Both Uses of
wither
in
The Poisonwood Bible
- I can recall, years ago, watching Rachel cry real tears over a burn hole in her green dress while, just outside our door, completely naked children withered from the holes burning in their empty stomachs, and I seriously wondered if Rachel's heart were the size of a thimble.†
Chpt 5
- I can't drag a husband and sons into a life where their beauty will blossom and wither in darkness.†
Chpt 5 *
Definitions:
-
(1)
(wither as in: wither on the vine) to shrivel (wrinkle and contract -- usually from lack of water)
-
(2)
(wither as in: her confidence withered) to become weaker--sometimes to get smaller and disappear
-
(3)
(meaning too rare to warrant focus) meaning too rare to warrant focus:
Much less commonly, Withers can be a last name.