wither

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
wither/ˈwɪðə(r)/

▶verb

• 1 (of a plant) become dry and shrivelled.

• 2 become shrunken or wrinkled from age or disease.

  ■ fall into decay or decline.

• 3 humiliate (someone) with a scornful look or manner.

  ■ (as adj. withering) scornful.

– derivatives
witheringly adverb.

– origin ME: appar. a var. of weather.