Definition of "wither"

wither¹

/ˈwɪðɚ/

verb
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.
2. (transitive) To cause to shrivel or dry up.
  Quotations
  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.
  1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], Matthew 12:10:There was a man which had his hand withered.
  now warm in love, now with'ring in the grave
  1700, [John] Dryden, “Palamon and Arcite: Or, The Knight’s Tale. In Three Books.”, in Fables Ancient and Modern; […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […]
3. (intransitive, figurative) To lose vigour or power; to languish; to pass away.
  Quotations
  names that must not wither
  1812–1818, Lord Byron, “Canto XLVII”, in Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage. , London: John Murray,, (please specify the stanza number)
  States thrive or wither as moons wax and wane.
  1782, William Cowper, Expostulation
4. (intransitive) To become helpless due to emotion.
5. (transitive) To make helpless due to emotion.

wither²

/ˈwɪðɚ/

noun
plural withers
1. singular of withers (“part of the back of a four-legged animal that is between the shoulder blades”)
  Quotations
  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.
  2007, Sara Douglass, Enchanter, Macmillan
  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.
  2008, Kate Luxmoore, Introduction to Equestrian Sports, page 140

wither³

/ˈwɪðɚ/

adverb
comparative more wither, superlative most wither
1. (obsolete or chiefly in compounds) Against, in opposition to.

wither⁴

/ˈwɪðɚ/

verb
third-person singular simple present withers, present participle withering, simple past and past participle withered
1. (obsolete) To go against, resist; oppose.