v., -ered, -er·ing, -ers. v.intr.
- To dry up or shrivel from or as if from loss of moisture.
- To lose freshness; droop.
- To cause to shrivel or fade.
- To render speechless or incapable of action; stun: The teacher withered the noisy student with a glance.
[Alteration of Middle English widderen, perhaps variant of wederen, to weather, from weder, weather. See weather.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
