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.
With"er (?), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Withered (?); p. pr.
& vb. n. Withering.]
[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&?; 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." Byron.
States thrive or
wither as moons wax and wane.
Cowper.
Hear it pronounced