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Definition of wither verb from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

wither

verb
 
/ˈwɪðə(r)/
 
/ˈwɪðər/
Verb Forms
present simple I / you / we / they wither
 
/ˈwɪðə(r)/
 
/ˈwɪðər/
he / she / it withers
 
/ˈwɪðəz/
 
/ˈwɪðərz/
past simple withered
 
/ˈwɪðəd/
 
/ˈwɪðərd/
past participle withered
 
/ˈwɪðəd/
 
/ˈwɪðərd/
-ing form withering
 
/ˈwɪðərɪŋ/
 
/ˈwɪðərɪŋ/
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  1. [intransitive, transitive] wither (something) if a plant withers or something withers it, it dries up and dies
    • The grass had withered in the warm sun.
    • The grass withered under a scorching sun.
    Topics Plants and treesc2
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb
    • simply
    • slowly
    • away
    preposition
    • into
    • under
    phrases
    • wither and die
    • wither on the vine
    See full entry
  2. [intransitive] wither (away) to become less or weaker, especially before disappearing completely
    • All our hopes just withered away.
    Extra Examples
    • Without investment, home-grown industries are being allowed to wither on the vine.
    • Their support had simply withered away.
    • The business withered and eventually died.
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb
    • simply
    • slowly
    • away
    preposition
    • into
    • under
    phrases
    • wither and die
    • wither on the vine
    See full entry
  3. Word Originlate Middle English: apparently a variant of weather, ultimately differentiated for certain senses.
See wither in the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary
generic
adjective
 
 
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C1
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