From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Wither \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.]
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1. To fade; to lose freshness; to become sapless; to become
sapless; to dry or shrivel up.
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Shall he hot pull up the roots thereof, and cut off
the fruit thereof, that it wither? --Ezek. xvii.
9.
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2. To lose or want animal moisture; to waste; to pin? away,
as animal bodies.
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This is man, old, wrinkled, faded, withered. --Shak.
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There was a man which had his hand withered. --Matt.
xii. 10.
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Now warm in love, now with'ring in the grave.
--Dryden.
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3. To lose vigor or power; to languish; to pass away. "Names
that must not wither." --Byron.
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States thrive or wither as moons wax and wane.
--Cowper.
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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Withered \With"ered\, a.
Faded; dried up; shriveled; wilted; wasted; wasted away. --
With"ered*ness, n. --Bp. Hall.
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