With·er v. i. [imp. & p. p. Withered p. pr. & vb. n. Withering.]
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░ away, as animal bodies.
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.”
States thrive or wither as moons wax and wane. --Cowper.
With·er·ing a. Tending to wither; causing to shrink or fade. -- With*er*ing*ly, adv.
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withering
adj 1: wreaking or capable of wreaking complete destruction;
"possessing annihilative power"; "a devastating
hurricane"; "the guns opened a withering fire" [syn: annihilative,
annihilating, devastating]
2: making light of; "afire with annihilating invective"; "a
devastating portrait of human folly"; "to compliments
inflated I've a withering reply"- W.S.Gilbert [syn: annihilating,
devastating]
n : any weakening or degeneration (especially through lack of
use) [syn: atrophy]