wilt
wilt [wilt wilts wilted wilting] [wɪlt] [wɪlt] verb
1. intransitive, transitive ~ (sth) if a plant or flower wilts, or sth wilts it, it bends towards the ground because of the heat or a lack of water
Syn: droop
2. intransitive (informal) to become weak or tired or less confident
Syn: flag
• The spectators were wilting visibly in the hot sun.
• He was wilting under the pressure of work.
3. thou wilt (old use) used to mean ‘you will’, when talking to one person
Verb forms:
Word Origin:
senses 1 to 2 late 17th cent. (originally dialect): perhaps an alteration of dialect welk ‘lose freshness’, of Low German origin.
Example Bank:
• By half-time, the team was wilting under the pressure.
• Some of the leaves were beginning to wilt.
• The passengers were visibly wilting with the heat and movement of the bus.
• The plants will wilt in direct sunlight.