withered
withered — 形容詞
- witheredpositive
- more witheredcomparative
- most witheredsuperlative
1. no longer alive and completely dry, used especially about plants, flowers, and l
枯萎的
植物因失水而乾枯死亡
no longer alive and completely dry, used especially about plants, flowers, and leaves that have lost all their moisture
Shirin picked up the withered rose from the windowsill and threw it away.
Shirin 撿起窗臺上枯萎的玫瑰，把它扔掉了。
collocation: withered rose / withered flower
The garden was full of withered tomato plants after the long drought.
長期乾旱之後，花園裡滿是枯萎的番茄植株。
Astrid trimmed the withered branches from the apple tree.
Astrid 修剪了蘋果樹上枯萎的枝條。
A single withered petal dropped onto the kitchen table.
一片枯萎的花瓣落在廚房的桌子上。
Dylan pressed a withered daisy between the pages of his notebook.
Dylan 把一朵枯萎的雛菊壓在筆記本的書頁之間。
- wilted
drooping from lack of water but still alive and revivable
- shrivelled
emphasises the wrinkled, shrunken look more than the loss of life
- dried-up
informal; also used for rivers, wells, and paint
- desiccated
formal or technical; used in science and food processing
- blooming
fully open and healthy
- flourishing
growing strongly and in good condition
- lush
rich, thick, and full of life
常見錯誤
2. (of an arm, leg, or hand) shrunken and frail, having never reached its full size
萎縮的
肢體因病或受傷未正常發育
(of an arm, leg, or hand) shrunken and frail, having never reached its full size because illness or injury affected its growth
Theo was born with a withered right arm but never let it slow him down.
Theo 天生右臂萎縮，但他從不讓這影響自己。
typically modifies 'arm' or 'leg'
The old photograph showed a child with a withered leg leaning on a wooden crutch.
那張老照片裡，一個腿部萎縮的孩子倚靠著一把木拐杖。
Nadia underwent surgery to improve movement in her withered hand.
Nadia 接受了手術，以改善她萎縮的手部活動能力。
The doctor explained that the withered limb was caused by a nerve condition.
醫生解釋說，那隻萎縮的肢體是由神經疾病引起的。
- atrophied
medical term for muscle wasting from disuse or disease
- shrunken
more general; can apply to anything that has become smaller
- underdeveloped
broader term; can refer to any body part or organ that never fully formed
用法筆記
Typically modifies 'arm', 'leg', 'hand', or 'limb'. More common in medical or older literary texts.
3. thin, weak, and deeply lined, especially from advanced age or long illness — des
乾癟的
因年老或久病而消瘦多皺
thin, weak, and deeply lined, especially from advanced age or long illness — describing a person's body, face, or skin
Kemi held her withered grandmother's hand as they crossed the street.
Kemi 握著她乾癟的祖母的手，一起過馬路。
typically describes elderly or very ill people
Vinícius barely recognized his uncle — the illness had left him withered and frail.
Vinícius 幾乎認不出他的叔叔——疾病已使他變得乾癟虛弱。
A withered face stared back at Yael from the hospital mirror.
一張乾癟的臉從醫院的鏡子裡回望著 Yael。
Ritu sat beside the withered old man, listening to his stories.
Ritu 坐在那位乾癟老人的身旁，聽他講故事。
Years of hard labour had left the farmer's hands withered and rough.
多年的艱苦勞動讓那位農夫的手變得乾癟粗糙。
- wizened
specifically describes the wrinkled, shrunken look of very old people
- shrivelled
focuses on the skin's wrinkled, dried-out appearance
- gaunt
thin and bony, often from hunger or suffering rather than age
- frail
emphasises physical weakness more than the wrinkled look
用法筆記
Describes a person's appearance as permanently altered by age or sickness — not temporary tiredness. Distinguish from sense 1 (DRY AND DECAYING), which applies to dead vegetation.
