. To lose vigour or power; to languish; to waste away; to pass away.
  4. To become helpless due to emotion.
  5. To make helpless due to emotion.
  6. To go against, resist; oppose.

adverb

  1. Against, in opposition to.

Etymology

From Middle English widren, wydderen (“to dry up, shrivel”), related to or perhaps an alteration of Middle English wederen (“to expose to weather”), from Old English wederian (“to expose to weather, exhibit a change of weather”). Cognates From Proto-Germanic: Dutch verwederen, Dutch verweren (“to erode by weather”), German verwittern, wittern (“to be ruined by weather; to erode”), Swedish vittra…

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