with ‧ er /ˈwɪðə $ -ər/ BrE AmE ( also wither away ) verb
[ Date: 1300-1400 ; Origin: Probably from weather 'to affect with sun, wind, rain, etc.' ]
1 . [intransitive and transitive] if plants wither, they become drier and smaller and start to die
2 . [intransitive] to gradually become weaker or less successful and then end:
His career had withered.
The organization just withered away.
3 . wither on the vine if something withers on the vine, it gradually ends because it is not given enough support:
The government has allowed the program to wither on the vine by reducing its funding.