witherとは 意味・読み方・使い方

語源 1

From 中期英語 widren, wydderen (“to dry up, shrivel”), related to or perhaps an alteration of 中期英語 wederen (“to expose to weather”), from 古期英語 wederian (“to expose to weather, exhibit a change of weather”).

動詞

wither (third-person singular simple present withers, present participle withering, simple past and past participle withered)

1. (intransitive) To shrivel, droop or dry up, especially from lack of water.

   The flowers began to wither in the hot sun without enough water.

   She watched as the old tree slowly withered with time.

   Without care, the crops will wither and fail to grow.

2. (transitive) To cause to shrivel or dry up.
   • 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Matthew 12:10:

     There was a man which had his hand withered.

   • c. 1590–1592 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Taming of the Shrew”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene v]:

     This is man, old, wrinkled, faded, withered.

   • 1700, [John] Dryden, “Palamon and Arcite: Or, The Knight’s Tale. In Three Books.”, in Fables Ancient and Modern; […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC:

     now warm in love, now with'ring in the grave

3. (intransitive, figurative) To lose vigour or power; to languish; to waste away; to pass away.
   • 1812–1818, Lord Byron, “(please specify |canto=I to IV)”, in Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage. , London: John Murray,, (please specify the stanza number):

     names that must not wither

   • 1782, William Cowper, Expostulation:

     States thrive or wither as moons wax and wane.

4. (intransitive) To become helpless due to emotion.
5. (transitive) To make helpless due to emotion.

   (Can we add an example for this sense?)

使用する際の注意点

• Not to be confused with whither.

派生語

語源 2

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

名詞

wither (plural withers)

1. singular of withers (“part of the back of a four-legged animal that is between the shoulder blades”)
   • 2007, Sara Douglass, Enchanter, Macmillan, →ISBN:

     Timozel had slid his feet quickly from the stirrups and swung his leg over the horse's wither as it slumped to the ground, standing himself in one graceful movement.

   • 2008, Kate Luxmoore, Introduction to Equestrian Sports, →ISBN, page 140:

     If a saddle tips too far forward it may rest on the horse's wither and cause pain. There should always be a gap of roughly 5 cm between the horse's wither and the pommel when you are sitting on the saddle.

派生語

語源 3

From 中期英語 wither, from 古期英語 wiþer (“again, against”, adverb in compounds), from Proto-West Germanic *wiþr (“against, toward”).

副詞

wither (comparative more wither, superlative most wither)

1. (obsolete or chiefly in compounds) Against, in opposition to.

語源 4

From 中期英語 witheren, from 古期英語 wiþerian (“to resist, oppose, struggle against”).

動詞

wither (third-person singular simple present withers, present participle withering, simple past and past participle withered)

1. To go against, resist; oppose.

アナグラム

• whiter, writhe