常見錯誤
withered — 動詞
- witheredpresent simple I / you / we / they
- withereds3rd person singular
- withereding-ing form
- witherededpast simple
1. (of a plant or part of a plant) to become dry, shrink, and die from lack of wate
枯萎
植物失去水分而凋謝
(of a plant or part of a plant) to become dry, shrink, and die from lack of water or care
The basil on the balcony withered after three days without water.
陽臺上的羅勒三天沒澆水就枯萎了。
intransitive: plant + wither
Without enough rain, the wheat in the north field began to wither.
雨水不足，北邊田地的小麥開始枯萎。
Daichi forgot to water the fern, and it withered within a week.
Daichi 忘了給蕨類澆水，不到一週它就枯萎了。
The wildflowers withered under the harsh August sun.
野花在八月烈日下枯萎了。
文法句型
wither (without object)
用法筆記
Intransitive only. Subject is a plant or plant part. For the transitive counterpart — when something causes the plant to die — see sense 3 (CAUSE TO DRY).
常見錯誤
2. (of a feeling, quality, or resource) to gradually lose strength, energy, or inte
衰退；消褪
活力、熱情或希望逐漸消失
(of a feeling, quality, or resource) to gradually lose strength, energy, or intensity until little or nothing remains
Zola's confidence withered after the panel dismissed her proposal.
Zola 的提案被評審團否決後，她的信心隨之消褪。
figurative: confidence/hopes + wither
The restaurant owner watched her savings wither as the bills piled up.
餐廳老闆看著賬單愈堆愈高，積蓄也跟著一點一點消失。
Kemi checked the donation page daily and saw the numbers wither to almost nothing.
Kemi 每天查看捐款頁面，眼睜睜看著數字消褪到幾乎歸零。
The team's lead withered in the final ten minutes of the match.
球隊的領先優勢在比賽最後十分鐘內化為烏有。
- surge
increase suddenly and powerfully
文法句型
wither (without object) — figurative
用法筆記
Figurative extension of sense 1. Subject is typically an abstract quality — hopes, confidence, enthusiasm, support — or something countable that dwindles, such as savings or a lead.
常見錯誤
3. to make a plant or crop dry up, shrink, and die
使枯萎
導致植物乾枯死亡
to make a plant or crop dry up, shrink, and die
The sudden frost withered every tomato seedling in the garden.
突如其來的霜凍使花園裡每一株番茄苗都枯萎了。
transitive: [cause] + wither + [plant]
A fungal disease withered the vineyard's oldest grapevines.
一種真菌病害使葡萄園最老的那些葡萄藤枯萎了。
The scorching wind withered the crops before harvest could begin.
灼熱的風在收割開始前就使莊稼枯萎了。
Salt spray from the storm withered all the coastal shrubs.
暴風雨帶來的鹽霧使所有沿海灌木都枯萎了。
- nourish
provide what is needed for growth
- revive
bring back to life or health
- revitalise
give new life or energy to
文法句型
[cause] + wither + [plant/crop]
用法筆記
Transitive counterpart of sense 1. Subject is a destructive force — drought, frost, disease, heat, salt — and the object is a plant or crop.
4. to make someone suddenly unable to speak or act, especially by giving them a col
震懾；使啞口
以眼神或言語使人說不出話
to make someone suddenly unable to speak or act, especially by giving them a cold stare or a cutting remark
Professor Chen withered the interrupting student with a single cold stare.
Chen 教授只用一個冷冷的眼神，就讓插話的學生啞口無言。
pattern: wither + [person] + with a look/stare/glance
Saira's sharp reply withered the rude customer on the spot.
Saira 尖銳的回應當場就讓那位無禮的顧客說不出話來。
The ambassador withered the journalist's attack with a calm, cutting response.
大使用一個冷靜而鋒利的回應，讓記者的攻擊頓時失效。
The principal withered the heckler with a raised eyebrow and a long silence.
校長揚起一邊眉毛並沉默許久，讓起鬨的人啞口無言。
- embolden
give someone the courage to speak or act
文法句型
wither + [person] + with a [look/stare/remark]
用法筆記
Rare and literary. Most often in the pattern 'wither [someone] with a [look/stare/glance]'. The effect is immediate and psychological — the person is stunned into silence.