WITHERING

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does withering mean? 

• WITHERING (noun)
  The noun WITHERING has 1 sense:

1. any weakening or degeneration (especially through lack of use)

  Familiarity information: WITHERING used as a noun is very rare.

• WITHERING (adjective)
  The adjective WITHERING has 2 senses:

1. wreaking or capable of wreaking complete destruction

2. making light of

  Familiarity information: WITHERING used as an adjective is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• WITHERING (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Any weakening or degeneration (especially through lack of use)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Synonyms:

atrophy; withering

Hypernyms ("withering" is a kind of...):

weakening (becoming weaker)

Derivation:

wither (lose freshness, vigor, or vitality)

• WITHERING (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Wreaking or capable of wreaking complete destruction

Synonyms:

annihilating; annihilative; devastating; withering

Context example:

the guns opened a withering fire

Similar:

destructive (causing destruction or much damage)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Making light of

Synonyms:

annihilating; devastating; withering

Context example:

to compliments inflated I've a withering reply

Similar:

disrespectful (exhibiting lack of respect; rude and discourteous)

 Context examples 

"It sounded as if you were praying," she said bravely, but she felt herself inside to be withering and shrinking.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

I still felt as a wanderer on the face of the earth; but I experienced firmer trust in myself and my own powers, and less withering dread of oppression.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

The regular flowers have five short, subequal, entire, imbricate, basally connate sepals, and five persistent-withering yellow petals.

(Hypericum perforatum, NCI Thesaurus)

But Amy had not forgotten Miss Snow's cutting remarks about 'some persons whose noses were not too flat to smell other people's limes, and stuck-up people who were not too proud to ask for them', and she instantly crushed 'that Snow girl's' hopes by the withering telegram, You needn't be so polite all of a sudden, for you won't get any.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

That I suffered much in these contentions, that they filled me with unhappiness and remorse, and yet that I had a sustaining sense that it was required of me, in right and honour, to keep away from myself, with shame, the thought of turning to the dear girl in the withering of my hopes, from whom I had frivolously turned when they were bright and fresh—which consideration was at the root of every thought I had concerning her—is all equally true.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

Standing by the table, with his finger in the page to keep the place, and his right arm flourishing above his head, Traddles, as Mr. Pitt, Mr. Fox, Mr. Sheridan, Mr. Burke, Lord Castlereagh, Viscount Sidmouth, or Mr. Canning, would work himself into the most violent heats, and deliver the most withering denunciations of the profligacy and corruption of my aunt and Mr. Dick; while I used to sit, at a little distance, with my notebook on my knee, fagging after him with all my might and main.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)