withers

Reading level: hard

Estimated CEFR level: C2 — Proficiency

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

  1. noun the highest part of the back at the base of the neck of various animals especially draft animals
  2. verb wither, as with a loss of moisture
  3. verb lose freshness, vigor, or vitality

Etymology

From dialectal English wither (“against”) (compare wither-) + -s; see with. So-named because it is the part of the horse that pushes against a load. Compare German Widerrist (“withers”), from wider (“against”) + Rist (“wrist”).

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