wither

Meaning

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 pass away.
4. To become helpless due to emotion.
5. To make helpless due to emotion.

Noun

singular of withers (“part of the back of a four-legged animal that is between the shoulder blades”)

Adv

Against, in opposition to.

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈwɪðɚ/

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 (“to be ruined by weather; to erode”).
More at weather.