withers

American  

[with-erz] / ˈwɪð ərz /

noun

(used with a plural verb)

1. the highest part of the back at the base of the neck of a horse, cow, sheep, etc.

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idioms

1. wring one's withers, to cause one anxiety or trouble.

   The long involved lawsuit is wringing his withers.

withers British  

/ ˈwɪðəz /

plural noun

1. the highest part of the back of a horse, behind the neck between the shoulders

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Etymology

Origin of withers

First recorded in 1535–45; origin uncertain

Example Sentences

It also withers behind a paywall, is manipulated by social media algorithms and hollowed out by covert corporate consolidation.

From Salon • May 26, 2025

As fine arts funding withers across sectors and Hollywood budgets shrink while studios retreat from local productions, workers are still recovering from lengthy strikes and the incipient threat of artificial intelligence.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 22, 2025

Their results show that the grass withers due to a lack of water inside the fairy circle.

From Science Daily • Mar. 19, 2024

In the process of transmuting the mid-rib of the leaf, the plant undergoes a proliferation of new vascular tissue — and avoids rotting while the rest of the leaf withers away.

From New York Times • Feb. 25, 2024

Then she gave Dodger a pat on his withers to let him know she’d gotten his message.

From "Two Degrees" by Alan Gratz